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Although anxiety can temporarily increase as a withdrawal symptom, there is evidence that a reduction or withdrawal from benzodiazepines can lead to a reduction of anxiety symptoms in the long run. [4] [5] Due to these increasing physical and mental symptoms from long-term use of benzodiazepines, slow withdrawal is recommended for long-term users.
The authors, however, cited a study in younger patients who at a 3.5-year follow-up showed no memory impairments and speculated that certain memory functions take longer to recover from chronic benzodiazepine use and further improvements in elderly people's cognitive function may occur beyond 52 weeks after withdrawal.
Many prescription and legal nonprescription substances can also cause withdrawal symptoms when individuals stop consuming them, even if they were taken as directed by a physician. The route of administration, whether intravenous , intramuscular , oral , or otherwise can also play a role in determining the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Benzodiazepines can be addictive and induce dependence even at low doses, with 23% becoming addicted within 3 months of use. Benzodiazepine addiction is considered a public health problem. Approximately 68.5% of prescriptions of benzodiazepines originate from local health centers, with psychiatry and general hospitals accounting for 10% each.
A box of Lorazepam Orion (Lorazepam) tablets. Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan among others, is a benzodiazepine medication. [14] It is used to treat anxiety (including anxiety disorders), trouble sleeping, severe agitation, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcohol withdrawal, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. [14]
However, you shouldn’t abruptly stop using the medication (or any prescription drug, for that matter) without letting your prescribing healthcare provider know.
Weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic can lead to significant weight loss. But when you stop taking the drugs, the weight can come back.
Methods of prevention include gradually decreasing the dose among those who wish to stop, though it is possible for symptoms to occur with tapering. [2] [6] [4] Treatment may include restarting the medication and slowly decreasing the dose. [2] People may also be switched to the long-acting antidepressant fluoxetine which can then be gradually ...