Posted by Viridis on April 21, 2004, at 0:11:06
In reply to Re: Why would my Doc stop my Klonopin?, posted by almondjoy on April 19, 2004, at 10:34:21
Would you "tough it out" if you had diabetes and decided to quit taking insulin? Anxiety is a very real, very physical (biochemical) problem for many people. Of course, behavioral modification is the ideal approach and works well for some, but others simply seem to have a predisposition to severe anxiety that's (apparently) due to neurotransmitter imbalances, receptor deficiencies, etc.
Many people use benzos for years or even decades with no apparent harm. I wouldn't advocate using them as a crutch if other solutions are possible, but prolonged, intense anxiety seems much more likely to cause physical and mental damage than responsible benzo use, given the available evidence.
The idea that benzos are "addictive" is a recurring theme, but I have yet to see any reliable evidence that this is a problem for more than a small proportion of users, mostly those who take them recreationally. It's remarkable how often the term "addiction" is used with almost no data that I'm aware of to back up this assertion.
poster:Viridis
thread:336284
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040417/msgs/338279.html