In a recent paper, researchers say that a class of drugs called benzodiazepines that can help treat anxiety and insomnia may lead to dangerous addiction.
The research was conducted by a team at Yale University.
Anxiety as a medical condition has plagued human beings for centuries.
Previous research has shown that benzodiazepines could help treat anxiety that previously didn’t respond to any other treatments and helped with insomnia.
They provided relief to many patients and were developed to replace another category of drugs called barbiturates.
The team found benzodiazepines also presented unforeseen risks. These drug work by binding to receptors in the brain called GABA, bringing calm and drowsiness.
But over time (about four weeks in 50% of patients), people may need higher doses to get the same sense of relief.
Although they take more time than barbiturates do to cause a reaction, benzodiazepines can still be addictive.
People who…
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