Upm Benzodiazepines
Upm Benzodiazepines
Upm Benzodiazepines
Copyright © 2009, 2012 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Information for consumers,
Disponible en français. families and friends
Do I need treatment? 2
B
What do benzodiazepines do? 2
enzodiazepines are a group of medications
Side-effects 3 that can help reduce anxiety and make it
Types of benzodiazepines 3 easier to sleep. They are also used as a muscle
Starting and stopping benzodiazepines 4 relaxant, to induce sedation for surgery and other
How long should I take benzodiazepines? medical procedures, and in the treatment of seizures
Are benzodiazepines addictive?
and alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines are also
called minor tranquillizers, sedatives or hypnotics.
The safe use of benzodiazepines
They are the most widely prescribed psychoactive
How do I cut down or stop taking benzodiazepines?
drugs in the world.
Benzodiazepines, other drugs and driving 8
Will benzodiazepines interact with other medications? The calming effects of benzodiazepines can often be
What if I drink alcohol or coffee while taking achieved without drugs. Various kinds of exercise,
benzodiazepines? such as walking, running, yoga or tai chi can help, as
What if I use street drugs while taking benzodiazepines? can reducing the stress in your life and taking time
Will benzodiazepines affect my ability to drive safely? for relaxing activities such as meditation, reading a
book or having a warm bath. Talking with a trusted
Benzodiazepines, sexuality and pregnancy 10
friend, family member or therapist and working out
Will benzodiazepines affect my sex drive and function?
the problems that are troubling you can also help.
Is it safe to take benzodiazepines while pregnant
Whenever possible, these approaches should be
or breastfeeding?
tried first, before benzodiazepines. However, when
Is age an issue? 10 non-drug approaches are not possible or do not help,
Children and teens benzodiazepines can provide relief.
Older adults
When taken by mouth, the calming effects of
Where can I get more information about
psychiatric medications? 11 benzodiazepines are felt within 30 minutes to four
hours, depending on the type taken. With most
How can I find treatment or a support group? 12
benzodiazepines, the effects last several hours.
Benzodiazepines 1
Do I need treatment? Side-effects
A certain amount of anxiety or insomnia is a normal The side-effects of benzodiazepines are generally
reaction to what is happening in your life. You may mild and may not be noticed when these drugs
worry or feel stressed and sometimes these feelings are used at low doses. Common side-effects are
can keep you up at night. Most often, these feelings drowsiness, sedation, dizziness and loss of balance.
pass and are not a problem. However, these feelings At higher doses, side-effects can include confusion,
can become a problem when they continue over a disorientation, amnesia, breathing difficulties
longer term, cause severe distress, make you feel and depression. Other possible effects, which are
physically ill and affect your behaviour. This kind of extremely rare, include agitation, hallucinations and
anxiety may be triggered by a challenging life event. nightmares. Reducing the dose can help to reduce
It can also be a symptom of a mental health problem. side-effects.
The ability to fall asleep and to sleep through the Benzodiazepines can make it harder to learn and
night can be affected by many types of health remember new information and to do certain
problems. These include physical conditions that physical and mental tasks. These abilities return to
cause pain or trouble breathing, as well as mental normal once the effect of the drug wears off.
health problems. When sleep is disrupted, health
When used to help you get to sleep, benzodiazepines
can be further affected.
can have some “hangover” effects, such as morning
While each situation is unique and different and daytime drowsiness.
treatment approaches may be called for, benzo
diazepines can help to provide relief. They are
especially useful in the first few days or weeks of Types of benzodiazepines
treatment for a mental health problem. This is a time Many types of benzodiazepines are available in
when distress is severe and longer-term medications, Canada. All benzodiazepines work the same way;
such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers or however, the intensity and duration of their
antipsychotics have not yet reached their full effect. effects vary.
During this period, benzodiazepines can help to
reduce distress so that you are better able to work The benzodiazepines most commonly used to
through problems with a therapist. treat anxiety disorders are clonazepam (Rivotril)*,
alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Also used
are bromazepam (Lectopam), oxazepam (Serax),
What do benzodiazepines do? chlordiazepoxide (once marketed as Librium),
clorazepate (Tranxene) and diazepam (Valium).
Benzodiazepines enhance the activity of the neuro
transmitter GABA—a chemical in the brain that
helps you to feel calm. Their effect also produces
drowsiness, making it easier to fall asleep and to
sleep through the night. *Medications are referred to in two ways: by their generic name and
by their brand or trade names. Brand names available in Canada appear
here in brackets.
These drugs may interact with other medications. If you are taking benzodiazepines to help reduce the
If your doctor or dentist prescribes any medication, distress of a mental health problem, chances are that
inform him or her about the drug you are taking. you want to feel less anxious and get a good night’s
Check with your pharmacist before using any over- sleep. Street drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine,
the-counter medication, including herbal products, have effects that can worsen symptoms of anxiety
cold or allergy tablets, or cough syrups. and interfere with sleep—making you feel worse,
rather than better.
When taken on their own, the risk of overdose
with benzodiazepines is low; however, combining Taking benzodiazepines to enhance the effect of
these drugs with other sedatives, such as alcohol, other sedative drugs, such as opioids, is dangerous
or with medications containing codeine or other and increases the risk of overdose and injury.
opioid drugs, can result in overdose and possible
death. Symptoms of overdose include slurred Will benzodiazepines affect
speech, confusion, severe drowsiness, weakness and my ability to drive safely?
staggering, slow heartbeat, breathing problems Benzodiazepines can affect your ability to drive a
and unconsciousness. vehicle and increase the risk of a crash, especially if
taken in combination with alcohol or other sedative
What if I drink alcohol or coffee drugs. The risk is highest when you first start taking
while taking benzodiazepines? benzodiazepines, before you are used to their effect.
Benzodiazepines can be dangerous when combined Avoid driving or operating other machinery if you
with alcohol. Benzodiazepines increase the effects feel drowsy or slowed down.
of alcohol, making you more sleepy, dizzy or light
headed. One danger of this is the increased risk of