# The effects of benzodiazepines on cognition



## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

> Initially thought to be virtually free of negative effects, benzodiazepines are now known to carry risks of dependence, withdrawal, and negative side effects. *Among the most controversial of these side effects are cognitive effects.* Long-term treatment with benzodiazepines has been described as causing impairment in several cognitive domains, such as visuospatial ability, speed of processing, and verbal learning. *Conversely, long-term benzodiazepine use has also been described as causing no chronic cognitive impairment, with any cognitive dysfunction in patients ascribed to sedation or inattention or considered temporary and associated with peak plasma levels.* Complicating the issue are whether anxiety disorders themselves are associated with cognitive deficits and the extent to which patients are aware of their own cognitive problems. In an attempt to settle this debate, *meta-analyses of peer-reviewed studies were conducted and found that cognitive dysfunction did in fact occur in patients treated long term with benzodiazepines*, and although cognitive dysfunction improved after benzodiazepines were withdrawn, patients did not return to levels of functioning that matched benzodiazepine-free controls. Neuroimaging studies have found transient changes in the brain after benzodiazepine administration but no brain abnormalities in patients treated long term with benzodiazepines. *Such findings suggest that patients should be advised of potential cognitive effects when treated long term with benzodiazepines, although they should also be informed that the impact of such effects may be insignificant in the daily functioning of most patients.*


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15762814

Thoughts? Experiences?


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

Yeah, benzos negatively affect learning/memory/cognition/processing for me, absolutely. It's the same effect as with alcohol, basically, and there have been lots of studies showing that tranqulizers negatively impact learning & memory. But, to me it's still worth it to take benzo's, especially since I don't take them every day.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

I'm positive my memory is affected at least somewhat. Nothing huge, but it worries me sometimes.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

gordonjohnson008 said:


> Yeah, benzos negatively affect learning/memory/cognition/processing for me, absolutely. It's the same effect as with alcohol, basically, and there have been lots of studies showing that tranqulizers negatively impact learning & memory. But, to me it's still worth it to take benzo's, especially since I don't take them every day.





IllusionOfHappiness said:


> I'm positive my memory is affected at least somewhat. Nothing huge, but it worries me sometimes.


Thanks for both of our thoughts.

That's the kind of dialogue I wanted to start.

I agree, the risk/reward ratio is important. If benozos allow you to live the life you want, then the cognitive effects may be worth it.

I'd be interested in a side by side study of the long term use of alcohol and benozos on cognition. Some of the "smartest" people I know are regular drinkers.


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## 99x (Oct 4, 2007)

gordon is exactly right. I took clonazepam yesterday because I had a presentation but I also had a small quiz in the same class. Some of the guys and I were quizzing each other before the class started and my mind was completely gone. I was just goofing around and throwing out random answers because I just couldnt think enough to try to get them right and when they'd tell me the correct answer I'd forget instantly. Needless to say I bombed the quiz, but I was very comfortable giving a presentation. It's the same effect everytime I take it but I only take it as needed which for me isn't to often. In past experiences it's really affected my reading and attention span. I never take it before a major test, or I wouldn't be able to understand the questions.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

We need Ultrashy to post here because hes on 10mgs of Xanax for years and his cognition has not been impared in the least.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Noca said:


> We need Ultrashy to post here because hes on 10mgs of Xanax for years and his cognition has not been impaired in the least.


Thank you. I'm glad to see you don't think I'm a babbling idiot due to massive Xanax use. Anyone can read my posts and decide for themselves. Even those who disagree with my views would probably have to agree that my intellectual capacity still seems fully intact.

Keep in mind that benzos have been some of the most heavily used meds in the entire world since Librium hit the market in 1960 and was soon followed by Valium in 1963. We're talking about almost half a century of real world experience, which trumps any clinical trial. It's hard to imagine that after so long & such extensive real world use their remains any unknown side effects. You can find senior citizens who've been on benzos most of their life and test them if you want to see what it does in the truly long-run.


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

I don't think long-term benzo use directly affects cognition so much as it does a person's motivation or even ability to put forth the effort required to fully utilize their cognitive abilities. While I don't consider myself dumber after having been on Xanax for about three years, I certainly do consider myself much more mentally lazy (and Xanax is the only medication that has remained constant throughout my entire psychiatric treatment). If there were a back-up anxiety med that I could take while weaning off of Xanax then I would definitely try it - even just to test my cognitive functioning - but there doesn't seem to be such a med, otherwise I probably would be on it instead of Xanax :b

I look at it this way: Benzos may dull my cognitive abilities, but 18 years of anxiety seemed to affect them just the same. Shortly before I began seeing a psychiatrist, I experienced a few full-blown panic attacks at school. It's hard to utilize any of your cognition when you have to leave your classroom so you can cry and generally freak out while your heart tries to escape from your chest Alien-style, ha. I guess the benefits do outweigh the costs for many benzo users.


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

My father has used Xanax for over 40 years. He's a shell of a man. Slow in response, thought and action. He seems confused all the time. He's never in a good mood and takes no pleasure in anything. I would agree with the long term effects described above. But, I also think it probably is reversible if the person is willing to try other forms of treatment. At least able to cut down on them, JMO.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

FairleighCalm said:


> My father has used Xanax for over 40 years.


Xanax wasn't introduced to the US market till 1981, so 28 years max if you round up. If someone has been taking benzos for 40 years that would mean they're getting rather old by now. Senior citizens aren't generally known for being the most mentally sharp to start with regardless of medication.



> He's never in a good mood and takes no pleasure in anything.


The same could have been said about my late father who never took any medications.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

korey said:


> I look at it this way: Benzos may dull my cognitive abilities, but 18 years of anxiety seemed to affect them just the same. Shortly before I began seeing a psychiatrist, I experienced a few full-blown panic attacks at school. It's hard to utilize any of your cognition when you have to leave your classroom so you can cry and generally freak out while your heart tries to escape from your chest Alien-style, ha. I guess the benefits do outweigh the costs for many benzo users.


That's a great point. It may decrease cognition from the baseline, but when your anxiety hits (which for some people may be very often), you aren't at that baseline anyway.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

^ It is a great point. Anxiety took a huge toll on my grades before I could at least partially relax in a classroom setting. Too bad it had to happen so late =/


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## Formerly Artie (Jun 26, 2007)

Just my opinion, but I think stimulants if taken long term will affect the cognitive functioning of the brain over time, but not so much with sedatives, if at all. Anti-depressants will probably fall somewhere in between.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

My grandfather has been taking valium for decades. His cognitive abilities only began to wane quite recently, but I think that's because he's 85 or so.


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

UltraShy said:


> Xanax wasn't introduced to the US market till 1981, so 28 years max if you round up. If someone has been taking benzos for 40 years that would mean they're getting rather old by now. Senior citizens aren't generally known for being the most mentally sharp to start with regardless of medication.
> 
> The same could have been said about my late father who never took any medications.


30 years then. It only seems like 40 years, lol. Thanks for that info K.


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

BACKGROUND

Studies of cognitive function: Several studies have shown that chronic benzodiazepine use is associated with specific cognitive impairments which are different from those seen on acute administration (Hendler et al.1980; Petursson et al. 1983; Lucki et al. 1986; Brosan et al. 1986; Golombok et al. 1988; Lader 1987; Tata et al. 1994). For example, Golombok et al. (1988) tested the performance in a battery of psychomotor tests of 50 patients who had been taking benzodiazepines (up to 30mg diazepam equivalent daily) for at least once year and by control subjects who had not taken benzodiazepines regularly. The cognitive performance of the chronic benzodiazepine users was specifically impaired in two main areas: (a) visuospatial ability and (b) ability to sustain attention in a repetitive task under time pressure. The pattern of impairment was consistent with deficits in posterior cortical (parietal, posterior temporal and occipital) rather than frontal lobe function.

More recently Tata et al. (1994) found a wider range of cognitive impairments in 21 patients who had taken larger doses (10-100mg diazepam equivalent, daily) for a mean of 13.2 years compared with 21 normal control subjects matched for sex, age and I.Q. The benzodiazepine users showed significant impairments in verbal learning and memory, and in psychomotor, visuomotor and visuo-conceptual abilities. The main adverse effects of benzodiazepines on memory and psychomotor performance in this study appeared to implicate functions of the hippocampus and diencephalon/recticular formation. In neither of the studies (Golombok et al. 1988 and Tata et al. 1994) were differences in anxiety levels between benzodiazepine users and controls considered likely to account for the rather specific differences in performance.

While the weight of evidence agrees that chronic prescribed dose benzodiazepine users show cognitive impairments, it has been difficult to ascertain whether or not such impairments persist after benzodiazepine withdrawal. The difficulty has been largely due to methodological problems, such as the use of different benzodiazepines in different doses for different periods of time, and the special difficulty of finding adequate groups for comparison. Tata et al. (1994) addressed some of these problems in a prospective study in which their 21 chronic benzodiazepine users underwent a standard withdrawal regimen from diazepam. They found that the cognitive impairments noted pre-withdrawal were still present (though slightly improved) 6 months after withdrawal. Borg (1987) and Bergman et al. (1989) found slight but incomplete neuropsychological improvement in patients 4-6 years after cessation of benzodiazepine use, but their patients were mainly high dose abusers of benzodiazepines. There are no controlled studies of cognitive function in long-term therapeutic dose benzodiazepine users which extend for more than 6 months after withdrawal, although clinical observations suggest that psychological status in such patients continues to improve only slowly for 12 or more months after withdrawal (Ashton 1991,1994).

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Brain imaging studies: Lader et al. (1984) in a computerised tomography (CT) study reported that some long-term benzodiazepine users had enlarged cerebral ventricles. This finding was not confirmed in two other studies (Poser et al. 1983 and Perera et al. 1987). However, Schmauss and Kreig (1987) found increased ventricular/brain ratios (VBRs) both for high dose (above 50mg diazepam daily) and lower dose chronic benzodiazepine users compared with controls, the greatest increase being found in the high dose patients. Uhde and Kellner (1987) studied patients with panic disorder and found a significant positive correlation between VBR and duration of benzodiazepine use, although the mean VBR of patients fell within the published normal range. Bergman et al. (1989) noted ventricular dilatation on CT in some patients who were sedative/hypnotic abusers, but had not abused alcohol. There are methodological problems, including small sample sizes, in these studies, and the question of whether chronic benzodiazepine use is associated with cortical atrophy or other brain lesions, and if so whether the changes are reversible, remains unclear.

[source = http://benzo.org.uk/ashprop.htm]
(*This is just the first live-search hit I found. There are more studies and reports on the long-term brain damage/impairments caused by chronic benzo administration. As a benzo user myself, it's hard to stomach reading these reports. Why do I stay on benzos? Well, why do people drink when we know more clearly what that does to your brain.*)


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

Thanks for sharing gordonjohnson008. 

I've stopped drinking completely since I started taking clonazepam. Other effects aside, I will always be curious what path would impair me more cognitively long term...


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## Wellington (Dec 29, 2007)

I read a study, and it basically stated that taking piracetam in combination with diazepam (valium) offset the memory deficits caused by taking diazepam alone.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Let's consider the real world. If a doctor decides not to use benzos on their patients due to some *possible* cognitive problem they may end up doing more harm than good. A patient may well seek out other ways to control anxiety, such as alcohol and it's hard to imagine that decades of heavy alcohol use is better for you than heavy benzo use.


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## gordonjohnson008 (Nov 2, 2008)

UltraShy said:


> Let's consider the real world. If a doctor decides not to use benzos on their patients due to some *possible* cognitive problem they may end up doing more harm than good. A patient may well seek out other ways to control anxiety, such as alcohol and it's hard to imagine that decades of heavy alcohol use is better for you than heavy benzo use.


Absolutely. I agree completely. That's why I take klonopin, have been taking klonopin, and will continue to take klonopin.

But this is not some hypothetical we're talking about here. Benzos have been proven to cause cognitive dulling, especially in geriatric populations. Benzo use has been positively linked to enlarged ventricular radii. Long-term chronic benzo use causes brain damage. The question is, how much? There's no consensus. It's possible the damage is not too significant, but it does appear to be dosage-dependant.

Anyways, if someone doesn't experience impaired cognition as an immediate side effect, then perhaps benzos aren't going to interfere much with their cognitive function long term. I'm surprised we don't have more anecdotal experiences from this forum... very few of the forum users seem to have been on benzos for years or even decades. if they have, perhaps they can comment...


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## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Uh oh!

yes, benzos screw up your memory. It is well established I think. Plenty of studies have been done in US and abroad (UK, Australia) which have found this. What would be interesting to know is the quantity of damage done and whether it is it dose / time dependent (seems to be). 

Also, someone on this thread mentioned the use of piracetam to protect your memory. Are there any studies done which show this to be true?


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## KurtG85 (Sep 19, 2008)

Great thread. 

It is awesome to see scientific research studies being referenced for the betterment of everyone's knowledge as opposed to just hearsay. 

My experience with benzos are pretty much right in line with what gordon was saying; very similiar effects to alcohol in the cognition department but without as severe an effect on balance. Then again the impaired visuospatial ability and ability to sustain attention in a repetitive task certainly seems similar to the effects of alcohol. I wonder if long term users of alcohol (of which I'm sure studies have been done) show deficits in posterior cortical function. I also wonder if drugs like neurontin or other mood stabilizers show any similar long term effects on cognition since they also raise levels of GABA like benzos and alcohol. I know for certain they cause similar cognitive impairing effects when they are actually in your system (for most people). 

PS- Drew- Sorry I haven't written up any of my experiences on those meds you asked me to. I wrote out a whole bunch one time and my browser deleted it when it made me relog in and I got pissed. I will get around to re-writing it again sometime.


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## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Actually, benzos, inspite of the negative side effects, are useful to take in low doses before an exam or any other performance situation. They improve your attention by calming your nerves and removing distracting thoughts (I have experienced this). Taking a low dose is important. You want very little sedation. The exact number varies from person to person, so you will have to find it by trial and error. 
Benzos don't affect recall of already established information, in fact there's evidence that they improve recall. So in a test situation when you are not actively learning, just applying information you already know, benzos will help (especially if you have test anxiety).


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

gordonjohnson008 said:


> Benzos have been proven to cause cognitive dulling, especially in *geriatric* populations.


But we're talking about folks in their 70s, 80s, and beyond here. Many are not exactly sharp-minded even on a good day.

I remember visiting my mother some years back when she was in a nursing home to recover from a knee replacement surgery. They had a TV area where patients sat and stared in the direction of the screen. In many cases, they seemed so out of it that I doubt they would have known if they were watching Matlock or hardcore porn. Some of them were like the living dead and I doubt they needed benzos to achieve this sate.


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## KurtG85 (Sep 19, 2008)

UltraShy said:


> But we're talking about folks in their 70s, 80s, and beyond here. Many are not exactly sharp-minded even on a good day.
> 
> I remember visiting my mother some years back when she was in a nursing home to recover from a knee replacement surgery. They had a TV area where patients sat and stared in the direction of the screen. In many cases, they seemed so out of it that I doubt they would have known if they were watching Matlock or hardcore porn. Some of them were like the living dead and I doubt they needed benzos to achieve this sate.


Any (reputable) benzo cognitive effects tests performed on elderly individuals would not be so laughably ignorant of the (not nearly so prevelant or severe as often believed) declining mental capacity associated with old age. Even if an elderly person suffering from some level of dementia was involved in such testing they would still be able to make a differentiation between their cognitive abilities off benzos and on benzos with simple focus and memorization tests just like they could with young healthy people. They wouldn't just give an old lady in the corner screaming about how the nurses are trying to kill her some Xanax and say, 'wow, benzos F' you up!' lol.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

KurtG85 said:


> Any (reputable) benzo cognitive effects tests performed on elderly individuals would not be so laughably ignorant of the (not nearly so prevelant or severe as often believed) declining mental capacity associated with old age. Even if an elderly person suffering from some level of dementia was involved in such testing they would still be able to make a differentiation *between their cognitive abilities off benzos and on benzos* with simple focus and memorization tests just like they could with young healthy people. They wouldn't just give an old lady in the corner screaming about how the nurses are trying to kill her some Xanax and say, 'wow, benzos F' you up!' lol.


You seem to be focusing on the short-term effects here. As in give old guy A a sugar pill while giving equivalent old guy B a benzo. Of course, benzos can have cognitive effects. Versed (midazolam) is specifically used to sedate patients and make them unable to recall medical procedures like getting a scope shoved down your throat to check for acid reflux and potential cancer. My mother had that done a few times and she'd wake up in the recovery room asking "did they do it yet?" and then fall asleep only to wake up a minute later to ask the same question again and then repeat a couple more times.

Rohypnol (the benzo sleeping pill once smuggled in from Mexico) was used as a "date rape" drug. Though in that case one can question how much the benzo effected memory and how much the 15 shots of vodka did.

Clearly, it's possible for benzos to have a short term effect on memory (though I personally don't notice any -- totally unlike the "brain fog" effect of alcohol). But the orginal question was about long term effects.


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## KurtG85 (Sep 19, 2008)

Yea. The probability of inaccurate or unreliable data probably does get greater when you are testing people who are in the age range where old age associated dementia usually starts occuring. I don't think there are so many un-factorable inconsistencies that we can't draw accurate conclusions regarding long term benzo use in the elderly though. What exactly the definition is of "long term benzo use" as well as at what age you are "elderly" is sort of important here too though. lol.  

But yea, I was refering more to short term use.


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## DMBfan (Aug 29, 2008)

I think that there are a bunch of studies out there on this subject and no definitive conclusion. I do know that short term memory loss is common but tends to go away upon discontinuation even among long term users.

For example, see this site for a summary of six studies.

_Results. Six papers met the inclusion criteria. Two studies reported a lower risk of cognitive decline in former or ever users, two found no association whatever the category of user, and three found an increased risk of cognitive decline in benzodiazepine users._


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## kaye (Oct 14, 2008)

Well all this is a bit confusing and very concerning to me. 

I've been on Effexor XR, increased up to 150mg over some time, and it's been about a year or more, and no I don't know exactly when I started taking it. I guess maybe my psychiatrist has that on record, so I should ask.

I am concerned because recently I've gotten this subtle, uncontrollable muscle tensing at the back of my neck. And I suspect it's the meds, don't know what else could be causing such an odd thing. It's really a problem since at times it's even been a bit embarrassing socially.

I'm very concerned about my mental abilities, but the thing is, I've always had memory problems, and also, constant anxiety decreases memory as far as I've heard. There's something chemical that goes on in the brain that interferes with ability to remember. Also it's attention. You can't pay attention well when you're basically upset.

I'm thinking I might should switch to another med.


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## KurtG85 (Sep 19, 2008)

kaye said:


> Well all this is a bit confusing....I'm thinking I might should switch to another med.


Yah, you would seem to be a bit confused, lol. Effexor is not a benzo (it is an ssri/snri)and so none of the things you see discussed here relate to to it.

Neck tenseness is a pretty commonly reported side effect of Effexor. Considering there are 2 other very (reportedly) similar meds to effexor, cymbalta and pristiq, you might try giving those a shot if the side effects of effexor are too annoying for you. There's no guaranteeing they will work any better though.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

I wanted to bring this thread back to life after hearing something from an NP.

I mentioned the concern of long term benzo use on cognition and she said something along the lines of *"Well, anxiety can do the same thing" *to dismiss the concern I expressed. It wasn't a situation where I could ask her to elaborate.

I've heard of the studies done to look at how long term clinical depression causes permanent changes to the brain, but not for anxiety.

Is this something anyone is familiar with or has any thoughts on?


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

I take about .5 mg of Klonopin around 2-3 times a week. I'm at college, and I'm always busy doing incredibly meticulous work with Greek or Latin. I'd realize if my memory were getting worse, but it isn't. I've been taking Klonopin for about a year at the same dosage.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Piracetam and oxiracetam have been reported to reverse the effects of benzo's on cognition.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

crayzyMed said:


> Piracetam and oxiracetam have been reported to reverse the effects of benzo's on cognition.


The same has been demonstrated for bacopa:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/a3l324q207n723n7/

Anyone successfully reversed benzo cognitive effects?


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## gillettecavalcad3 (Jul 9, 2009)

Clonazepam makes me more sharp, witty, focused and articulate. I can process my thoughts easier and have no problem studying at Uni.

Guess I'm just lucky.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

gillettecavalcad3 said:


> Clonazepam makes me more sharp, witty, focused and articulate. I can process my thoughts easier and have no problem studying at Uni.
> 
> Guess I'm just lucky.


Same goes for me, I think mirtazapine actually has a worse effect on my cognition than anything.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

Excuse my lack of psychopharmacologic but whats considered long term? 10 yrs or more?


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

I am on/off Lorazepam as I take it when needed. I think the whole ordeal of memory is exaggerated.

When I drink really heavy, I have a serios hang over, never puke and lose out 'memory' as in, 'forgot what I did the night before'. THAT's a serious memory loss case. I don't consider stuff like, "i forgot my homework, or forgot to do this or that' to be a memory loss.

Granted we all age and from mid 20s-30s and on, we deteriorate a lot, especially in this rapid world.

Keep in mind, all drugs have side effects, and our 'social anxiety' brains work differently. In fact, I think due to my pessimistic views, my anxious brain, I have done well in school, and remembered more details than a typical person.

Just saying. Sorry for rambling.


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## misterchrisso (Nov 4, 2009)

*Don't kid yourselves*

I'm just about done with a Valium taper after having been on Xanax for 2.5 years, 7 months on a low dose of Valium to get off the bl**dy Xanax and I'm only just starting to get my memory and concentration back - after three years of use. At first, this stuff was a god send. But there's a price to pay. I'm very concerned about long term damage, but given I'm waking up a bit, I'm hoping for the best. But I'll guarantee you this: long term cognitive impairment is the last thing you'll be worrying about when getting off the benzos - I was put on them for GAD and had no idea what I was getting into - I averaged 1mg - 1.5mg a day for about a year, then started to try and get off - this has been THE hardest thing I have ever done and it's nearly ruined my life - so be very, very, very careful with these pills - they WILL **** you up - the w/d syndrome is absolute HELL. Xanax and Klonopin (thank Christ I didn't take the second one) are very, very powerful drugs - and sinister - they'll entice you in, as they take away all the anxiety and give you uber-confidence - but it'll last about a year, then the bill has to be payed - it's not cheap.


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## Catia (Nov 20, 2009)

I am a new member here, and joined specifically after reading this thread, I have a lot to share in re: long term benzo use, my own personal experiences, in great detail. Also, I have links to ref's concerning effects of anxiety and long term anxiety (ptsd etc), and how this in and of itself causes damage to the brain. 
If it appears later I am bumping my response here later on, it's because I simply do not have time right now to write up everything, workin 6 days per week--and just wanted to post my 1st post here, now, to keep this thread alive & kickin, cuz there's plenty of us out there who wonder about the very same questions raised here, and I believe it's important to share our info and experiences, not only for ourselves, but other's as well.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

Catia said:


> I am a new member here, and joined specifically after reading this thread, I have a lot to share in re: long term benzo use, my own personal experiences, in great detail. Also, I have links to ref's concerning effects of anxiety and long term anxiety (ptsd etc), and how this in and of itself causes damage to the brain.
> If it appears later I am bumping my response here later on, it's because I simply do not have time right now to write up everything, workin 6 days per week--and just wanted to post my 1st post here, now, to keep this thread alive & kickin, cuz there's plenty of us out there who wonder about the very same questions raised here, and I believe it's important to share our info and experiences, not only for ourselves, but other's as well.


Welcome to SAS! I look forward to reading your posts and references.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

gordonjohnson008 said:


> I'm surprised we don't have more anecdotal experiences from this forum... very few of the forum users seem to have been on benzos for years or even decades. if they have, perhaps they can comment...


I'm not going to suggest that Klonopin is a "miracle drug" but it has certainly positively impacted my life in so many ways that I'm OK with some cognitive impairment _if _it occurs.


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## Sharxanna (Sep 17, 2015)

I'm one of those strange paradoxical reactions to Xanax where it improves my focus and clarity. Other Benzo's put me to sleep but Xanax improves my ADD and calms me down. I'm also one of those strange cases where even the smallest dose of Sudafed will knock me out and put me to sleep and larger doses of Sudafed will put me to sleep for hours.

Xanax has been a life saver. I can focus, cognition is improved, and while I still have some anxiety, I don't care about it (or what others think) while I'm on my Xanax. Hooray for Paradoxical Reactions!!!


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Noca said:


> We need Ultrashy to post here because hes on 10mgs of Xanax for years and his cognition has not been impared in the least.


It's 7 years later and you're all free to read my posts to see if they're every bit as intelligent & coherent as they used to be. I know my critics think I'm an insane idiot, but they may be a tad biased.


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## SSRIManiac (Jun 14, 2014)

Sharxanna said:


> I'm one of those strange paradoxical reactions to Xanax where it improves my focus and clarity. Other Benzo's put me to sleep but Xanax improves my ADD and calms me down. I'm also one of those strange cases where even the smallest dose of Sudafed will knock me out and put me to sleep and larger doses of Sudafed will put me to sleep for hours.
> 
> Xanax has been a life saver. I can focus, cognition is improved, and while I still have some anxiety, I don't care about it (or what others think) while I'm on my Xanax. Hooray for Paradoxical Reactions!!!


My cognition is also improved on Klono. I can read better and am calmer.. I don't know if it's because I've become dependent on it and can't feel normal w/o it or if the cognitive issues is due to anxiety.


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## Jason Keener (Nov 29, 2013)

I think Klonopin often helps me think more clearly because that additional layer of noisy anxiousness is not racing through my head when I take it.


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