Benzodiazepines: Do I need treatment?

A certain amount of anxiety or insomnia is a normal reaction to what is happening in your life. You may worry or feel stressed and sometimes these feelings can keep you up at night. Most often, these feelings pass and are not a problem. However, these feelings can become a problem when they continue over a longer term, cause severe distress, make you feel physically ill and affect your behaviour. This kind of anxiety may be triggered by a challenging life event. It can also be a symptom of a mental health problem.

The ability to fall asleep and to sleep through the night can be affected by many types of health problems. These include physical conditions that cause pain or trouble breathing, as well as mental health problems. When sleep is disrupted, health can be further affected.

While each situation is unique and different treatment approaches may be called for, benzo-diazepines can help to provide relief. They are especially useful in the first few days or weeks of treatment for a mental health problem. This is a time when distress is severe and longer-term medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers or antipsychotics have not yet reached their full effect. During this period, benzodiazepines can help to reduce distress so that you are better able to work through problems with a therapist.

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Benzodiazepines: Do I need treatment?

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