Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Should Benzodiazepines Be Prescribed To Treat Insomnia And Anxiety Related Disorders?, Judith Nicole Margareten

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt of the introduction of this article: Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed drugs used to treat insomnia and anxiety. They are often found in forms such as Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam). For many, these drugs have proven essential for ensuring a restful night’s sleep, but for others they are the cause of sleepless ones. Negative effects of benzodiazepines such as addiction, dependence, and impaired cognition plague many patients. While doctors are prone to prescribe these medications readily due to their high level of effectiveness, this practice can pose a great risk to certain populations.