Back to the benzo hijack…
Yes, they’re overprescribed. However, legitimate, chronic anxiety is under-treated. BuSpar® is a nice start toward non-addictive anxiolytics, but it ain’t perfect (e.g., takes 2 to 3 weeks to start working - that’s not much comfort to someone so anxious they’re about to jump off the balcony). And many studies I’ve read online indicate that once you’ve been treated for anxiety with benzos, subsequent treatment with BuSpar will be far less effective.
Much of the anti-benzo hysteria comes from a certain site in the U.K. However, a more balanced perspective can be found on many other sites, and though I can’t find it right now (I’m trying believe me), the WHO set up a committee to study the use and abuse of benzos. Their conclusion, IIRC, was that prescribing should be done more selectively, but that overall, they’re safe and effective drugs for the treatment of many conditions, including generalized anxiety, panic disorder, petit mal seizure, restless leg syndrome, and so on. (I’ll try to find the paper later.)
My personal opinion is that short-acting benzos (in particular Xanax®) should be prescribed much less. The problem with these ones is that they come on quickly - so you feel the rush of “everything is just peachy wonderful” come over you - but then they wear off abruptly a few hours later, so you feel yourself “come down,” as it were. Of course you want something that works fast in a panic situation, but prophylaxis for panic disorder with a long-acting benzo seems to me a much better solution.
For instance, I take clonazepam (Klonopin®, Rivotril®), 0.5 mg p.o. b.i.d. It takes about an hour to kick in, and gradually at that. The anxiolytic properties last 8 to 10 hours, then it wears off slowly, so I don’t suddenly “come down.” (In fact, I don’t feel much of a difference.) I haven’t increased my dosage for as long as I’ve been on it. I know what the alternative is, and I don’t want to go there.
Xanax® should be banned, IMO. It’s the crack of benzodiazepines. Until they can refine non-benzo, non-addictive anxiolytics (BuSpar® just doesn’t cut it for many), there’s not much alternative in terms of medication. (I’m strictly talking meds here, not discounting other methods such as deep breathing and yoga and therapy, etc.)
I guess my post about preferring the benzos to opiates was taken the wrong way, like I take them for laughs & giggles. Sorry about that.