The efficacy of complaints management training in facilitating benzodiazepine withdrawal

The study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of complaints management training (CMT) compared to that of anxiety management training (AMT) in patients undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal. CMT focused on techniques to alleviate reported withdrawal symptoms. Nineteen patients were randomly allocated either to CMT or to AMT. Both groups received 9 weekly treatment sessions and were assessed every other week. Withdrawal was designed to be gradual over the first 4 weeks. CMT proved more successful than AMT in terms of abstinence rate, reported number of severe withdrawal symptoms, depression and anxiety. At follow-up after 6 months, there was no difference between groups in terms of abstinence rate.