Benzodiazepines: a major problem. Introduction.

Benzodiazepine use is prevalent. Moreover, benzodiazepine abuse, addiction, tolerance, and dependence occur commonly with benzodiazepine use. Confusion arises in assessing the nature and magnitude of benzodiazepine use and its consequences. Abuse, addiction, tolerance, and dependence occur in medical and nonmedical populations, but the studies do not clearly differentiate the benzodiazepine use between these two populations. The nonmedical use in medical populations is underestimated and underdiagnosed. The nonmedical use is also misdiagnosed in nonmedical populations as medical use. Clearer definitions and usage of the terms of abuse, addiction, tolerance, and dependence would result in accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of the disorders associated with benzodiazepine use, that is, anxiety and depressive disorders, alcoholism, and other drug addictions.