Dependence potential of antidepressants compared to benzodiazepines

The aim of the present study was to compare the possible dependence potential of antidepressants (ADs) to benzodiazepines (BZDs). The Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN), the Benzodiazepine Dependence Self-Report Questionnaire (Bendep-SRQ) and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) were administered to 70 psychiatric outpatient BZD users and 54 psychiatric outpatient AD users. Significantly more Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition Revised (DSM-III-R) as well as International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) past year (PY) and lifetime (LT) dependence diagnoses were made in the BZD group than in the AD group. Bendep-SRQ scale scores for Problematic Use, Preoccupation and Lack of Compliance were significantly higher in the BZD group than in the AD group. The BZD group also had a higher rating on the Withdrawal scale, but this difference was not statistically significant. According to DSM-III-R and ICD-10 criteria ADs do have some dependence liability in psychiatric outpatients, but clearly to a lesser extent than BZDs. Further research is needed to differentiate the dependence potential among the various classes of ADs.