Benzos What is the latest on whether benzoes cause dementia or other nasty stuff? Occasional use ok?

[Tieeurrrop]

I have just been doing a read around and the studies online all seem to contradict each other; some say even low doses cause a slight increase risk while high doses didn't some say vice versa that only high doses do, some say they don't at all.

So what is the current thinking for those who have probably studied it more in depth than me?

Will occasional use pose any greater risks? I am interested in the science not that you 'feel' it won't.

Just interested in occasional use like once per week or less (xanax).

 

[Wilson Wilson]

There’s no solid evidence benzos cause dementia. There is a correlation between chronic use, especially in high doses, and developing dementia later in life. However the conditions benzos are scripted to treat such as anxiety and insomnia are also correlated with dementia. So looking at a group of people scripted benzos and concluding benzos cause dementia is fearmongering.

Occasional use of benzos is fine. The actual risk is slipping into more frequent use and therefore into addiction.

This article (from the World Psychiatric Association) might be of interest:

"Need for a realistic appraisal of benzodiazepines"

 

[speedballs_over]

I read about twenty articles on this recently but cannot recall anything.... benzos do cause amnesia, but dementia - it's not at all proven. The link above is excellent!

 

[jose ribas da silva]

people who take benzos frequently die before having time of developing dementia

 

[Zonxx]

people who take benzos frequently die before having time of developing dementia

lol this is so negative, you need more positive chi in your life =p

 

[jose ribas da silva]

lol this is so negative, you need more positive chi in your life =p

That's true man, myself is too dark. I have started thinking that nihilism was a good alternative to cope with life, better than religion at least... Then I have passed through an "awakening process" in which I have realized that most of my tract problems, personality disorders, drug abuse were due to family problems, namely during the childhood. After that, it has been really difficult to establish contact with my family again (forgiving them), it was like a death in the family, but with living persons. This context summed to the oppression generated by capital and work has made me black. Of course, tons of drugs has contributed to my pipe dreams.

Suddenly, the nihilism previously adopted in order to be a strong feature to cope with life turned out to be a chronic negative mindset, a side-effect that I was not waiting for.

 

[Wilson Wilson]

Suddenly, the nihilism previously adopted in order to be a strong feature to cope with life turned out to be a chronic negative mindset, a side-effect that I was not waiting for.

This is the point where you move onto existentialism. Read some Nietzsche.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

This is the point where you move onto existentialism. Read some Nietzsche.

I have tried to become a super man, however, successive slaps put me down to the point that I was crying out for Kierkegaard to get mine religious state..

 

[kinkyjohn]

I can totally believe that benzos could have a highly enhancing effect on dementia once it's been acquired as they just zone you the fuck out and dementia is slowed by retaining mental activity. It should be easy to show a relationship between benzo use and dementia related effects but whether they cause it is probably almost impossible to prove without huge sample sizes and long term studies .. and even then as pointed out .. correlation is not causation and they are selectively prescribed. What you need to do is give them to a randomly selected group of people for most of their life .. in large doses ... although that probably wouldn't get past the ethics board.

P.S. God is dead .. long live the ubermensch!

 

[scatterday]

As for dimentia I think that topic hasn't been decided on but regarding occasional use I think benzodiazepines are fine personally providing the user doesn't become physically dependant on them. They just need to be cycled on/off.

For me I can take them for about 3 days before the mild withdrawals start to set in. I never usually use them for more than a day here and there.

I've been down the path of addiction with them and it's definitely not pleasant. It can definitely cause issues with your libido and make it difficult to reach orgasm. That was one of the side effects I noticed when I was regularly taking them.