| For many of us, the news of Michael Jackson's | | | | unsound relationship, financial and other life decisions |
| untimely transition was deeply saddening. It would be | | | | while struggling to function in a constant zombie-like |
| further disheartening, however, if the current focus | | | | state. People who have not been directly affected |
| on painkillers and anaesthetics overshadows the | | | | sometimes find this devastation difficult to fathom |
| impact his benzodiazepine use had on his life. A | | | | and may blame it on 'other psychological issues'. |
| recent CNN news article stated that, "Michael Jackson | | | | While we can't attribute all Michael Jackson's |
| took more than 10 Xanax pills a night, asking his | | | | challenges to his benzo use, those familiar with this |
| employees to get the prescription medicine under | | | | class of drugs may easily spot the parallels and can |
| their names and also personally travelling to doctors' | | | | now appreciate how unwell he must have been. |
| offices in other states to obtain them." | | | | Anyone who knew him personally and happens to |
| When more of a drug is needed in order for the | | | | research benzodiazepines will inevitably identify links |
| desired therapeutic effect to be achieved, this is | | | | between his usage, behaviour patterns and health |
| known as 'tolerance'. Michael's behaviour is a classic | | | | crises. |
| example of someone in benzodiazepine tolerance. He | | | | It is possible that Michael did try to quit. Discontinuing |
| was truly hooked and was desperate to acquire | | | | benzos is often problematic and, sadly, many people |
| more to increase his doses. We will never know if he | | | | reinstate in order to be able to function in their daily |
| fully understood how the drug was affecting him, or | | | | lives. Abrupt withdrawal or quitting 'cold turkey' can |
| whether he tried to discontinue but could not cope | | | | be dangerous. Users should taper under medical |
| with the withdrawal effects. Did any of the doctors | | | | supervision with adequate additional support. Those |
| who treated him since his first prescription know | | | | with mild dependencies recover within weeks or a |
| enough about benzodiazepines to be able to | | | | few months. Long-term users, on the other hand, |
| differentiate between his tolerance symptoms and | | | | can be subject to a much more prolonged and |
| other presenting issues? If so, how was this handled? | | | | challenging withdrawal experience. According to |
| Chronic benzodiazepine use can result in the most | | | | Professor Malcolm Lader of the UK's Institute of |
| bizarre and unlikely manifestations of side effects. In | | | | Psychiatry, "It is more difficult to withdraw people |
| addition, if tolerance has developed and the safe | | | | from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin." |
| maximum dose has been achieved, withdrawal | | | | The 'King of Pop' left us his legendary music. It would |
| symptoms will surface. A user can therefore | | | | be premature to conclude that the outcome of |
| experience memory impairment, paranoia, | | | | current investigations will impact the general |
| agoraphobia, insomnia, muscle pain and a host of | | | | atmosphere of denial regarding the damaging effects |
| other physical and psychological symptoms long | | | | of long-term benzodiazepine use. Still, we remain |
| before discontinuing the drug. | | | | hopeful. In the meantime, for the vulnerable ones in |
| There are also far-reaching social repercussions. Many | | | | the 'land of benzos', he has brought awareness and |
| survivors of benzodiazepine addiction recall having | | | | much-needed attention to a hidden, global problem - |
| experienced a lack of discernment combined with | | | | one of epidemic proportions. |
| intense incoherence while on the drug. They made | | | | |