Posted by Alan on June 10, 2002, at 18:01:38
In reply to Re: idea to make benzos non-addictive.., posted by omega man on June 10, 2002, at 12:19:34
> I though that the reason many people here write to psycho-babble is due to Pdocs stopping prescribing BZD's due to addcition and prescribing AD's instead...
>
> I found myself that just having them there was helpfull and I only got greedy a few times..but looks like i've got the wrong idea...however in this part of the world BZD's are the number 2 choice drug of abuse..
>
> I'm still puzzled..BZD's are definately addictive, in that you have to keep taking more for the same effect...you develop tolerance..and thats why prescription quidelines are just to prescribe for three weeks usually, same procedure in psychiatric wards here..
>
> is'nt the reason chronic sufferers maintain their doses because
>
> A) they realise this is limited ticket but its all they have and so they use it wisely rather than as much as they would like to if it did'nt have tolerance..because they have to...nobody will prescribe ever increasing doses.
>
> b) when you are seriously ill and need something to fight your way to living..youre less likley to get hooked. because the drugs just a tool.
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NO. The fallacy is that true anxiety sufferers (without a history of abuse) do NOT escalate their dosage. You are at the epicenter of misunderstanding about the effects of BZD's - the UK. Dr. Heather Ashton of the UK (an addiction specialist) has provided more fodder for the anti benzo movement than any single person on earth. Her "speculations" are musings on existing studies and not results of her own scientific research. It's one of the truest misinformation campaigns existing in medicine today - that of the anti-benzo crusaders (a non-medical, political and moralistic movement with no basis whatsoever in scientific or medical thought or research).Sorry you've been a victim of this strident minority's campaign but if you read the report on the "Rational use of Benzodiazapines" put out by the World Health Organisation about 5 years ago, the summary is that after review of all of the studies in existence, long and short term use of BZD's is safe and effective for those properly diagnosed with chronic anxiety disorders. Period.
Old myths die hard. Especially when politics and moralising about the usage of controlled substances become intertwined with overwhelming medical evidence.
Alan
poster:Alan
thread:109274
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020609/msgs/109410.html