Welcome back to the Easing Anxiety blog series, "What We Learned from the Benzo Survey," where we dive deep into the data from the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019 to learn more about benzos, BIND, and the individuals who have taken these medications. In our first posts in this series, we explored age groups, gender, country, drug type, and warnings. Today in our fifth installment, we look at how many respondents took different medications at the same time and whether or not they took their medications as prescribed by their doctor. Check out the findings below. *** Scroll to the end of this post for details about the survey and research team. *** CONCURRENT MEDICATIONS Most of the survey respondents (83.6%) took more than just a single benzodiazepine and over half (56.2%) took two or more medications at the same time. The most significant pairing was between benzodiazepines and antidepressants. 45% of those who had taken benzodiazepines also took some type of antidepressant. Since SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly prescribed to individuals in benzo withdrawal, this finding may not be surprising. If we look at the benzodiazepine class only, 52.4% (632) of the respondents only took one benzo, 23.0% (278) took two, 14.0% (169) took three, 5.7% (69) took four, and 3.5% (42) took five or more. One respondent even stated that they took 10 different benzodiazepines. Taking multiple psychiatric medications — what is commonly referred to as polydrugging — is not uncommon in mental health treatment and can create a nightmare scenario for individuals dealing with physical dependence and/or addiction (SUD). Question (n=1,207): Did you take different medications concurrently (at the same time) or sequentially (different ones at different times). TAKEN AS PRESCRIBED Over 90% of the respondents took their benzodiazepine mostly as prescribed. Only 8.7% definitely did not. This key finding backs the experience of most professionals in the benzo community. The majority of individuals we work with have taken their medication as prescribed by their doctors — and while substance use disorder (SUD) can happen with benzodiazepines, it is rare. Most complications we've seen have nothing to do with SUD or addiction, but instead are caused by physical dependence, withdrawal, and BIND. Question (n=1,207): Was your benzodiazepine med always taken 'as prescribed,' in the dose recommended by a doctor? References Survey papers are listed below. About the Benzodiazepine Survey About the Research The largest survey of its kind, "The Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019" was created and administered by Jane Macoubrie, PhD and Christy Huff, MD. Over 1,600 individuals took the survey, resulting in 1,207 qualified respondents. The survey constituted 20 questions, including demographic inquires. Some of these questions had multiple sub-questions and/or allowed multiple answers. The survey generated three published research papers in scientific journals (as noted below) between April 25, 2022 and June 29, 2023. The research team is still together working on new benzodiazepine-related research projects. Special thanks to the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices for sponsoring and organizing this research. Published Papers PAPER 1 — April 25, 2022 Finlayson AJ, Macoubrie J, Huff C, Foster DE, Martin PR. Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2022;12. doi:10.1177/20451253221082386. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20451253221082386. PAPER 2 — February 6, 2023 Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Foster DE, Martin PR. Enduring neurological sequelae of benzodiazepine use: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2023;13. doi:10.1177/20451253221145561. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20451253221145561. PAPER 3 — June 29, 2023 Ritvo AD, Foster DE, Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Silvernail B, Martin PR. (2023) Long-term consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction: A survey. PLOS ONE 18(6): e0285584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285584. Research Team Research Team / Authors (alphabetical) A. J. Reid Finlayson, MD, MMHC — Vanderbilt University Medical Center D E Foster — Benzodiazepine Action Work Group / Easing Anxiety Christy Huff, MD — Benzodiazepine Information Coalition Peter R. Martin, MD, MSc — Vanderbilt University Medical Center Alexis Ritvo, MD, MPH — University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Bernard Silvernail — The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices Acknowledgements The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices — Sponsoring Organization Jane Macoubrie, Ph.D. — Survey originator Jo Ann LeQuang — Medical Writer Limitations SOURCE: Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey This study has several limitations. The study reported on ‘suicidal thoughts’, which can range from fleeting notions of self-harm to passive desperation, preparatory planning, and disinhibition. Suicidal thoughts may be underreported, even in an anonymous online survey, as respondents might hesitate or be embarrassed to report self-destructive thoughts. There was no control group. Much of the survey dealt with symptoms presented in multiple-choice lists, and it is possible that patients may have been suggestible to the list presented, may not have correctly remembered past symptoms, or may incorrectly attribute certain symptoms or feelings to benzodiazepines. We did not account for a nocebo effect. The large number of write-in comments suggests that many respondents felt the survey did not allow them to fully describe the extent of their experiences and emotions. Another limitation of our survey is that it recruited respondents from social media and online sources that deal with benzodiazepine use and withdrawal. Respondents were self-selected, forming a convenience sample that may not represent the population of benzodiazepine users as a whole because visitors may have sought sites such as these specifically because they have experienced problems. Moreover, those who use the Internet for health information tend to be younger, and those who join online support groups for medical conditions tend to be in generally worse health. Our results thus may not be generalizable to the population of all people taking benzodiazepines. Data Analysis A medical statistician produced the initial results of this survey utilizing SAS Software. Subsequent data analysis was performed in greater detail by an experienced data scientist who imported the survey data into a custom SQL Server data model. Customized queries were employed to obtain correlations among the data. In particular, this analysis examined conditions for which benzodiazepines were prescribed and compared them to symptoms and adverse life effects reported by patients who were tapering or had discontinued benzodiazepine use. All analyses were delivered via a structured reporting process and validated against the original SAS reports. The survey was made available online through websites and internet benzodiazepine support groups and general health and wellness groups. The data scientist mentioned above is D E Foster, who is also the author of this blog series and the founder of Easing Anxiety. D has been a member of the Benzodiazepine Survey Research Team since 2019, providing general benzodiazepine knowledge and lived-experience in addition to formal data analysis and reporting. Prior to his withdrawal from benzodiazepines, D worked as a database developer and data scientist for over 25 years. For Informational Purposes Only All information presented on Easing Anxiety is for informational purposes only, and should never be considered medical or health advice. Withdrawal, tapering, or any change in dosage of benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs should only be done under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. This article was written by a living, breathing, human person. Please read our site disclaimer for more information.

Welcome to the new Easing Anxiety blog series, "What We Learned from the Benzo Survey." Now that we have published the 3rd and final paper on the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019, we wanted to share some of the findings and data that may not have been included in the three published papers. There was a lot here, and it would be a shame not to make it available to the public. As we progress through this series, we will discuss demographics, types of medication, taper, dosage, symptoms, and adverse life effects. Each post will be relatively short, covering only one or two analyses. At the bottom of each post, we will include details and links to learn more about the survey if you so choose. Despite the inherent complexity of data analysis and statistics, these posts will be written with the general audience in mind. In the first few posts, we will start out with the basics. There are three key demographics of the study: age, gender, and country. Let's start with age... AGE The age distribution of the survey respondents was not unexpected. Even though this was an online survey, which typically skews younger, the average age of affected individuals in the benzodiazepine community is older. Over half of all respondents in this survey were over the age of 50. There are some reasons for this. First off, benzodiazepines are more heavily prescribed in older populations. Reasons for this are varied. And second, many individuals do not recognize or exhibit tolerance symptoms until years, even decades, after starting the drug. In fact, a significant percentage never exhibit tolerance at all during use and do not face these hurdles until withdrawal. This may explain, in part, why the average age of someone seeking support for benzodiazepine withdrawal trends older. According to national estimates in a 2018 study, 8.7% of older Americans greater than age 65 were prescribed BZD [benzodiazepines] within the past year. Given the known adverse effects of this drug class [benzodiazepines], particularly in the elderly, efforts should be aimed at a rigorous assessment of the true need for a benzodiazepine, along with the implementation of deprescribing practices for existing benzodiazepine users. — Gress et al (2020) Unfortunately, the age group most frequently overlooked in modern society is also the one that is most affected by the complications of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. The overprescribing of these drugs for older adults is a significant problem and is one of the leading causes of falls and hip fractures, which increases the risk of mortality, poorer quality of life, and increased morbidity. Question (n=1,207): It could be helpful to track symptoms by age. Your age group currently is: References Donnelly K, Bracchi R, Hewitt J, Routledge PA, Carter B. Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs and the risk of hip fracture: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017 Apr 27;12(4):e0174730. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174730. PMID: 28448593; PMCID: PMC5407557. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5407557/. Gerlach LB, Wiechers IR, Maust DT. Prescription Benzodiazepine Use Among Older Adults: A Critical Review. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2018 Sep/Oct;26(5):264-273. doi: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000190. PMID: 30188338; PMCID: PMC6129989. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6129989/. Gress T, Miller M, Meadows C 3rd, Neitch SM. Benzodiazepine Overuse in Elders: Defining the Problem and Potential Solutions. Cureus. 2020 Oct 19;12(10):e11042. doi: 10.7759/cureus.11042. PMID: 33214968; PMCID: PMC7673272. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7673272/. Survey papers are listed below. About the Benzodiazepine Survey About the Research The largest survey of its kind, "The Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019" was created and administered by Jane Macoubrie, PhD and Christy Huff, MD. Over 1,600 individuals took the survey, resulting in 1,207 qualified respondents. The survey constituted 20 questions, including demographic inquires. Some of these questions had multiple sub-questions and/or allowed multiple answers. The survey generated three published research papers in scientific journals (as noted below) between April 25, 2022 and June 29, 2023. The research team is still together working on new benzodiazepine-related research projects. Special thanks to the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices for sponsoring and organizing this research. Published Papers PAPER 1 — April 25, 2022 Reid Finlayson AJ, Macoubrie J, Huff C, Foster DE, Martin PR. Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2022;12. doi:10.1177/20451253221082386. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20451253221082386. PAPER 2 — February 6, 2023 Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Foster DE, Martin PR. Enduring neurological sequelae of benzodiazepine use: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2023;13. doi:10.1177/20451253221145561. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20451253221145561. PAPER 3 — June 29, 2023 Ritvo AD, Foster DE, Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Silvernail B, et al. (2023) Long-term consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction: A survey. PLOS ONE 18(6): e0285584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285584. Research Team Research Team / Authors (alphabetical) A. J. Reid Finlayson, MD, MMHC — Vanderbilt University Medical Center D E Foster — Benzodiazepine Action Work Group Christy Huff, MD — Benzodiazepine Information Coalition Peter R. Martin, MD, MSc — Vanderbilt University Medical Center Alexis Ritvo, MD, MPH — University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Bernard Silvernail — The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices Acknowledgements The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices — Sponsoring Organization Jane Macoubrie, Ph.D. — Survey originator Jo Ann LeQuang — Medical Writer Limitations SOURCE: Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey This study has several limitations. The study reported on ‘suicidal thoughts’, which can range from fleeting notions of self-harm to passive desperation, preparatory planning, and disinhibition. Suicidal thoughts may be underreported, even in an anonymous online survey, as respondents might hesitate or be embarrassed to report self-destructive thoughts. There was no control group. Much of the survey dealt with symptoms presented in multiple-choice lists, and it is possible that patients may have been suggestible to the list presented, may not have correctly remembered past symptoms, or may incorrectly attribute certain symptoms or feelings to benzodiazepines. We did not account for a nocebo effect. The large number of write-in comments suggests that many respondents felt the survey did not allow them to fully describe the extent of their experiences and emotions. Another limitation of our survey is that it recruited respondents from social media and online sources that deal with benzodiazepine use and withdrawal. Respondents were self-selected, forming a convenience sample that may not represent the population of benzodiazepine users as a whole because visitors may have sought sites such as these specifically because they have experienced problems. Moreover, those who use the Internet for health information tend to be younger, and those who join online support groups for medical conditions tend to be in generally worse health. Our results thus may not be generalizable to the population of all people taking benzodiazepines. Data Analysis A medical statistician produced the initial results of this survey utilizing SAS Software. Subsequent data analysis was performed in greater detail by an experienced data scientist who imported the survey data into a custom SQL Server data model. Customized queries were employed to obtain correlations among the data. In particular, this analysis examined conditions for which benzodiazepines were prescribed and compared them to symptoms and adverse life effects reported by patients who were tapering or had discontinued benzodiazepine use. All analyses were delivered via a structured reporting process and validated against the original SAS reports. The survey was made available online through websites and internet benzodiazepine support groups and general health and wellness groups. The data scientist mentioned above is D E Foster, who is also the author of this blog series and the founder of Easing Anxiety. D has been a member of the Benzodiazepine Survey Research Team since 2019, providing general benzodiazepine knowledge and lived-experience in addition to formal data analysis and reporting. Prior to his withdrawal from benzodiazepines, D worked as a database developer and data scientist for over 25 years. For Informational Purposes Only All information presented on Easing Anxiety is for informational purposes only, and should never be considered medical or health advice. Withdrawal, tapering, or any change in dosage of benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs should only be done under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. This article was written by a living, breathing, human person. Please read our site disclaimer for more information.

Welcome back to the Easing Anxiety blog series, "What We Learned from the Benzo Survey," where we dive deep into the data from the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019 to learn more about benzos, BIND, and the individuals who have taken these medications. In our first few posts in this series, we explored age groups, gender, country, and drug type. Today, we look at a single, simple question from the survey: "Were you warned?" Were you warned about the dangers and complications associated with benzodiazepine use? The results of the survey are quite clear on this topic, and it backs what many of us have been saying for some time. *** Scroll to the end of this post for details about the survey and research team. *** WERE YOU WARNED? According to the survey, only 6.1% of respondents were clearly warned that benzodiazepines should be only taken for a short time, or that they are difficult to withdraw from? Another 7.9% were warned, but not sufficiently. More than 3 out of every 4 respondents (76.2%) were "definitely not warned" about the dangers of taking benzodiazepines. Question (n=1,207): Were you warned that benzodiazepines should only be taken for short times, or that they are difficult to withdraw from? This data backs the anecdotal experiences shared by most of us in the benzodiazepine support field. The most common complaints many of us hear from the individuals we work with is that they were not warned or were tapered too quickly. Many even claim that they were met with annoyance, disdain, and disbelief from their own doctors. Doctors love prescribing benzos because it's the most efficient way to get a complaining patient out of the office in the shortest possible time... 90 percent of benzo prescriptions are written, often carelessly, by primary care doctors, who can spend only seven minutes with the patient without giving serious thought to the considerable risk... — Dr. Allen Frances, Professor Emeritus at Duke University, Chairman of the DSM-IV Committee IN THEIR OWN WORDS This survey allowed respondents to provide additional feedback on any topic in an open-ended text box. Many of them took this opportunity to share their frustrations with the prescribing and deprescribing practices of their physicians and/or psychiatrists. Here is a small sample of those responses: My doctor never warned me of what benzodiazepines could do to my body. He's still trying to prescribe me more. I had been taking .5 mg of clonazepam for 4 years, completely unaware that it was a benzo and a very dangerous drug. I wish I knew more before I began the taper a year ago, but my doctor didn't warn me, and I had no reason to research it since I've gone off of medications before without difficulty. Am so frustrated and disappointed that we were not given correct warnings on these meds. From my first dose on a benzodiazepine, I had adverse effects. My doctors did not recognize the medication to be the cause and actually diagnosed me with anxiety because my seizures were non-epileptic. I wasn't warned about benzo use by my doctor until I was having difficulty discontinuing use. My doctor cut me off without warning. They don't have a clue how to treat the after effects. Also, went to emergency room within days of being discontinued and was "locked down" in mental health unit for 9 days... Was given gabapentin, phenobarbital, and finally 5 mgs of valium once nightly during last 3 days of stay. I went to 37 doctors looking for answers for my declining health. Even went to the Mayo Clinic. Not one doctor recognized that I had hit benzo tolerance. When I started tapering, not one recognized the withdrawal symptoms. Asked my doctor flat out if Xanax is addictive. He said no and continued to prescribe them at increased doses for 20 years. My doctor, a trusted psychiatrist, told me my body needed this, like a diabetic needs insulin, and promised me it was not addictive. I believed him, and never abused the RX, but hit tolerance in 2015, still struggling over 3 years later, no one has ever told me about tolerance, all Drs have told me I am mentally ill. Doctor had no knowledge how to detox me and never warned me that lorazepam was for short-term use and kept me on it for eight years and then stopped refills he said due to FDA coming down on doctors . Pharmacist helped me detox in six month taper. Please warn doctors to only prescribe benzos for a short period of time. No benzo should be prescribed long-term. When I was put on Xanax my kids decided I was "nuts". This led to them throwing me and my husband out of their respective homes over time. I have no relationship with my children anymore and if something happens to my husband I really have no one — I have no reason to live. I trusted the doctor that prescribed this — he is not my doctor anymore. Unfortunately, I have had over 10 different doctors and NONE of them told me Xanax was bad! WHAT CAN BE DONE? The data from this survey backs what has been clear to most benzo organizers and advocates for many years; that many medical professionals are not properly educated on benzodiazepine prescribing, deprescribing, and the lasting effects of protracted withdrawal, or BIND. The good news is that there are several organizations working towards fixing this problem. In addition to Easing Anxiety, other groups such as the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices and Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) have made great strides in the area of medical education. Another group —which I have had the pleasure of co-chairing for the past few years — is the Benzodiazepine Action Workgroup (BAWG). In addition to ongoing research involvement and developing the first national Peer Support Training Program specific to benzodiazepines, this group provides continuing medication education (CME) courses and evidence-based PDF documentation on prescribing, deprescribing, and peer support free and available to all on its website. While this is a long and arduous uphill battle, progress is being made on many fronts and I personally want to thank all of those individuals who have been involved in helping improve the medical establishment's treatment of benzodiazepine-affected individuals. References ORGANIZATIONS The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices — https://benzoreform.org Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) — https://benzoaction.org Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) — https://benzoinfo.com Easing Anxiety — https://easinganxiety.com DOCUMENTATION & PROGRAMS BAWG Guidance Documentation (Prescribing, Deprescribing, Peer Support) — https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/benzodiazepine-guidance-from-bawg BAWG Peer Support Training Program — https://benzopeertraining.org Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) — https://easinganxiety.com/BIND RESOURCES Frances, Allen. Yes, Benzos Are Bad for You. Originally published in Pro Talk: A Rehabs.com Community, June 10, 2016. Accessed October 13, 2016. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/saving-normal/201607/yes-benzos-are-bad-you. Survey papers are listed below. About the Benzodiazepine Survey About the Research The largest survey of its kind, "The Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018/2019" was created and administered by Jane Macoubrie, PhD and Christy Huff, MD. Over 1,600 individuals took the survey, resulting in 1,207 qualified respondents. The survey constituted 20 questions, including demographic inquires. Some of these questions had multiple sub-questions and/or allowed multiple answers. The survey generated three published research papers in scientific journals (as noted below) between April 25, 2022 and June 29, 2023. The research team is still together working on new benzodiazepine-related research projects. Special thanks to the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices for sponsoring and organizing this research. Published Papers PAPER 1 — April 25, 2022 Finlayson AJ, Macoubrie J, Huff C, Foster DE, Martin PR. Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2022;12. doi:10.1177/20451253221082386. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20451253221082386. PAPER 2 — February 6, 2023 Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Foster DE, Martin PR. Enduring neurological sequelae of benzodiazepine use: an Internet survey. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 2023;13. doi:10.1177/20451253221145561. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20451253221145561. PAPER 3 — June 29, 2023 Ritvo AD, Foster DE, Huff C, Finlayson AJR, Silvernail B, Martin PR. (2023) Long-term consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction: A survey. PLOS ONE 18(6): e0285584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285584. Research Team Research Team / Authors (alphabetical) A. J. Reid Finlayson, MD, MMHC — Vanderbilt University Medical Center D E Foster — Benzodiazepine Action Work Group Christy Huff, MD — Benzodiazepine Information Coalition Peter R. Martin, MD, MSc — Vanderbilt University Medical Center Alexis Ritvo, MD, MPH — University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Bernard Silvernail — The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices Acknowledgements The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices — Sponsoring Organization Jane Macoubrie, Ph.D. — Survey originator Jo Ann LeQuang — Medical Writer Limitations SOURCE: Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey This study has several limitations. The study reported on ‘suicidal thoughts’, which can range from fleeting notions of self-harm to passive desperation, preparatory planning, and disinhibition. Suicidal thoughts may be underreported, even in an anonymous online survey, as respondents might hesitate or be embarrassed to report self-destructive thoughts. There was no control group. Much of the survey dealt with symptoms presented in multiple-choice lists, and it is possible that patients may have been suggestible to the list presented, may not have correctly remembered past symptoms, or may incorrectly attribute certain symptoms or feelings to benzodiazepines. We did not account for a nocebo effect. The large number of write-in comments suggests that many respondents felt the survey did not allow them to fully describe the extent of their experiences and emotions. Another limitation of our survey is that it recruited respondents from social media and online sources that deal with benzodiazepine use and withdrawal. Respondents were self-selected, forming a convenience sample that may not represent the population of benzodiazepine users as a whole because visitors may have sought sites such as these specifically because they have experienced problems. Moreover, those who use the Internet for health information tend to be younger, and those who join online support groups for medical conditions tend to be in generally worse health. Our results thus may not be generalizable to the population of all people taking benzodiazepines. Data Analysis A medical statistician produced the initial results of this survey utilizing SAS Software. Subsequent data analysis was performed in greater detail by an experienced data scientist who imported the survey data into a custom SQL Server data model. Customized queries were employed to obtain correlations among the data. In particular, this analysis examined conditions for which benzodiazepines were prescribed and compared them to symptoms and adverse life effects reported by patients who were tapering or had discontinued benzodiazepine use. All analyses were delivered via a structured reporting process and validated against the original SAS reports. The survey was made available online through websites and internet benzodiazepine support groups and general health and wellness groups. The data scientist mentioned above is D E Foster, who is also the author of this blog series and the founder of Easing Anxiety. D has been a member of the Benzodiazepine Survey Research Team since 2019, providing general benzodiazepine knowledge and lived-experience in addition to formal data analysis and reporting. Prior to his withdrawal from benzodiazepines, D worked as a database developer and data scientist for over 25 years. For Informational Purposes Only All information presented on Easing Anxiety is for informational purposes only, and should never be considered medical or health advice. Withdrawal, tapering, or any change in dosage of benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs should only be done under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. This article was written by a living, breathing, human person. Please read our site disclaimer for more information.

The new ASAM Benzo Guideline is finally here! Join panel member, D E Foster, as he takes us on an unfiltered tour of "The Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering," sharing his thoughts and experiences along the way. Listen here on YouTube... on these other carriers too: Apple / Spotify / Amazon / Blubrry / Pandora / Podbean Chapters 0:00:00 Welcome 0:02:31 My Involvement / Disclaimer 0:04:00 The Uneven Life (uneven.life) 0:06:52 ASAM Guideline (unscripted review) 0:08:51 Introduction to the ASAM Guideline 0:14:13 Patients with Lived Experience Panel (PWLE) 0:17:42 Physical Dependence vs. SUD 0:19:13 Do Not Discontinue Abruptly / No Cold Turkey 0:20:02 Public Comments on Guideline 0:20:52 Key Takeaways 0:22:01 1) Ongoing Assessment of the Risks 0:22:45 Benzos & Pregnancy 0:23:16 Discontinuation Decision in Older Adults 0:26:29 2) Shared-Decision Making Strategies 0:27:41 3) Do Not Discontinue Abruptly 0:28:54 Physical Dependence Can Start in Weeks 0:29:32 4) Inpatient Care / Rehab 0:32:26 5) Taper Rate 0:34:07 6) Tailor Tapering Strategies to the Patient 0:34:16 6a) Substitution Concerns / clonazepam 0:37:03 6b) Slow or Pause Taper Based on Symptoms 0:38:20 6d) Some May Not Fully Taper 0:39:14 7) Recommending Therapy Support (CBT) 0:41:07 8) Provide Treatment for Other Conditions 0:41:41 9) Provide Harm Reduction Strategies 0:42:41 10) It May Take Months to Years 0:45:59 We Need Your Questions & Comments 0:46:29 More on Physical Dependence vs. SUD 0:48:11 Increased Risk of Self-Harm 0:48:58 Reporting of Benzo Harms 0:49:32 What About Z-Drugs? 0:50:49 No One Size Fits All Approach 0:52:05 Reviewed All Public Comments 0:52:55 Benefits of Support 0:53:41 Maudsley Deprescribing Guideline 0:54:22 Peer Support Specialists 0:55:02 Protracted Withdrawal / Benzo Survey 0:57:23 Benzodiazepine Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) 0:58:37 Adjunctive Medication (SSRIs, SNRIs, etc.) 1:03:40 More Coverage of the Guideline to Come 1:04:26 My Summation / "A Huge Step Forward" 1:09:43 In Closing References ASAM Benzodiazepine Tapering Guidelines — https://www.asam.org/quality-care/clinical-guidelines/benzodiazepine-tapering — Free Downloadable PDF BLOG POST: ASAM Benzo Guideline Publication — https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/new-asam-guideline-for-benzodiazepine-tapering-just-released The Uneven Life (an online community) — https://uneven.life — Join us now for a 14-day free trial. Recording Info — RECORDED: Sunday, March 9, 2025 — LOCATION: Colorado The Podcast PODCAST SITELINKS — PODCAST WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.com/benzofree — EASING ANXIETY: https://www.easinganxiety.com — YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@easinganx — X (TWITTER): https://twitter.com/@easinganx PODCAST SUMMARY This podcast is dedicated to those who struggle with side effects, dependence, and withdrawal from benzos, a group of drugs from the benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine classes, better known as anti-anxiety drugs, sleeping pills, sedatives, and minor tranquilizers. Their common brand names include Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Lunesta, Valium, and Xanax. PODCAST DISCLAIMER The Benzo Free podcast is for general information purposes only and should never be considered medical, psychological, or any other form of health advice. Health-related information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems or to prescribe any medical devices, psychological treatments, or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://easinganxiety.com/disclaimer. SUICIDE PREVENTION If you, or anyone you know, is having suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. Resources can be found on our website at: https://www.easinganxiety.com/resources#suicide. PODCAST PRODUCTION The Benzo Free Podcast is part of the Easing Anxiety network (https://easinganxiety.com) and is a production of Denim Mountain Press (https://denimmountainpress.com).

June 30, 2023 – Great News! The third paper from the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018-2019 — which focuses on benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction (BIND) — was the subject of an article yesterday in Psychology Today. In the article titled "Benzodiazepines Linked to Long-Term Neurological Dysfunction, " author Christopher Lane, Ph.D. reviewed the the paper and highlighted some of its key findings. The third paper was titled "Long-term consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction: A survey," and was published in the open access journal PLOS ONE on June 29, 2023. Our team has been working on this survey for four years now, and we now have three scientific publications published reporting on the direct experiences that patients have endured from exposure to benzodiazepines. Previous studies on this survey include, “Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey.” and “Enduring neurological sequelae of benzodiazepine use: and Internet survey., both published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. Our research team includes Alexis Ritvo, MD, MPH (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center), D E Foster (Benzodiazepine Action Work Group / Easing Anxiety), Christy Huff, MD (Benzodiazepine Information Coalition), Bernard Silvernail, MS (The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices), and Peter R. Martin, MD, MSc and A. J. Reid Finlayson, MD from Vanderbilt University. Special thanks to Dr. Jane Macoubrie for conceptualizing this survey, to Jo Ann LeQuang for her amazing writing services on the paper, and to the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices for their unyielding support of this research. But most of all, I want to thank the individuals who struggle with BIND each and every day, and who took the time to share their stories and experiences with the survey. Thank you! Psychology Today Article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/side-effects/202306/benzodiazepines-linked-to-long-term-neurological-dysfunction Research Article: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0285584

It appears that our research article on benzodiazepines and BIND has gained a bit of attention lately. The article published in the open access journal PLOS ONE on June 29, 2023 is titled "Long-term consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction: A survey." This article formally introduces BIND to the medical community, in addition to highlighting some of the more persistent symptoms and adverse life effects of benzodiazepines. The last few days have been interesting, to say the least. Despite my experience as a podcaster and support site founder, I'm still pretty naïve when it comes to online marketing and promotion. I only returned to social media for Easing Anxiety a few months ago. Thus, I am learning this as I go along and have found this journey educational and enlightening. Recent Media Attention On Thursday, several online news agencies picked up our research immediately such as Medical Express and Mirage News, which got a buzz going. Then that evening, Christopher Lane published an article on our research in Psychology Today. This is the second article that Chris has written related to our work on the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018-2019. Chris was amazing to work with and I thank him for his attention to the benzodiazepine issues that plague so many individuals. After that, the dominoes started to fall. The New York Post quickly followed, as did Yahoo! Finance and WebMD. BioSpace, Worldhealth.net, Newswise, Study Finds, MarketWatch, and many others also published articles on the study. Here at Easing Anxiety, we produced a few blog posts on the paper. One initially announced the paper, another introduced the BIND Research Roundtable video, and another commented on the Psychology Today article. And on Saturday, "Medicating Normal" held a Live Facebook Event with my colleague Dr. Christy Huff, dedicated to the paper and its findings. After that, the story seemed to get a second wind and even became a topic of discussion on some popular podcasts and other related outlets. One of these articles has now garnered over one million views on Twitter. In fact, Elon Musk even replied to the tweeted article with an exclamation mark "!". Not the most verbose of replies, but I'm just glad he, and others, have seen it. What's Next? What's next in this PR parade? Will the attention ease up with the U.S. holiday and all, or will it regain steam on Wednesday? I have no idea. All I know is that this is the most attention benzodiazepine issues have received in a while, and that's a good thing. Thank you to everyone who helped us raise awareness. This has been a team effort, and what an amazing team we have. If anyone knows of another contact or outlet that may help us get the word out, please let us know. Take care of yourself and we'll talk real soon, D :)

Website Link crisistextline.org Text: “HOME” to 741741 (U.S.) Text: “CONNECT” to 686868 (Canada) Text: “SHOUT” to 85258 (U.K.) Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need. We are a nonjudgmental organization that champions mental well-being and aims to support people of every race, ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socioeconomic status, and other backgrounds. We use empathy and active listening to empower our texters to identify their own strengths and coping strategies in moments of crisis. We listen to and learn from our community to help us continuously improve our service.

Website Link samaritans.org Call: 116 123 (UK) Samaritans’ purpose, to be there for people who are struggling to cope and in times of crisis, is as vital as ever. Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through the power of human connection. Connecting people in crisis with trained volunteers who will always listen. People calling for change with those who need to listen. People who've been there before with those struggling now.

Website Link findahelpline.com Free, confidential support from a helpline or hotline near you. Online chat, text or phone. What are helplines? Helplines (also known as hotlines or crisis lines) provide immediate crisis counseling, emotional support and information – for free. Most helpline phone numbers are toll-free and many helplines are available over text message or online chat. Helplines are often available 24/7, so you can contact them at any time of the day or night

Website Link travel.state.gov/content/dam/students-abroad/pdfs/911_ABROAD.pdf If you’re in an emergency situation abroad, you’ll need to know how to contact the police, an ambulance, or even the fire department. Not every county uses “911” as its emergency contact number, as we do in the United States. Here’s a handy reference list of emergency contact numbers in foreign countries. Write down—or save in your cell phone—the number used at your destination. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it, but it’s worth knowing the number just in case. *Note: English‐speaking operators may not be available.

Website Link veteranscrisisline.net Call: 988 then Press 1 Call: 800-799-4889 (for deaf or hearing impaired) Text: 838255 Chat Online Also Available Website: https://veteranscrisisline.net Confidential. Available every day, 24/7. Connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves. No matter what you are experiencing, there is support for getting your life back on track. A trained responder will answer your call, text, or chat and ask you a few questions. You can decide how much you want to share. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

Website Link en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines A suicide crisis line (also known as a crisis hotline) is a service that provides immediate, confidential support to people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation via telephone, text messaging, or online chat. They are connected with trained counselors who offer crisis intervention, emotional support, and referrals to appropriate mental health resources.[2] Each hotline typically operates within a single nation or region and is run by a government agency, a non-profit organization, or a charity. While many countries have dedicated mental health crisis lines, a significant number of nations and territories—particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia—do not.[4] In regions where a general service is unavailable, specialized hotlines may operate for violence against women[5] or child welfare.[6] Alternatively, people in these countries can receive support through international organizations such as Befrienders Worldwide,[7] Lifeline International,[8] and the mental health programs of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).[9]