America Has a Benzo Problem
Everybody talks about the opioid epidemic — rightfully so. But what about benzos?
Ever since benzodiazepines, a.k.a. “benzos,” were introduced in the ’50s and ’60s, primary care physicians and psychiatrists have been handing them out like candy. By the mid to late ’70s, benzos were already some of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the country.
Feeling stressed at work? Here, have some Xanax. Having trouble sleeping? Take a Valium. It’s all fun and games until somebody gets addicted.
Benzos are a class of fast-acting medications usually prescribed for anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia. The most common ones you’ve probably heard of (and maybe taken yourself) are Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, and Valium. They work by affecting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, thereby slowing down central nervous system activity and resulting in a feeling of relaxation.
They also happen to be extremely addictive and can be dangerous when used incorrectly. Overdose deaths involving benzos increased more than sevenfold between 1999 (1135 deaths) and 2015 (8791 deaths). Everybody’s been talking about America’s opioid epidemic, rightfully so. But what about this benzodiazepine problem?
