Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Discontinuation of Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use in Insomnia and Anxiety Disorders

Mélinée Chapoutot, Laure Peter-Derex, Hélène Bastuji, Wendy Leslie, Benjamin Schoendorff, Raphael Heinzer, Francesca Siclari, Alain Nicolas, Patrick Lemoine, Susan Higgins, Alexia Bourgeois, Guillaume T. Vallet, Royce Anders, Marc Ounnoughene, Jessica Spencer, Francesca Meloni and Benjamin Putois
Additional contact information
Mélinée Chapoutot: Association Nationale de Promotion des Connaissances sur Le Sommeil, 69001 Lyon, France
Laure Peter-Derex: Association Nationale de Promotion des Connaissances sur Le Sommeil, 69001 Lyon, France
Hélène Bastuji: Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, CNRS UMR 5292-INSERM U1028, Lyon 1 University, 69005 Bron, France
Wendy Leslie: Xceltranslate, 06000 Nice, France
Benjamin Schoendorff: Institut de Psychologie Contextuelle, Montreal, QC H2Y 2S9, Canada
Raphael Heinzer: Centre D’Investigation et de Recherche Sur le Sommeil, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Francesca Siclari: Centre D’Investigation et de Recherche Sur le Sommeil, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Alain Nicolas: Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, CNRS UMR 5292-INSERM U1028, Lyon 1 University, 69005 Bron, France
Patrick Lemoine: Association Nationale de Promotion des Connaissances sur Le Sommeil, 69001 Lyon, France
Susan Higgins: Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois, Service Pneumologie, 74000 Annecy, France
Alexia Bourgeois: Laboratory of Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Guillaume T. Vallet: LAPSCO, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LAPSCO, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
Royce Anders: Laboratoire EMC, Lyon 2 Université, 69500 Bron, France
Marc Ounnoughene: Cabinet de Psychiatrie du Plateau de Haye, 54320 Maxéville, France
Jessica Spencer: Faculty of Psychology, Swiss Distance Learning University, 3900 Brig, Switzerland
Francesca Meloni: Faculty of Psychology, Swiss Distance Learning University, 3900 Brig, Switzerland
Benjamin Putois: Association Nationale de Promotion des Connaissances sur Le Sommeil, 69001 Lyon, France

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-19

Abstract: Benzodiazepines have proven to be highly effective for treating insomnia and anxiety. Although considered safe when taken for a short period of time, a major risk–benefit dilemma arises in the context of long-term use, relating to addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and potential side effects. For these reasons, benzodiazepines are not recommended for treating chronic sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, nor for people over the age of 65, and withdrawal among long-term users is a public health issue. Indeed, only 5% of patients manage to discontinue using these drugs on their own. Even with the help of a general practitioner, this rate does not exceed 25 to 30% of patients, of which approximately 7% manage to remain drug-free in the long term. Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT) offer a crucial solution to this problem, having been shown to increase abstinence success to 70–80%. This article examines traditional and novel CBT techniques in this regard, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which address both the underlying condition (insomnia/anxiety) and the substance-related disorder. The theoretical framework and evidence supporting the use of these approaches are reviewed. Finally, current research gaps are discussed, and key research perspectives are proposed.

Keywords: benzodiazepine; drug withdrawal; benzodiazepine taper; cognitive behavioral therapy; acceptance and commitment therapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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