Benzodiazepines (BZD) are widely used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and depression. These drugs can have very serious side effects if they are taken over a long period of time. In addition to stability, memory, concentration, vigilance, and attention impairments, long-term use of BZD is also associated with an increased in hypertension incidence, urinary incontinence, coronary artery disease, and renal complications. There are growing evidences that long-term BZD use causes physical and psychological dependence as evidenced by the withdrawal syndrome. The recommended strategy by physicians to facilitate the withdrawal of BZD is to gradually reduce the medication, either by replacing the BZD by another with a longer half-life, or by the gradual dose reduction. Unfortunately, the success of such a procedure is low as up to 80% of people who try to quit, relapse due to the intolerance of withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, it is important to find new strategies to overcome the withdrawal difficulties. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of a novel psychosocial intervention called PASSE-65+ to facilitate the benzodiazepine withdrawal in the older users, thus providing a new therapeutic tool to physician.
Age range
65 Years
Sex
ALL
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A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Change in consumed BZD (diazepam equivalent) dose
Timeframe: 1 month before the beginning of the intervention and 2-14 days, 3 months and 12 months after the end of intervention (a total of four assessments)