Long-term use of benzodiazepines: tolerance, dependence and clinical problems in anxiety and mood disorders.

This paper reviews the literature on the epidemiological, biological and clinical features of benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal syndrome, focusing on clinical problems associated with the long-term use of benzodiazepine (BZs) in mood and anxiety disorders. These conditions represent the most frequent mental disorders for which BZs are overprescribed. In addition to dependence and withdrawal phenomena, the presence of chronic subtle toxicity and the interference with the underlying psychopathology observed with BZ use suggests a need for a more careful evaluation of the risk-benefit ratio in the long-term administration of BZs.