As requested, a PDF of the poster is available here.
On April 15th, our medical director, Christy Huff, presented a research poster at the 2023 American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The poster, titled Consequences of Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction: A Survey, presented data from the benzodiazepine experience survey exploring the symptoms and life consequences of benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction (BIND). BIND describes the functionally limiting symptoms that are the consequence of neurotoxicity and/or neuroadaptation after benzodiazepine exposure.
In the survey, many symptoms were long-lasting, and life consequences were common. In fact, of all affirmative answers to symptom questions, 76.6% of respondents reported symptoms lasting over a year. A majority of respondents reported 6-13 life consequences attributed to benzodiazepines (average 8.1 of 16). In addition, respondents reported experiencing symptoms for which benzodiazepines were not originally prescribed.
The poster concluded that practical, evidence-based, safe, and effective approaches are urgently needed for benzodiazepine deprescribing and managing the symptoms of BIND. During the poster presentation, Dr. Huff shared the survey data and her personal lived experience with many addiction specialists, who expressed great interest in the findings. Overall, the reception of the poster was very promising. The full paper containing this data is available here.
I am currently at .2 mg. of lorazepam after a three year taper with many ups and downs. I am truly surprised at how much control this tiny amount of Ativan has on my already exhausted brain.
I have found exercise to be a life-saver thru out this journey. I keep running my way thru this Benzo maze, and hoping and praying for healing.
It’s not a year of symptoms after stopping Benzos.
It’s often years to a lifetime!
That’s important to note.
Follow the people suffering and sharing their stories.
They are worse off for many years and who knows if they ever recover fully, or how much they recover.
I am really glad this information is being presented like this.