Posted by alas on December 29, 1998, at 12:14:48
In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by saint james on December 28, 1998, at 6:57:07
> > Is 15 mg of Remeron considered better (more acceptable) than .25 mg of Xanax for sleep? Is Xanax harmful if it has worked at this dose for years? Am I "addicted" because I take it every night? It seems to me that there is a stigma attached to benzos ( Xanax) that I do not understand. Is a sedating antidepressant less toxic?
A proposal: A drug is worth using if it is much
more helpful than harmful in the long run. If it is more harmful than helpful, then it should not be used. Calling it 'addicting, in no way changes this fact. If using it will cause you to use it in a way that is more harmful than helpful, especially if you so use it repeatedly and are very strongly motivated (for some reason or other, known or unknown) to use it in a way that is more harmfful than helpful, then its use, at least for you, is more harmful than helpful; it follows that it should not be used in your case, Someone may or may not call this manner of use an 'addiction'; that is totally irrelevant in this practical context. If it is TRUE that it IS an addiction, it is still irrelevant. Addiction per se is a research topic of great importance; it is not an advers effect, major or minor. Indeed, addiction in some sense (e.g., you'll kep using it to avoid withdrawal syndrome) may be a very good thing, for example with beta-blockers used for hypertension.
poster:alas
thread:1722
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19981201/msgs/1830.html