Long-term benzodiazepine users--characteristics, views and effectiveness of benzodiazepine reduction information leaflet.

OBJECTIVE

The authors looked at the clinical characteristics of long-term benzodiazepine users and how they viewed their use of benzodiazepine. We also examined the effectiveness of a self-help leaflet on reducing benzodiazepine use.

METHOD

One hundred and nine long-term benzodiazepine users (daily use for more than 1 year) were assessed. Their perceived beneficial and undesirable effects of benzodiazepine and intention to reduce benzodiazepine use were studied and their history of benzodiazepine use was obtained. Psychiatric diagnosis and medical history were reviewed. A self-help leaflet was provided to 56 users whose anxiety symptoms were assessed to have been under control. We re-examined these 56 users 3 months later on their use of benzodiazepine and anxiety levels.

RESULTS

The 109 long-term benzodiazepine users used a therapeutic dose of benzodiazepine (median: 10 mg diazepam equivalent) regularly for a median of 9 years (range: 1-40). Most of the users found benzodiazepine helpful and only 11% of them reported undesirable side effects. Half of the 109 subjects refused to reduce the dosage. Most of the subjects still experienced significant anxiety despite the use of benzodiazepine. Fourteen of the 56 subjects provided with a self-help leaflet were able to reduce a median of 2.5 mg of diazepam equivalent when re-examined after 3 months.

CONCLUSION

The results are compared with previous studies in Western societies and are discussed in the light of clinical management of patients with anxiety disorders.