A new study comparing long-term benzodiazepine drug treatment with patient randomization to alcohol abuse has produced disappointing results for benzodiazepine addiction patients. The principal goal of the study was to test the efficacy of valproate in the treatment of benzodiazepine withdrawal in subjects receiving long-term maintenance therapy for opiate addiction. Although there was a trend for better outcomes among those patients who were randomized, there was no significant difference between long-term benzodiazepine patients and placebo controls in any of the area measures employed. In addition, there was a trend for severity of side effects among the benzodiazepine group but these were not significant enough to alter the conclusions made in the paper. This study confirms previous reports that suggest little benefit can be obtained from long-term benzodiazepine drug treatments. Here’s a good read about source, check it out!
The study compared long-term (severity) benzodiazepine withdrawal treatments with alcohol abuse inpatients receiving either inpatient or outpatient care. Both inpatient and outpatient care models are well known for their success in combating the symptoms of withdrawal in patients who are addicted to benzodiazepines. This previous report was designed to compare inpatient detox with placebo in a placebo comparison study, but it was not designed to evaluate the effects of long-term benzodiazepine withdrawal treatments in patients receiving either inpatient or outpatient care. Because the main focus of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of long-term benzodiazepine withdrawal treatment in patients receiving outpatient care, we performed a mixed-model analysis to assess the effects of long-term treatment with benzodiazepines in different patient settings. While outpatient care is associated with higher patient morbidity and greater patient compliance, inpatient care provides a reasonable alternative to inpatient services when benzodiazepine detox is not an option due to the relatively low cost and limited time exposure to therapy.
When comparing long-term benzodiazepine withdrawal treatments with alcohol abuse inpatients, significant clinical improvements were observed for all patient comparisons. The most obvious clinical improvement was an improvement in sleep, which was accompanied by a reduction in daytime sleepiness. There was also a notable increase in mood stability and emotional stability. In patients with mild to moderate insomnia, benzodiazepine withdrawal treatments resulted in improved sleep quality (which became notably more prolonged and restorative), as well as improved mood and increased mental alertness. These improvements were maintained even when patients received additional psychotherapy or substance abuse counseling and were allowed to return to their normal work schedules at least three months after completing the study.
Improvement in sleep quality was seen with both lower mean doses and longer durations of benzodiazepine withdrawal. Greater improvement was seen with fewer mean dosages and longer durations of discontinuation, but both stopped using the medication soon after discontinuation. A trend toward decreasing dose is noted with fewer doses of benzodiazepine withdrawn, but no differences in mean duration of use between these two groups. Thus, this study was unable to definitively prove that lower doses are better than higher doses for improving sleep and mood. Kindly visit this website https://www.britannica.com/science/benzodiazepine for more useful reference.
Mood stabilizers are commonly used to treat bipolar disorder (manic depression) or anxiety disorders (anxiety disorders). They are also sometimes prescribed in combination with other drugs for treating severe anxiety and panic symptoms. Both general and atypical symptoms can be treated with these medications, and they have a positive effect on patients with both types of conditions. However, while they can treat symptoms, they do not appear to be particularly helpful in treating the underlying problem of insomnia, which is the most common cause of relapse. Because they are designed to manage symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause of problems, their use may be limited in patients with chronic insomnia.
If you have been prescribed any benzodiazepines for a long period, or if you suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms, you should avoid using them for several days after the doctor advised. This will help to ensure that your body has a chance to adjust to the drug before it starts to have harmful effects. In rare cases, patients can experience a rebound effect in which they develop stronger tolerance to the drug, and even develop more side effects from their use. This can lead to a cycle of benzodiazepine addiction. Once you quit taking them, your body will usually become less sensitive to them.
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