Benzodiazepine Use Up Dramatically, Drugs’ Addictive Properties Criticized
I know so many people with various mental disorder diagnoses who have taken a benzodiazepine in addition to whatever other medication they were on (and often they were getting a benzo for side effects of, say, anti-depressants) over the years and I’ve seen many of these people run into very severe withdrawal and addiction problems as a result. The usual suspects are Klonopin, Xanax, and Ativan (there are others of course). Sales of Xanax last year hit $350 million, up almost 50 percent since 2003 and 85 million prescriptions were filled for the top 20 benzos in 2008, an increase of 10 million scrips over 2004, according to this article on anti-anxiety drugs and their problems in today’s Washington Post.
Their problems are legendary.
“The ordeal of withdrawing from benzodiazepines can rival that of kicking a heroin habit, according to some who have had success. Abrupt withdrawal can result in hallucinations, seizures and even death, experts say.
“Last year, after jail officials in Cleveland denied R&B singer Sean Levert’s repeated requests for his Xanax, he hallucinated for hours and ultimately died from the effects of withdrawal, according to the coroner’s report cited in court records. His widow sued the corrections center and medical staff. The suit is pending.”
The article certainly serves as a reminder to me of how commonly these drugs are used–85 million scrips could easily translate into more than 10 million people taking benzos–and how their use has boomed, despite all the bad things doctors know about the drugs, during this very anxious decade.
I’ve not experienced benzo addiction or withdrawal personally, but I know it’s utter hell and I’ll try to pay more attention to these issues. I think some docs are prescribing these drugs far too casually and for too long a period of time.
During my 18 years in the mental health system, I was only ever prescribed Ativan at 1 mg. a day to take as need to, drum roll, treat agitation I was experiencing from Seroquel and Lamictal. My then-psychiatrist and I worked out a deal where he would only write me a scrip for 15 pills every two or three months and would only renew the scrip in person instead of over the phone or by fax. He said he wanted to make damn sure I didn’t get hooked on the drug and I’m thankful he took that approach, even though I’d been waved away from benzos by other docs and patients for many years at that point.
Ativan was a nice enough drug for me, but then I never took it for more than a day or two at a time.
A friend once gave me a Xanax–I forget which dosage–and it knocked me out so hard that I fell asleep on my usual bus and missed my regular stop by one mile. Not so nice.
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