10
Recommendations
Table 3. Common Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Signs and
Symptoms
a
General Affective Cardiovascular Gastrointestinal
• Elevated blood
pressure
• Headaches
• Sweating, night
sweats
• Anxiety, panic
attacks
• Depression,
dysphoria
• Irritability,
agitation,
aggression
• Chest pain
• Palpitations
• Tachycardia
• Abdominal
cramps
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and
vomiting
Neurological Neuromuscular Neuropsychiatric Sleep
• Cognitive
impairment
(e.g., poor
memory, reduced
concentration)
• Confusion,
delirium
b
• Perceptual
disturbance
• Seizures
b
• Sensory
hypersensitivity (i.e.,
to light, sound, taste,
and smell)
• Tingling, numbness,
altered sensation
• Tinnitus
• Coordination,
balance
problems
• Dysesthesia,
kinetic
disorders
• Muscle pain
(e.g., tension,
weakness,
spasms)
• Muscle
twitches,
jerks, and
fasciculations
• Tremors
• Akathisia,
restlessness
• Depersonalization,
derealization
• Psychosis (e.g.,
paranoia)
b
• Suicidality and
self-harm
• Hypersomnia
• Insomnia
• Nightmares
a
Adapted from Soyka (2017), Baldwin (2022), Gold & Ward (2022), and e Maudsley
Deprescribing Guidelines. is table does not represent a comprehensive list of withdrawal
symptoms. See e Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and e Ashton Manual for a more
comprehensive list.
b
Typically associated with abrupt cessation of high doses of BZDs.
