1990/10/01 by Edward E. Schweizer · 192 citations
Psychology · Medicine · Neuroscience · #Sleep and related disorders #Schizophrenia research and treatment #Sleep and Wakefulness Research #Benzodiazepine #Discontinuation #Neuroticism #Alprazolam #Medicine #Psychology #Anesthesia #Personality #Psychiatry #Internal medicine #Anxiety
paper · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1990.01810220024003
published in Archives of General Psychiatry 47(10), 908 (American Medical Association)
openalex publication_date 1990/10/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We compared the effect on withdrawal severity and acute outcome of a 25% per week taper of short half-life vs long half-life benzodiazepines in 63 benzodiazepine-dependent patients. Patients unable to tolerate taper were permitted to slow the taper rate. Ninety percent of patients experienced a withdrawal reaction, but it was rarely more than mild to moderate. Nonetheless, 32% of long half-life and 42% of short half-life benzodiazepine-treated patients were unable to achieve a drug-free state. The most difficulty was experienced in the last half of taper. Baseline personality, high Eysenck neuroticism, female sex, and mild-to-moderate alcohol use were found to be more significant predictors of withdrawal severity than the daily benzodiazepine dose or benzodiazepine half-life. These findings suggest that personality factors contribute significantly to the patient's difficulties with gradual benzodiazepine discontinuation of therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines.