A low-cost outpatient benzodiazepine treatment for the benzo crisis in the Midwest based upon the Ashton Protocol.
Intro
There is a serious drug crisis in America. People are dying earlier, loss of connectedness in our personal lives, family life. And, it’s not just opioids being over-prescribed, over-used – it’s benzo’s also: Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan to name a few. Often these are used in addition to narcotics. Their effects though helpful in the short term can be devastating in the long term even on therapeutic doses.
Biologically, there is a natural process which can lead to developing tolerance, dependence, and ultimately tolerance withdrawal symptoms over time.
Who are we?
Over the past twelve years, I have been quietly running a group for benzodiazepine treatment in my Chicago suburban office. Clients are mostly drawn from Benzowise internet sites like Benzodoc, BenzoBuddies and BenzoFriendlydocs. Also, some are from my private practice of psychiatry where I have identified benzodiazepines as an issue.
So far all of the participants have been Caucasian, 60% male ages 17 to 81, and from the Midwest. The average age is 45. Clients are drawn from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin.
We offer a treatment program with a very slow taper off of benzodiazepines, often over a year, depending on habit level. The protocol follows the Ashton Manual out of England (Benzo.org): monthly doctor visits, “med checks” with the addition of a free monthly group therapy session to ongoing patients.
Altogether it’s a three-hour experience once per month on a Saturday afternoon.
The group is led by an M.D., focuses on benzo withdrawal issues in an encouraging sympathetic setting. We mutually offer up advice on alternative ways of mastering anxiety. Self-help techniques are especially useful; thus, we have practiced during the groups:
- Meditation
- Two-minute breathing techniques such as tactical breathing, soul breathing.
- We have demonstrated alternative devices for reducing anxiety such as Alpha-Stim, CES, weighted blankets, light therapy.
- Encourage walking and exercise
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to name a few.
This program is different from the usual American practice of rapid detoxes over 6 weeks, which can leave patients suffering severe withdrawal symptoms afterwards.
And in fact, most of the participants have tried and failed at previous detox events.
Rationale
Long term benzo use suppresses the body’s natural ways of damping down anxiety – the natural tranquilizer system (GABA). Quick withdrawal leaves the nervous system hyper aroused, hyper excited.
Longer and slower tapers allow for the body to readjust and the mind to learn and practice other ways of mastering Anxiety.
Humans are social, gaining the support of peers, family, and professionals encourages change.
Outcomes
This week has been encouraging for benzo awareness with several programs on television including Linda Ling, Benzo Crisis, and Dr. Oz’s program on benzodiazepines.
So, I put together some quick results on my last 77 patients treated with the Ashton Detox Protocol plus my benzo group. Clients have been on either:
- Xanax / Alprazolam (Avg 3mg / day for 10 years)
- Ativan / Lorazepam (Avg 4mg / day for 4 years)
- Klonopin / Clonazepam (Avg 3mg / day for 8 years)
- Valium / Diazepam (Avg 40mg / day for 6 years)
Many had co-morbid conditions:
- Alcohol use disorder 16%
- Narcotic / Opiate 8%
- 58% had diagnosed Anxiety Disorders, (though these symptoms may be drug related).
- 44% had depression and mood disorders (though these symptoms may be drug related).
- 16% ADHD
- 5% OCD
The members attended an average of 7 group meetings, including monthly med checks.
65% successfully completed the detox Protocol.
Only 15% were clear failures, dropping out at high doses.
20% had substantial reductions of their benzo burdens and may have dropped out when they felt they could do it on their own. (Many people had to drive a great distance to get to the meetings, and perhaps it was no longer worth their while when their Diazepam doses were down to 4mg or less).
Because the groups are ongoing and free, we’ve had the benefit of several former clients coming back to “share in their success”. This is important in keeping up hope and “seeing a light at the end of the tunnel”. They’ve reported that contrary to the usual 1/3 patients experiencing the worst withdrawal symptoms after a quick detox is completed — with our method there was very little additional pain past the detox – which coincides with Dr. Ashton’s findings.
Also, I would like to mention that though Dr. Ashton defined dependence on the basis of using benzodiazepines for over 6 months – in our experience 5 out of 77 patients had benzodiazepines withdrawal symptoms although they only used benzos for 2-5 months.
Rationale
Long term benzo use suppresses the body’s natural ways of damping down anxiety – the natural tranquilizer system (GABA). Quick withdrawal leaves the nervous system hyper aroused, hyper excited.
Longer and slower tapers allow for the body to readjust and the mind to learn and practice other ways of mastering Anxiety.
Humans are social, gaining the support of peers, family, and professionals encourages change.
Outcomes
This week has been encouraging for benzo awareness with several programs on television including Linda Ling, Benzo Crisis, and Dr. Oz’s program on benzodiazipines.
So, I put together some quick results on my last 77 patients treated with the Ashton Detox Protocol plus my benzo group. Clients have been on either:
- Xanax / Alprazolam (avg 3mg / day for 10 years)
- Ativan / Lorazepam (avg 4mg / day for 4 years)
- Klonopin / Clonazepam (avg 3mg / day for 8 years)
- Valium / Diazepam (avg 40mg / day for 6 years)
Many had co-morbid conditions:
- Alcohol use disorder 16%
- Narcotic / Opiate 8%
- 58% had diagnosed Anxiety Disorders, (though these symptoms may be drug related).
- 44% had depression and mood disorders (though these symptoms may be drug related).
- 16% ADHD
- 5% OCD
The members attended an average of 7 group meetings, including monthly med checks.
65% successfully completed the detox Protocol.
Only 15% were clear failures, dropping out at high doses.
20% had substantial reductions of their benzo burdens and may have dropped out when they felt they could do it on their own. (many people had to drive a great distance to get to the meetings, and perhaps it was no longer worth their doses of Diazepam were down to 4mg or less.
Because the groups are open-ended and free, we’ve had the benefit several former clients coming back to share in their success.” Which is very important in keeping up hope and “seeing a light at the end of the tunnel”. They’ve reported that contrary to the usual 1/3 patients experiencing the worst withdrawal symptoms after a quick detox is completed — with our method there was very little additional pain past the detox – which coincides with Dr. Ashton’s findings.
Also, I would like to mention that though Dr. Ashton defined dependence on the basis of using benzodiapines for over 6 months – in our experience 5 out of 77 patients had benzodiazipines withdrawal symptoms although they only used benzos for 2-5 months.
