Dr Chris Steele discusses addiction to prescription drugs, and how to deal with this issue.

All about prescription drug addiction.

The commonest prescribed drugs to cause addiction are the tranquillisers known as benzodiazepines or `benzos'. The more popular ones include Valium (diazepam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide) and Ativan (lorazepam).

Other drugs that can cause addiction are sleeping tablets such as Temazepam, Mogadon (nitrazepam) and the opiate group of pain killers such as DF 118 (dihydrocodeine), Distalgesic and any drug containing codeine.

Every year 10 15 million adults in the UK feel so anxious that they turn to their GP for help. Prescribed tranquillisers work quickly and are effective in relieving anxiety whatever the cause.

In the 1980's it was becoming obvious that many patients given tranquillisers, had become highly dependent upon them. Addiction occurs when they have been used either over long periods of time, or in too high a dose. Between 1 and 2 million people in the UK have suffered long term addiction to tranquillisers.

Now treatment with `benzos' should only be used to relieve severe, disabling anxiety, and their use restricted to 2 4 weeks only. The lowest dose that controls symptoms should be used, and the patient should be reviewed in order to gradually be weaned off their treament. Stopping `benzos' abruptly can produce `rebound' anxiety with agitation, tension, fatigue, poor memory, impaired concentration, insomnia and even depression.

A small number of patients have such severe chronic anxiety that it would be extremely difficult for them to function in society without the support of their medication, in these rare circumstances the benefits outway the consequences.

Other non-benzodiazepine drugs can be used for anxiety such as beta blockers Inderal LA (propanolol), Trasicor (oxprenalol) and the drug Buspar (buspirone) which is less addictive, causes less drowsiness and does not appear to interact with alcohol as do the `benzos'.

If you want to come off tranquillisers or any other prescribed addictive drug, discuss this with your doctor, and reduce your daily doseage very slowly. You could be reffered to a clinical psychologist to learn relaxation techniques and coping strategies.

Further Information
Further information from CITA (Council for involuntary tranqilliser addiction) - check the site for contact details.


IMPORTANT NOTICE : This content is from the Dr Chris Steele personal archive and is provided for convenience only. Information contained here may no longer agree with the most up to date medical advice. Please check with a medical professional before taking any action.

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