I just found a very frightening article. While the alarms bells are appropriately being rung about antipsychotics being dangerous is numerous ways, this study in the elderly show that docs are prescribing benzodiazipines instead. Benzos are notoriously bad for everyone and especially bad for the elderly. Prescribing benzos in the geriatric community has been considered bad practice for over a decade. This study dealt with prescribing practices with the elderly who suffer from dementia.
I suspect this trend will likely crossover into the general population as well. Benzos are nasty addictive drugs. That link will lead you to an introduction of benzos with lots of additional links with information.
I am currently coming of my final drug and its a benzo. There is more research done on benzo withdrawal than any other psychiatric drug out there because they’ve been around so long and the research is really bad and conclusive. I have many posts on the dangers of benzos. My friend who almost chose to end her life a few days ago is also dealing with a benzo withdrawal. I see a higher concentration of communal desperation in benzo withdrawal communities more then anywhere else.
Here is a link and an excerpt of the report on the study I found today:
In the wake of a 2005 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black-box warning related to off-label prescribing of atypical antipsychotics in elderly patients with dementia, physicians appear to be turning to benzodiazepines to control dementia-related psychosis — a practice that may be less than optimal…. (ya think?–my emphasis)
“This was a very interesting finding and one we did not expect to see. There are data showing there are negative effects associated with benzodiazepines in elderly people, including falls and cognitive decline. (emphasis mine)
A finding they did not expect to find. I find that almost laughable. What is psychiatrist to do if he/she loses one of their toys? Well, of course, they’ll go back to an old one.
All –
I heard from my insurance agent that as of 01/09, benzo’s are no longer covered by Medicare. Is it possible someone is listening?
Hmmm…
I’m on Medicare and they’ve never been covered…and frankly when you’re hooked on drugs, even poisonous ones, it’s nice if they can be covered so that we can withdraw safely. We need access to the drugs so that we can get off of them.
Sometimes, there are just no words to describe the stupidity of the psychiatric profession. As I’ve said before, if doctors of “physical illness” threw drugs at people in the same way, there would be a revolution!