Electroacupuncture for Tapering Off Long-term Benzodiazepine Use

Inclusion Criteria: * aged ≥ 18 years * taking benzodiazepines (World Health Organization Anatomical, Therapeutic and Chemical classification system codes N05BA, N05CD, N05CF, and M03BX07)) on more than 50% of days for at least 3 months and during their prospective 2-week record prior to baseline * willing to withdraw their benzodiazepine use during the study, Exclusion Criteria: * any relapse of psychiatric disorder in the past year that required intervention, * Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression or anxiety as a tool (subscore ≥ 8) which indicates subjects with possible depression or anxiety * have any unstable psychiatric conditions or serious physical illnesses which are judged by the investigator to render unsuitable or unsafe; * have valvular heart defects or bleeding disorders, taking anticoagulant drugs, or are fitted with any implanted electrical device such as pacemaker, defibrillator, or brain stimulation, * have received any acupuncture during the previous 6 months prior to baseline, * are pregnant, breast-feeding or of childbearing potential but not using adequate contraception, * have infection or abscess close to the site of selected acupoints and in the investigator's opinion inclusion is unsafe and * significant suicidal risk as rated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item on suicide (a score ≥ 3)