title: Benzodiazepine Dependence, Toxicity and Abuse
author: American Psychiatric Association
description: <P>"This timely APA task force report on benzodiazepines should be 'must reading' for every prescribing clinician. Rarely does the reader find in one place a clear guide in using a class of psychotropic agents. In addition to their dealing with the myth of excessive benzodiazepine abuse, the authors have described the relative risk-benefit ratios, the 'epidemiology' of use, and given us succinct guidelines for the appropriate use of benzodiazepines in clinical practice."-- "David J. Kupfer, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh"
zlib_text: Antianxiety	Drugs
  Jonathan	O.	Cole	and	John	M.	Davis
  
  e-Book	2015	International	Psychotherapy	Institute
  From	American	Handbook	of	Psychiatry:	Volume	5	edited	by	Silvano	Arieti,	Daniel	X.	Freedman,	Jarl	E.
  Dyrud
  Copyright	©	1975	by	Basic	Books
  All	Rights	Reserved
  Created	in	the	United	States	of	America
  
  Table	of	Contents
  Antianxiety	Drugs
  Introduction
  Terminology
  Hypno-sedative	vs.	Antianxiety	Agents?
  Possible	Mechanisms	of	Action
  Enzyme	Induction
  Abuse	Liability
  Overuse	of	Antianxiety	Drugs
  Unusual	Clinical	Actions	of	Antianxiety	Drugs
  The	Efficacy	of	Antianxiety	Drugs
  Predictors	of	Clinical	Response
  Agoraphobia	and	Related	Conditions
  Mixed	Anxiety-Depressions
  Phenothiazines	in	Anxiety
  Side	Effects
  Conclusions
  
  Bibliography
  American Handbook of Psychiatry Vol 5
  5
  
  Antianxiety	Drugs
  Introduction
  Man	 has	 been	 looking	 for	 ways	 to	 escape	 or	 reduce	 anxiety	 for
  centuries.	Alcohol	was	probably	the	first	drug	to	be	used	for	this	purpose.	In
  common	with	many	modern	antianxiety	drugs,