We are grateful for the opportunity to educate about benzodiazepines at the Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Physician Assistant Program event!
On February 15, 2024, Dr. Michael Bohan, a physician from our Medical Advisory Board, took part in a Community Networking Event titled “Creating a Community of Support,” held by the Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Physician Assistant Program. During the event, Dr. Bohan represented Naranon, delivering a presentation. After, he oversaw a booth on behalf of our organization, educating future Physician Assistants about benzodiazepines. Joining him were Louise and Karla, both survivors of benzodiazepine harm.

About 20 tables were present at the event from various places like drug treatment, drug testing, community service boards, peer support, counseling offices, and 12-step programs. About 80 Physician Assistant students attended. Each table had 5-minute teaching sessions.

Dr. Bohan asked every student if they had learned about deprescribing before this event. Only 3 had, and all three learned it from one professor, who was Dr. Bohan’s pupil when he used to teach psych residents. Most of the PA students were unaware of the risks of benzodiazepines but seemed eager to learn. Dr. Bohan showed them all the diazepam (Valium) taper schedule starting at 40mg provided in the Ashton Manual, which is available for free on our website, and taught them the alprazolam (generic Xanax) equivalents.

Dr. Bohan, Louise, and Karla were busy the entire time, from 1 until 3:30 pm. They had a great time and felt their efforts were productive.

Finally the correct way to ‘taper’ someone off Benzos is being taught to our Medical Professionals!
I have a Loved One who has been to several residential treatment facilities across the nation and all of them think that a proper Benzo taper is 7-10 days. Then they stop the Benzos at the end of Detox and watch the patients crash and burn for the remainder of the 30 day program, discharging them on no Benzos nor plans for aftercare or follow up plans with the physician back home! This actually amounts to malpractice, a word I hate to use as a fellow physician.
Respectfully, Dr. John Pence; jwpence33@gmail.com
This is so very true. I once was put on a 3-day benzo taper in a hospital and sent home with basically nothing. It was torture and so very cruel. Doctors and even psychiatrists need to be much better educated concerning benzo prescribing and de prescribing.