Movies and Documentaries
CBC Radio Canada: Enquête (2024)
Alliance Medical Director, Alexis Ritvo, MD, was interviewed as a part of the Canadian investigative news show, Enquête. Dr. Ritvo joined members of Medicating Normal and the Benzodizepine Information Coalition in sharing their expertise and experiences. The episode’s title translates to ‘prescription nightmare’ in French, and it will focus on the problem of benzodiazepine overprescription and harm.
As Prescribed (2022)
Through personal accounts and investigating mounting evidence, As Prescribed reveals the errant medical culture that promotes benzodiazepines. The result is the story of an epidemic that is devastating lives globally. Below is a video of an expert panel discussion that followed a virtual screening of the documentary, which was co-sponsored by the Alliance. Click here to watch the trailer and request a community screening by using the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices as your organization.
Take Your Pills: Xanax (2022)
A cure for some and a curse for others, widely prescribed anti-anxiety medication is examined by patients and experts. Click here to watch.
Medicating Normal (2020)
Medicating Normal vividly calls attention to how, many times, these medications are overprescribed and taken for much longer than they should be, which often results in more harm than good. Watch this film or read more about it HERE.
This Is Life with Lisa Ling “The Benzo Crisis” (2019)
Lisa Ling delves into the world of benzodiazepine use and uncovers the troubling threat these drugs pose when used long term, and the challenges facing patients who try to quit. Access this episode HERE.
Video Interviews
Pharmacist Speaks About the Dangers of Benzodiazepines
For more information, including links to the scientific evidence base for the statements in this video, as well as further resources: http://medicatingnormal.com/
Chair of DSM IV Talks Benzos and Psychiatry
Chair of DSM IV and former head of Duke Psychiatry, Dr. Allen Frances, offered his experiences and expertise in a discussion that goes in depth on the history of benzos, issues with modern psychiatry, and more.
Alliance Medical Director on Prescribing Practices and BIND
Our Medical Driector, Dr. Alexis Ritvo, offered valuable insights on the issues with prescribing benzodiazepines and the potential for long-term harm that some patients experience.
Articles
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics: Response to “Acute and Persistent Withdrawal Syndromes following Discontinuation of Psychotropic Medications”
This article from Christy Huff, MD, is a critical response to an academic paper (Cosci et al. (2020)), which incorrectly states that “the distress associated with benzodiazepine discontinuation appears to be short-lived.” Dr. Huff is also the director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition
The Sunday Times | Irish Times highlights the FDA’s recognition of Benzodiazepine Injury Syndrome
Benzodiazepine warning is highly significant.
The overprescribing of addictive pregabalin, benzodiazepines and z-drugs must be tackled
NEW FDA STUDY SHOWS BENZODIAZEPINES CAN CAUSE LONG-TERM INJURY
New FDA Recommendations Would Save Lives and Prevent Suffering
By Shane Kenny, broadcaster and journalist who worked for Irish National Radio and Television RTE for thirty years. He served as Irish Government Press Secretary 1994-7, and Director of Public Affairs and member of the Executive Board of Dublin City University 2005-11.
Medicating Normal
Medicating Normal vividly calls attention to how, many times, these medications are overprescribed and taken for much longer than they should be, which often results in more harm than good. Watch this film or read more about it HERE.
See Benzodiazepine Withdrawal from the Patients’ Viewpoint
On October 6, CNN’s This is Life with Lisa Ling provided, for the first time ever on TV, an accurate portrayal of the effects of the benzodiazepine prescription problem. The entire 60-minute program was dedicated to this problem, and Alliance adviser Dr. Anna Lembke was featured as the medical expert. Due to copyright concerns, you can no longer watch the show here. But you can view it on Amazon Prime, Google Play, YouTube or Vudu by searching for This is Life with Lisa Ling, S06 E02, “The Benzos Crisis”. If you watch it, please note the three short clips early in the program showing patients on prescription BZDs experiencing degrees of akathisia (restlessness and jerky muscular movements). What the show doesn’t mention is that, in the year from filming to airing the show, 2 of the 3 severe benzodiazepine withdrawal sufferers featured in these clips committed suicide.
This Is Life with Lisa Ling “The Benzo Crisis”
Lisa Ling delves into the world of benzodiazepine use and uncovers the troubling threat these drugs pose when used long term, and the challenges facing patients who try to quit.
“As Prescribed” Documentary Trailer
by Benzo Brains, 3:26
Through personal accounts and investigating mounting evidence, As Prescribed reveals the errant medical culture that promotes benzodiazepines. The result is the story of an epidemic that is devastating lives globally. Read more about this film by Holly Hardman.
The Many Faces of Benzo Withdrawal
by Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, 8:57
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines is different for each person. Here are a few personal stories.
Symposia and educational material
Several symposia have been held recently on the problems with benzodiazepines. Conducted by medical experts, these range from 2 hours to 3 days. Most of the presentations are available for viewing. Find out more HERE.
The Alliance has delivered many educational courses to prescribers all over the country and internationally. Several of these can be viewed HERE.
Interviews
D. E. Foster, Founder of BenzoFree.org, interviews the Alliance’s Dr. Steven Wright
The interview is split into two 55-minute segments.
Here are some other podcasts by Foster, all of which can be found here:
Is this pain part of benzo withdrawal? What about this ache? Or memory loss? Or Confusion? Or Restlessness? It seems incomprehensible that all these symptoms are related to benzo withdrawal. And yet, quite often, that is the reality we face.
Benzo Brain. Fuzzy Brain. Cog Fog. Memory loss and cognitive dysfunction are common in benzo withdrawal and can linger for months. Why does this happen? What do the studies say? And what steps can one take to improve things?
Working to Make a Difference: Geraldine Burns, interviews the Alliance’s Dr. Steven Wright
Geraldine Burns is a long-time champion of benzodiazepine reform. In 1999, she started the first benzodiazepine internet support group. She was instrumental in having Professor Heather Ashton write what became known as The Ashton Manual. Geraldine continues to be a key force behind the benzodiazepine bills in the Massachusetts legislature, and she produces the podcast “Benzodiazepine Awareness with Geraldine Burns”. This episode is from that podcast. You can listen to or download all of Geraldine’s podcasts HERE, and you can listen to this podcast below (37 minutes).
KIM: A SHORT TERM USER – GOES FROM DISABLED TO LIVING A FULL LIFE AGAIN
Kim was a married, working full time and the mother of one child at the time she was prescribed a benzodiazepine for neck pain. Within a short time she developed symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal and actually became very disabled to the point she had to return to her parents to be cared for. Listen to her story of suffering and recovery. She eventually goes back to work and has two more children. Recovery is possible!
Jocelyn Pedersen has produced many videos on a variety of benzodiazepine topics. Struggling benzodiazepine survivors may find these useful. They can be found YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/BenzoBrains/videos. Note that the Alliance neither endorses nor necessarily approves of the specific details presented in these videos.
An interview with Bernie Silvernail, M.S.
Director and CEO of the Alliance
An interview with Dr. Steven Wright
Medical Director of the Alliance, addiction specialist
An interview with Dr. Christy Huff
Cardiologist, Director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, and benzodiazepine withdrawal sufferer
An interview with Dr. Robert Raffa
Temple University School of Pharmacy
An interview with Carrie Silvernail, R.N.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal survivor
An interview with Dr. Anna Lembke
Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University and Alliance Advisor
