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8
Tapering Basics
• Your healthcare provider should work with you to develop a
strategy for slowly reducing the medication in the safest way
possible.
• The goal is to lower the dose slowly to minimize withdrawal
symptoms.
• People respond differently to reductions in their
benzodiazepine dose. Some may experience more withdrawal
symptoms than others and need to taper more slowly.
• As the dose gets lower, withdrawal symptoms may get worse,
and smaller dose reductions may be necessary.
• Every person is different, so your healthcare provider should
work with you to adjust your tapering strategy based on your
symptoms.
• Benzodiazepine tapering is almost always managed in an
outpatient setting such as a doctor's office or health clinic.
