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• What should I do if I experience withdrawal symptoms
during the taper?
• Check in with your healthcare provider after each dose
reduction. Tell them about any symptoms you are experiencing.
If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms your healthcare
provider can help. They may recommend that you:
» Pause the taper, or stay at the same dose for a couple more
weeks
» Slow the taper, or make smaller dose reductions, less
frequently
In rare cases they may recommend that you temporarily return to
your prior dose. They may also recommend additional treatment
that may help such as counseling, therapy, or other medications.
• How long will it take to completely taper off the medication?
• There is no set timeline. The length of time to taper safely
will vary from person to person. It may take a couple of
months or even a year or more.
• Does physical dependence on benzodiazepines mean I have
addiction or a benzodiazepine use disorder?
• No. Physical dependence and addiction to medication are
not the same. Nearly everyone who uses benzodiazepines
regularly for more than a month will develop physical
dependence. Less than 2% of individuals taking
benzodiazepines develop a benzodiazepine use disorder.
That said, talk to your healthcare provider if you are using
more than your prescribed dose, if you are having trouble
controlling how much you use, or if you think you may have
a substance use disorder.
• If I stop taking benzodiazepines, how do I manage the
symptoms that they originally helped with?
• There are other types of treatments, including therapy
(e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) and other medications, to
help manage specific symptoms, such as anxiety or insomnia.
These other treatments may be equally or more effective
than benzodiazepines but carry less risk. Talk to your
healthcare provider to see what alternatives are available.
