Which Benzo is best for long-term use?

With sustained levels of anxiety, long-acting benzodiazepines such as diazepam and clorazepate are usually preferred, while episodic anxiety normally responds best to shorter-acting drugs such as oxazepam or lorazepam.

Can you take benzos for years?

The risk of overdose is particularly great when combined with sedative drugs such as opioids or alcohol. For these reasons, if used, benzodiazepines generally should not be prescribed continuously for more than one month.

Can you be on benzos long term?

The effects of long-term benzodiazepine use include drug dependence and neurotoxicity as well as the possibility of adverse effects on cognitive function, physical health, and mental health. Long-term use is sometimes described as use not shorter than three months.

Can benzodiazepines be used long term for anxiety?

Anxiety disorders. have strongly cautioned against the long-term use of benzodiazepines for anxiety disorders, commenting that these drugs only act acutely, lead to relapse after discontinuation, and are associated with dependency.

Which Benzo is the best for anxiety?

Alprazolam is the only high-potency benzodiazepine developed in an XR formulation. The efficacy of alprazolam XR 1 to 10 mg using a flexible-dose study design once daily in the treatment of panic disorder was established in two 6-week placebo-controlled studies.

Comparing Benzodiazepines to Alcohol: Hazards of Long-Term Use—Psychiatrist Allen Frances, M.D.

Can you take Klonopin for life?

Klonopin can be a short-term or long-term treatment. Keep in mind that the long-term effectiveness of Klonopin hasn't been studied for longer than 9 weeks. Because of this, it's important that you and your doctor discuss from time to time whether you need to continue Klonopin treatment.

Which benzo should be avoided in anxiety treatment?

Long acting drugs such as diazepam or chlordiazepoxide should be avoided.

Is Xanax or Ativan more addictive?

The properties of each drug play a role in how common and severe the withdrawal symptoms are and the drugs' potential for misuse. In general, Ativan causes fewer withdrawal symptoms and has less potential for misuse than Xanax.

What is a long term treatment for anxiety?

Psychotherapy. Also known as talk therapy or psychological counseling, psychotherapy involves working with a therapist to reduce your anxiety symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective form of psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder.

Is diazepam better than lorazepam?

Diazepam is better absorbed after oral than after i.m. administrations but this does not apply to lorazepam. The clinical effect and amnesia begin more rapidly with diazepam, but last longer following lorazepam. Lorazepam is more effective than diazepam in blocking the emergence sequelae from ketamine.

Can diazepam be prescribed long term?

Long-term use of diazepam can lead to chemical dependency and, eventually, to severe addiction. Understanding the health complications of Valium addiction may encourage nonmedical users of this drug to reach out for help.

Do benzos damage your brain?

But when benzodiazepines are consumed for long periods of time, they can actually harm the brain. Taking benzodiazepines recreationally or in larger doses than prescribed can cause mental confusion, memory issues, permanent brain changes, and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Can lorazepam be used long term?

Lorazepam is a prescription benzodiazepine medication, and, typically, a benzodiazepine should not be regularly used for over a month.

How does Paxil differ from alprazolam?

Paxil and Xanax belong to different drug classes. Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant and Xanax is a benzodiazepine.

How long can I take clonazepam?

Clonazepam is not likely to be addictive if you take it for a short time (2 to 4 weeks). If you've been taking it for longer than 2 to 4 weeks, your doctor will reduce your dose gradually if they want you to stop taking it.

How long can I safely take diazepam?

You should not normally be prescribed diazepam for more than four weeks. If you are taking diazepam to help you sleep, you should take it just before bedtime. Diazepam can be taken before or after food.

What is the safest anti anxiety drug?

What is the drug of choice for anxiety?

Benzodiazepines (also known as tranquilizers) are the most widely prescribed type of medication for anxiety. Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour.

What is considered long term use of clonazepam?

Klonopin should not be relied on for prolonged periods of time, and it is safest when used for short durations of time – less than two weeks. If people have been using or abusing the drug for longer and exhibit some of the symptoms of addiction, they are probably dependent on it.

What is better than Ativan for anxiety?

Ativan and Xanax are both benzodiazepines used for the treatment of anxiety, and both are equally effective for this use. The differences are: Xanax has a quicker onset of effect, but a shorter duration of action (4 to 6 hours) compared with Ativan's 8 hours.

Is Ativan or Klonopin better?

Is Klonopin better than Ativan? Klonopin may be preferred for its longer-lasting effects depending on the condition being treated. Klonopin may also be preferred for certain seizures. It is approved to treat akinetic and myoclonic seizures whereas Ativan is FDA approved to treat status epilepticus.

Which is better alprazolam or Xanax?

The FDA says that approved generic drugs work in the same way as name brand drugs. This means Xanax and its generic form, alprazolam, have the same effectiveness, dosage form, strength, and safety.

What is the best medication for anxiety and panic attacks?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Generally safe with a low risk of serious side effects, SSRI antidepressants are typically recommended as the first choice of medications to treat panic attacks.

Which benzodiazepine is best for sleep?

Benzodiazepines that have been approved by the FDA for treating chronic insomnia include estazolam, flurazepam (Dalmane), temazepam (Restoril), quazepam (Doral), and triazolam (Halcion). Rapidly acting drugs with shorter half-lives (i.e., estazolam, triazolam, and temazepam) are preferred.

Which benzodiazepine is preferred for use in elderly patients?

On the basis of their shorter half-lives and lack of (or rapid disappearance of) active metabolites produced by their mode of metabolism, oxazepam and lorazepam (and perhaps alprazolam) are the benzodiazepines of choice for elderly patients.