A new study published last week shows that benzodiazepines are linked to an increased Alzheimer’s disease risk. A useful synopsis was published on the Harvard Health Publications blog.
A team of researchers from France and Canada linked benzodiazepine use to an increased risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, the greater a person’s cumulative dose of benzodiazepines, the higher his or her risk of Alzheimer’s.
The type of drug taken also mattered. People who were on a long-acting benzodiazepine like diazepam (Valium) and flurazepam (Dalmane) were at greater risk than those on a short-acting one like triazolam (Halcion), lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), and temazepam (Restoril).
You can read the full British Medical Journal study here.
The possible increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease is just part of the picture. There are a host of other very serious issues with this medication.
Jeremy C. Fox wrote a great article in the Boston Globe called “When withdrawal is the hardest part.” It covers Alison Page’s struggle with recovering from difficulties associated with benzodiazepine withdrawal.
… Alison ” was experiencing withdrawal between doses of Ativan, a drug often prescribed for anxiety or insomnia. After taking a dose that night” Alison “felt fine — for the moment. But her struggle to recover continues more than two years later.
While rampant abuse of heroin and prescription opiates dominates public attention, dependency on benzodiazepines — a group of tranquilizers that includes drugs such as Ativan, Klonopin, and Xanax — remains less widely acknowledged or understood.
Doctors say benzodiazepines are effective for short-term stress, as in the days following the death of a loved one or another emotionally difficult event. But problems can arise when use continues for more than a few weeks.”
I don’t feel any benzodiazepine prescriptions should be written. There are much better ways to deal with anxiety – like addressing possible low GABA and tryptophan; addressing low zinc levels; addressing the gut and possible dysbiosis; quitting sugar and caffeine; figuring out if gluten is an issue; eating to control blood sugar; and eating quality food that includes grass-fed red meat, wild fish, healthy fats and organic produce.
Alison “was prescribed Ativan by a psychiatrist in 2009, she said, as she adjusted to working as a receptionist after graduating from Northeastern University. As a shy person, she found the front-and-center role a tough fit, she said.”
Many of my shy and introverted clients have pyroluria, a social anxiety condition. Addressing this with zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil solves the problem. Instead many people are prescribed benzos rather casually and end up like Alison, having to deal with all these horrible withdrawal effects from the benzos: increased anxiety, dizziness, terrible fears, less able to deal with stress, prone to getting sick and not sleeping for months.
Alison joined the BenzoBuddies.org support group and it was through this group that she learned what was happening to her. This is a great group that supports folks who are tapering off benzos.
I was fortunate to have interviewed Dr. Catherine Pittman on the Anxiety Summit in June – Benzodiazapines: Risks vs Benefits – and she shared the results of a survey she did with members of BenzoBuddies.org.
Here are a few facts and gems from our interview:
- The United States has the highest rate of benzodiazepine prescription in the world
- If the person is prescribed a benzodiazepine, short-term relief is obtained, but tolerance develops, and increasing dosages may be required
- Physiological dependence on the benzodiazepines can occur within, four to six weeks [I am hearing it can be much shorter than four to six weeks]
- If you have people who are on benzodiazepines, you may have to give them lists, because they may not remember as much as person who’s not on benzodiazepines [this relates directly to the new research mentioned above and cognitive decline]
- Not all physicians or psychiatrists have the knowledge to help a person successfully withdraw.
- Professor Malcolm Lader, who is from the Royal Maudsley Hospital (in the UK) stated: “It’s more difficult to withdraw people from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin.”
- And one of the things that we heard from the BenzoBuddies community, “Please educate the treatment professional community. Please help them know. My doctor didn’t understand this. My psychiatrist didn’t understand what was going on. Try to do what you can to educate them.”
My goal with this blog post is to help with what the BenzoBuddies community is asking – educating the treatment professional community and you as well. If you’re not currently taking a prescription for benzodiazapines please think twice before doing so and please share this information with friends and family who may be considering getting on them.
I also encourage you to read the comments in the Benzodiazapines: Risks vs Benefits blog. Many Benzobuddies.org members shared very heartfelt stories of their battles with benzo withdrawal. We appreciate them (and Alison) for being so open and vulnerable about what has happened to them. They are doing this to raise awareness.
If you do have a benzodiazepine prescription please don’t stop cold turkey and without first talking to your doctor, as well as learning about the taper protocols. www.Benzo.org.uk is a great resource for Professor Ashton’s taper protocols and other valuable benzo information. And do check out BenzoBuddies.org for a great support system.
Based on all the above side-effects and withdrawal symptoms and whether or not the above new study shows a causal link between benzodiazapines and Alzheimer’s disease, I would not recommend these drugs for anyone ever!
My story was featured in the Boston Globe Article “When withdrawal is the hardest part” by Jeremy Fox that you refer to in your post.
I am only 29 years old, and I developed what I refer to as pseudo-dementia once I developed a tolerance to benzodiazepines and it got worse once the drug was stopped. From what I have seen from others recovering from and in tolerance to benzodiazepines, cognitive functioning and memory can get hit hard and actually mimic dementia. I wonder if the symptoms these elders are experiencing are true Alzheimer’s, or a side effect/withdrawal effect.
I was so cognitively impaired earlier in recovery that I felt like a stranger in my own house, couldn’t drive a car because of poor spatial reasoning, couldn’t think rationally, or assimilate new information. It ends up it was all part of recovery.
I imagine elderly people who don’t metabolize drugs as well, and are more likely to already have cognitive decline, may have very severe cognitive symptoms from benzodiazepines. They may feel like they have Alzheimer’s or dementia and exhibit symptoms.
Pseudo-dementia is a documented withdrawal reaction.
Whether it’s a reaction to the drug, or true Alzheimers, benzodiazepines are a dangerous class of drugs to be avoided at all costs!
Hi Alison
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt story in the Boston Globe article. I know it’s going to help so many people who are on this journey and will hopefully be a deterrent to those considering benzodiazapines and a message to the medical profession. I wish you as speedy a recovery as possible.
Thank you too, for commenting here on my blog. You make an excellent point. It may well be that the symptoms they are seeing in the study are a side effect/withdrawal effect, rather than true Alzheimer’s disease and may be reversible. It surprises me that the study authors have not commented on this since cognitive effects are well documented in the literature.
Here are a few examples I found:
“Benzodiazepines revisited—will we ever learn?” Published in Addiction in 2011
“The review noted a series of adverse effects that continued to cause concern, such as cognitive and psychomotor impairment. In addition, dependence and abuse remain as serious problems. Despite warnings and guidelines, usage of these drugs remains at a high level.” http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03563.x/abstract
And this one
“Benzodiazepine harm: how can it be reduced?” Published in British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in January this year (2014)
“Adverse effects comprise sedation subjectively and cognitive and psychomotor impairment objectively. Complex skills such as driving can be compromised… Withdrawal and dependence have excited particular concern, and even polemic. Perhaps a third of long term (beyond 6 months) users experience symptoms and signs on attempting to withdraw – anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms and tension and perceptual hypersensitivity.”
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04418.x/abstract
I would love to know more about the pseudo-dementia term you mention. Could you please share a link so we can all be better informed? I see pseudo-dementia listed here http://www.benzo.org.uk/appg26-1-13.htm but not elsewhere in relation to benzodiazapines.
I did find this paper “Pseudo-dementia: A neuropsychological review” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4090838/ which is presumably different from what you’re referring to (as it refers to depression/dementia), except perhaps this part: “ ‘The pseudo component’ which denotes the actual lack of the neurodegenerative dementia” and the fact that it can be reversed.
Your point about older people not metabolizing meds as well is a good one too.
Thanks!
Trudy
There isn’t much research I can point you to about pseudo dementia besides the Ashton manual. There are articles written about benzos causing dementia (and now Alzheimer’s). But from what I have seen on the forums, severe cognitive/memory problems are an incredibly common symptoms of tolerance to and recovery from benzodiazepines.
I can only imagine how severe memory/cognitive symptoms caused by benzodiazepines would be in an elderly person and how long recovery would take since brains are less plastic as people get older.
Since tolerance to and recovery from benzos is so misunderstood, it’s constantly misdiagnosed. So all I have is my own experience, and then the experience of thousands of others who came before me and recovered from the pseudo dementia symptoms.
It’s pretty insane, really, how misunderstood this is after all these years. People in recovery are constantly being diagnosed by their doctors with: anxiety disorders, bipolar, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, MS, on and on and on. Now, it seems Alzheimer’s can be added to that list 😛
Thanks Alison and yes I agree, this is crazy crazy crazy! I had no idea former benzo users i.e. those in recovery, are being diagnosed with anxiety disorders, bipolar, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, MS and now Alzheimer’s.
Your insights and experience (plus those who you’ve learned from ) is invaluable so I appreciate you sharing this here. Your Boston Globe article and our correspondence have inspired me to do some digging on dementia and I will be doing a follow-up blog post. Hopefully it can help with some of the pseudo-dementia and cognitive/memory issues caused by the benzos and the withdrawal process.
Trudy
Here is my follow-up post of nutrients that may help with the pseudo-dementia https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/nutrients-for-dementia-benzodiazepine-withdrawal/
Per your feedback, since many in benzo withdrawal don’t tolerate supplements, my advice is to use caution and work with a health practitioner.
Great article Trudy. It is a sobering thought that the wholesale, casual dispensing of benzos can have such a huge effect and truly sad that something dispensed at one end of the age spectrum is potentially responsible for such a shattering diagnosis (for the consumer as well as for their families) at the other end.
Thank you for such a well written and researched piece to bring this to our attention.
Hi Mira
Yes, you’re so right. But what’s also very sad is that young people are being given this medication and are having terrible cognitive symptoms and as Alison says “pseudo-dementia.” As Alison says, is this really a risk for Alzheimer’s or is it the drug causing a temporary dementia. Either way the effects are devastating to those on it or withdrawing.
Trudy
Trudy, the more I learn about prescription drug use and abuse in this country the more I am glad you are calling attention to these horrors. Thank you.
Hi Mary Ellen – that’s exactly it – drug use and abuse!
Whew this is just nothing but heart rending and scary. It is why I just about REFUSE to take prescription drugs.
Hi Sue
Yes it is both – heart-rending and very scary. What makes it even more scary is the fact that some people may not even know they are being given benzos. One of my clients found out after her cancer treatment that benzodiazapines had been added to the mix of meds. I was shocked but researched it and it’s common!
Trudy
Between a rock and a hard place…. 🙁
Jessica
I assume you are referring to people who are currently taking a benzodiazapine and can’t stop (because they feel there is no other option) or choose not to?
I hear you and feel for them and I hope these posts aren’t too upsetting. It’s just the more I learn the more horrified I am and the more I feel the need to share and educate.
That being said, some people appear to do fine and get great benefits. I was surprised to see comments to this effect on the Boston Globe article.
So it may be a subset that are affected so badly. This could make sense since we are all biochemically unique. I just hope that those people who appear to be doing well on these medications don’t get a nasty surprise in the future. We just don’t know and I’d err of the side of caution based on what we do already know from the research and from people who are experiencing the awful withdrawal effects.
Trudy
Trudy,
The sad truth about our society and the use of meds such as these. Sad and horrible truth.
Benzodiazpenes are definitely not drugs to be taken without very careful consideration, and, as you mentioned, you do not want to stop them without seeking medical advice.
Trudy,
Thanks again for shedding light on an important topic. Do you find that most prescriptions do more harm than good?
Write on!~
Lisa
I was originally prescribed 5-10 mg Valium for pelvic spasms and pain. I took it without knowing anything about Valium. I have been on Valium for 10 years and am currently on 10 mg because I was having breakthrough withdrawal between doses. It does help with the pelvic spasms but not enough any more. I also had to have spinal cord surgery and was titrating down from 6 mg and was 18 days off when I had my first panic attack. Before my spinal cord problem I was trying to titrating off Valium and was always sick and even suicidal. My psychiatrist just wants me to stay on the Valium because of my terrible issues in getting off. I don’t seem to have any dementia problems. When I tried to switch to Ativan because for me it lasted longer I had more pelvic pain. I am 70 years old and before the spinal cord issues was mountain biking whitewater canoeing while on 5 mg of Valium. The Valium doesn’t stay at a comfortable level unless I take it about every 5 hours and I think I would feel better if I could get off it emotionally but if supplements don’t help but make it worse I’m not sure I could titratrate off. I have been hoping that your amino acids would help with that or the medical community would come up with an easier less protracted approach. I am a very healthy 70 year old woman but suffer from chronic pain and the ups and downs that Valium has caused me. I haven’t found a doctor who can help with withdrawing and am afraid to do it myself because of past experience. I am a member of benzo buddies but I think I need more support than that.
Kathy
I am sorry to hear about all this. I wish it was easier for people to get off these medications. Many people who are taking benzos do very well on the aminos and other supplements (and it helps the withdrawal). Be aware that some can’t tolerate any supplements. I believe it’s worth trying to see how you do.
I’d also look for possible root causes of the possible root cause/s of the pelvic spasms and pain and wonder if you’ve looked into oxalates? Here is some reading for you http://www.vulvalpainsociety.org/vps/ Many of the amino acids also help with pain – GABA, DPA and tryptophan so they may provide some relief too