title: Failure of clonidine treatment in benzodiazepine withdrawal.
abstract: Six subjects, dependent on benzodiazepines for at least 2 years, were gradually withdrawn, using placebo substitution, while taking clonidine. After withdrawal was complete, subjects were switched to clonidine-placebo. Despite administration of clonidine at doses sufficient to produce a fall in blood pressure, an abstinence syndrome was seen in five of the subjects. In none of these cases was the withdrawal syndrome exacerbated by changing from clonidine to clonidine-placebo. Scores of depression, subjective anxiety, observed anxiety and somatic symptoms did not change throughout the study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Keshavan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lader