Depression following withdrawal from long-term benzodiazepine use: a report of four cases

1984/11/01 by Dele Olajide, Malcolm Lader · 70 citations
Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency #Anesthesia #Benzodiazepine #Cognition #Depression (economics) #Internal medicine #Major depressive episode #Medicine #Psychiatry #Psychology #Receptor #Sleep and Wakefulness Research #Sleep and related disorders #Term (time) #Withdrawal syndrome

paper · doi:10.1017/s0033291700019899

published in Psychological Medicine 14(4), 937-940 (Cambridge University Press)

openalex publication_date 1984/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21

Abstract

Depression following withdrawal from long- or short-term use of benzodiazepines is not uncommon, yet it is under-reported in the benzodiazepine withdrawal literature. Four cases of depressive illness supervening during benzodiazepine withdrawal are reported. Depression may, it is suggested, be an integral part of the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.

Citations

• Withdrawal Phenomena after Long-term Administration of Benzodiazepines A Review of Recent Investigations

Cited by

• A pilot study of the effects of flumazenil on symptoms persisting after benzodiazepine withdrawal
• Clinical management of benzodiazepine dependence.
• Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome [wikipedia]