Story perspectives

U.S. Benzodiazepine Prescriptions Drop Amid Safety Concerns

3/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry finds U.S. benzodiazepine prescriptions declined from 4.7% to 3.4% among adults from 2018 to 2022, based on data from over 104,000 adults.
About 42% of benzodiazepine users also take other central nervous system depressants, with co-prescribing higher among adults aged 36 to 55 and those 56 and older.
Seventy-two percent of individuals in fair to poor health receive potentially dangerous combinations.

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Story summary

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry finds U.S. benzodiazepine prescriptions declined from 4.7% to 3.4% among adults from 2018 to 2022, based on data from over 104,000 adults.
About 42% of benzodiazepine users also take other central nervous system depressants, with co-prescribing higher among adults aged 36 to 55 and those 56 and older.
Seventy-two percent of individuals in fair to poor health receive potentially dangerous combinations.