Delusional Depression following Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Ms, Keshavan; Moodley, Parimala; Eales, Martin; Joyce, Eileen M.; Vk, Yeragani

doi:10.1177/070674378803300709

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

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“…The possibility that depression is part of the withdrawal phase has been well documented in many studies (Petursson & Lader, 1981;Tyrer & Owen, 1983;Ashton, 1984;Rickels et al, 1984;Olajide & Lader, 1984;Rodrigo, King & Williams, 1987;Keshavan et al, 1988), and we have examined this, using the same treatment package, in a separate study.' It would appear that moderate levels of depression are frequently present in long-term BZ users, that this worsens in the immediate withdrawal phase, and then may lessen to pre-withdrawal levels in cases with a 'successful' outcome.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

In‐patient withdrawal from long‐term benzodiazepine use

Joughin

Tata

Collins

et al. 1991

British Journal of Addiction

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Twenty-one patients completed an intensive in-patient and out-patient group-based programme, to achieve withdrawal from long-term benzodiazepine dependence. By 6-month follow-up (post-withdrawal), eight patients (38%) had achieved a 'good' outcome. Generally, patients demonstrated moderate levels of psychiatric morbidity and depression in the pre-withdrawal phase; a diagnosis of a depressive disorder being associated with either an 'intermediate' or 'poor' outcome in comparison to patients receiving a diagnosis of anxiety disorder, who showed a predominantly 'good' outcome. Two patients committed suicide some time after withdrawal. Additionally, older patients fared less well than their younger counterparts. We conclude that maintenance benzodiazepine prescription, rather than withdrawal, may be the preferred treatment for some dependent patients. Furthermore, more data are required regarding the association, and causality, between depression and benzodiazepine withdrawal in long-term users.

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