ENDORSEMENTS

Professionals from all over the world share their support of World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day, which occurs annually on July 11.

From an international author and clinical psychotherapist who provides support and workshops on recovery from benzodiazepine and psychiatric drug dependency and withdrawal

I fully support W-BAD and am grateful to everyone who has contributed to making it an annual day of recognition of this underworld of iatrogenic suffering. Over the past decade, I have supported thousands of individuals affected by benzodiazepine and Z-drug dependency and withdrawal and it is heartbreaking to see the trauma and devastation that taking these as-prescribed drugs long-term causes. My hope is that commemoration of this day will result in more awareness of the issue, policy changes, adequate and appropriate training of medics, and support services for those who are suffering—not just in the United Kingdom, but worldwide.

Baylissa’s website

Baylissa Frederick, M.A., M.BACP Baylissa Frederick, MA M.BACP, Therapist, Motivational Speaker and Author

From a Harvard trained psychiatrist and former consultant at NIMH, U.S.

Benzodiazepines have become a plague on humanity, causing harm to the brains and bodies of millions of people and inflicting severe withdrawal reactions. People, who have taken these medications long-term, too often suffer from lasting adverse effects.

This website and World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day helps spread the word about the dangers of these drugs. It also provides inspiring examples of people, who are battling through withdrawal, as they seek to highlight the dangers to us all.

With the right help, many people can go on to recover, and to live good and satisfying lives.

My book, Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal, describes why and how to safely withdraw from benzodiazepines and from other psychiatric drugs.

Dr. Breggin’s website

Dr. Peter R. Breggin, M.D. Dr. Peter R. Breggin, M.D., Psychiatrist and author of Guilt, Shame and Anxiety: Understand and Overcoming Negative Emotions

From expert neuropsychopharmacologist who ran a benzodiazepine withdrawal clinic for twelve years 

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) now stands as an annual day of recognition and commemoration.

I deeply appreciate everything that is being done to call attention to the scourge of benzodiazepine dependency, and in doing so, to stand up for the millions of people, who through no fault of their own, have suffered and continue to suffer in its grip. I congratulate everyone for the progress made over the decades, latterly through the work on W-BAD. I extend my very best wishes for the progression of this excellent campaign.

I know countless of others are fighting in the same struggle – a few known to me but many not – and I salute all of them with the same gratitude, respect and warmth.

Professor C. Heather Ashton, D.M., F.R.C.P Professor C. Heather Ashton, D.M., F.R.C.P., Emeritus Professor of Psychopharmacology, Academic Psychiatry, Wolfson Research Centre, UK

From one of the first experts to describe problems with benzodiazepines in the scientific literature

World Benzodiazepine Awareness day has become an annual event, a development that I welcome and endorse. Too often interest is stimulated in an on-going and difficult medical problem only to subside as people move on to something else. The problem of iatrogenic, normal-dose benzodiazepine dependence is not lessening; concern must continue and even increase. I thank those who are involved for this initiative.

Professor Malcolm H. Lader, Emeritus Professor O.B.E., LL.B., D.Sc., Ph.D., M.D., F.R.C. Psych., F. Med. Sci. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK