The Accidental Addict
(NZ news magazine) Assignment programme from 1995 dealing with the issue of iatrogenic benzodiazepine dependence.
This is a 15 year old documentary. Why in hell are doctors still handing this crap out like candy? This phenomena of severe benzodiazepine withdrawal and post-withdrawal syndrome has been known about for two decades at least!
The package inserts on benzos still say not to these drugs for more than 2 weeks. This show also fails to show the really unlucky sorts who can’t get around at all due to the iatrogenic illness caused by withdrawal.
The woman they are profiling most closely at the beginning takes “weeks” before she can leave the house. I unfortunately know all too many for whom it takes many months and in some cases years, like Jill’s situation closer to the end of the documentary.
The physical aspects of the withdrawal aren’t concentrated on much either. For some people the physical symptoms greatly outweigh the mental. For most people it’s a combination of both.
For more information on benzos and benzo withdrawal look here.
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