Mark Leeds, D.O. is an osteopathic physician and deprescribing specialist in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He helps patients come off benzodiazepines and sleeping pills with a slow, patient-directed taper guided by the Ashton Manual and the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines. Physical dependence is not addiction, and a careful taper is measured in months, not days.
Why does anxiety surge during a benzodiazepine taper? Benzodiazepines such as Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Valium (diazepam) strengthen the calming signal of…
What does benzodiazepine withdrawal do to a family? Benzodiazepine withdrawal reaches the whole household. A spouse who slept soundly for years is awake at 3…
Key Takeaways A slow benzodiazepine taper is measured in months and sometimes years, and much of the hardship comes from the calendar and from self-judgment…
Does positive thinking help with benzodiazepine withdrawal? It helps, within limits. No frame of mind lowers a dose, shortens a taper, or cancels a wave…
Is it possible to keep working during benzodiazepine withdrawal? In most cases, yes, as long as the withdrawal is a slow taper and not an…
Does journaling help during benzodiazepine withdrawal? It does, and the most useful kind is also the plainest. A dated diary of dose, sleep, and the…
What is brain fog in benzodiazepine withdrawal, and does it go away? Brain fog is the name patients give to thinking that has slowed down.…
Why does sleep fall apart when the dose comes down? Sleep is often the first thing a benzodiazepine taper disturbs, and it is one of…
Why does a slow benzodiazepine taper still have bad days? Benzodiazepine withdrawal does not happen only when a person stops the drug. It happens, in…
Feeling unreal during a benzodiazepine taper is a recognized withdrawal symptom. Feeling unreal is one of the more frightening things that can happen during a…
Do you need to drink extra water during benzodiazepine withdrawal? No. A person tapering off a benzodiazepine needs a normal amount of fluid, and more…
Understanding Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Benzodiazepine withdrawal is a complex and often misunderstood part of treating physical dependence. The term itself may seem straightforward, but the reality…
