Anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills have been linked to an increased risk of death, according to new research from the University of Warwick.
The large study shows that several anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drugs or hypnotic drugs (sleeping pills) are associated with a doubling in the risk of mortality.
The lead researcher was the professor of Psychiatry at the University of Warwick. He explained “The key message here is that we really do have to use these drugs more carefully. This builds on a growing body of evidence suggesting that their side effects are significant and dangerous. We have to do everything possible to minimize over reliance on anxiolytics and sleeping pills.” “That’s not to say that they cannot be effective. But particularly due to their addictive potential we need to make sure that we help patients to spend as little time on them as possible and that we consider other options, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, to help them to overcome anxiety or sleep problems.”
Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drug class, including diazepam and temazepam. The study also examined the effects of two other groups of drugs; the so-called ‘Z-drugs’ and all other anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs. Many patients received more than one drug over the course of the study, and 5% received prescriptions for drugs from all three groups.
-BMJ
Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on Anti-anxiety meds and sleeping pills:
What is the key point in this research? It is NOT throw away your medication or else you will die twice as fast. Some people need to be on medication for a season until they balance the systems of their body. With that said, the season should not be their whole life. The way you get off medication of any type is get healthy. The healthier you become the less medication you will need. In the last 30 years of treating patients at Total Health Institute we have seen people come off of most all medications. We have had patients get off of 23 medications! That is right 23 medications they were taking at the same time! How did we do this? We balanced all the systems of the body and balanced the body’s chemistry and then they simply did not need these medications anymore.
This is what is necessary in patients who get healthy and are able to come off medication:
1. They truly desire to get off the medication. They have come to the point were they hate having to depend on drugs with not only addictive qualities but also many side effects.
2. They start on a total health program to balance their entire system instead of focusing on one part or even worst focusing on curing a disease.
3. They never quit, stop or give up no matter how many times they fall.
4. They are teachable, meaning they listen well and make the appropriate changes without being distracted by things of the world and when they do get off course they quickly recognize it and put a lot of energy into getting back on course.
The question everyone should be asking is NOT how do I get off these anti-anxiety meds and sleeping pills (or any medication for that matter) but instead how can I get so healthy that anxiety cannot stay and my sleep becomes natural (or my symptoms and conditions simply cannot live in my body or mind)? This is how we have treated patients and this is how they have healed from extreme anxiety and insomnia and most other conditions.
We cover these concepts in the following teachings:
2. The Seven Basic Steps to Total Health
What you focus on you magnify. Focus on health and one day you will have it. Focus on disease and you will never see the end of it.
To Your Total Health Always,
Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec
