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Substance use

PTSD treated with a sedative alone

PTSD should not be managed on a benzodiazepine alone - it is not an effective PTSD treatment.

30% of the time this step is missed
Safety first: Don't stop a benzodiazepine on your own - any change should be a slow, supervised taper.

The silent should: PTSD should not be managed on a benzodiazepine alone — it is not an effective PTSD treatment.

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 30% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • I have PTSD and I'm on a sedative - is that the best treatment for me?
  • Are there treatments that work better for PTSD?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

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