Trying a safer first option before long-term anxiety sedatives
Long-term benzodiazepine use for anxiety should not happen without first trying a safer first-line treatment.
The silent should: Long-term benzodiazepine use for anxiety should not happen without first trying a safer first-line treatment.
In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 27% 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've been on a sedative for my anxiety for a while - have we tried a safer long-term option?
- Could a recommended first-choice treatment work better for me over time?
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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