Benzodiazepines Research Paper

Words: 925
Pages: 4

The hallmark of therapeutic efficacy with benzodiazepines are their ability to reduce anxiety as well as to induce sleep, benzodiazepines are useful for treating a variety of specific conditions most notably, with respect to anxiety disorders, this group of drugs has been demonstrated empirically to treat the somatic symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. As I stated above I have numerous conditions which benefit from the continued use of benzodiazepines, specifically irritable bowel, esophageal spasm, biliary colic, muscle related …show more content…
Thus the benefits of benzodiazepines for the broad range of …show more content…
Rosenbaum remarked that benzodiazepines have been a source of controversy in the psychiatric community for years. They became widely available in the 1960s and have been prescribed to hundreds of millions of people over the past 4 decades. In the 1980s, high-potency benzodiazepines were found to be more effective treatments for panic and anxiety than their predecessors, i.e., tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, β-blockers, azapirones, and sedatives. The key advantages of benzodiazepines over prior agents include either rapid onset of action or less risk of dependence. The rapid onset with low toxicity and desirable therapeutic actions of benzodiazepines as anxiolytics, sedatives, anticonvulsants, and muscle relaxants have contributed to their continued use in treating anxiety disorders today. It’s sad when one must justify the use of a medication that works to others who want you to conform to their ideas regarding treatment, without knowing your entire medical history and exactly how you got to where you are in your treatment. Just as I have run into many individuals who disagree with methadone and harm reduction therapy, I have also run into some who disagree with the use of benzodiazepines or other drugs. I have always taken an approach to life that is simple, if it’s not broke do not fix it, and if someone says something, investigate it before believing it. I am a person who rises up and questions authority, who does not