ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT OF BENZODIAZEPINE DISCONTINUATION SYNDROMES - A REVIEW

The variety of pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches to facil itate benzodiazepine discontinuation are reviewed. Strategies to atten uate physiologic withdrawal with clonidine, propranolol and carbamazep ine have been inconsistently effective. Strategies to prevent relapse by substituting medications that could later be discontinued more easi ly (i.e., antidepressants and azapirones) appear more useful but have been less well studied. Psychotherapeutic approaches appear to work, b ut specific therapeutic components are unclear and non-specific ''plac ebo'' effects may play an important role.