Self-help and benzodiazepine withdrawal

Despite an increased understanding of the potential dangers of benzodiazepines among doctors and patients, and a decline in anxiolytic prescribing, motivating and supporting current benzodiazepine users through withdrawal can be difficult and time consuming for medical services. Self-help organisations offer another approach. This is a study of one such organisation, TRANX (UK), which examined the characteristics of its members and their outcome. The results suggest that this organisation did provide effective counselling and support for its members, and implies that self-help is a realistic alternative or adjunct to orthodox health care for those wishing to withdraw from benzodiazepines.