Córdoba has managed to reduce the consumption of benzodiazepines by 4.1% during the last 12 months between April 2023 and the same month in 2024, while in Andalusia the global decrease has been estimated at 3.4%.
More than one million Andalusians consume benzodiazepines, that is, one in every 10 people in Andalusia is a chronic consumer of these drugs, half are over 65 years old and 7 out of every 10 are women. Thus, the percentage decrease achieved would mean that in Andalusia around 64,017 users have stopped using them and in Córdoba 4,366 people.
It should be noted that 8 out of 10 people who try to stop taking these drugs succeed, with greater or lesser difficulty.
The use of benzodiazepines is only indicated in anxiety attacks when symptom control is necessary, or in cases of severe insomnia, only if it interferes with daily life. Even so, their use should not extend more than two to four weeks since it has been shown that these medications are only useful for a certain time and that, once elapsed, they stop producing the desired effect, and produce risks associated with their consumption and increases the risk of accidents, falls and cognitive decline. Furthermore, they produce tolerance and dependence, so their benefit/risk balance in the medium and long term is unfavorable.
BenzoStopTogether Program
The Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs, and the Andalusian Health Service, with the collaboration of the Andalusian School of Public Health, launched the ‘BenzoStopJuntos: Living without Tranquilizers is Possible’ program in 2022, an initiative whose main objective is to raise awareness to the population that chronically consumes benzodiazepines for problems for which they are not really indicated, such as mild and occasional anxiety or occasional insomnia.
The most commonly consumed drugs are lorazepam, lormetazepam, bromazepam, alprazolam or zolpidem.
‘BenzoStopJuntos’ is also developed in collaboration with the Andalusian Council of Official Associations of Pharmacists (CACOF), and has the support of scientific societies, councils of professional associations, as well as the direct involvement of Primary Care and Hospital professionals, and of community pharmacies, in order to improve knowledge about benzodiazepines and their alternatives, promote their proper use and reduce the risks derived from their continued consumption.
Patient education material
The program consists of professionals offering patients information and educational material in consultations and community pharmacy offices. This material, which is available on the web https://www.easp.es/urm/intervenciones/benzodiazepinas/ It is a local adaptation of another existing one in the field of health in Canada, and has been endorsed by 25 entities.
Specifically, it provides information about benzodiazepines and the risks of their continued use, healthy alternatives with which to combat the stress of daily life without resorting to drugs (relaxation techniques, breathing and self-control, changing habits or exercises) and how to proceed to cessation with the help of professionals.
In addition, it includes a self-test to measure the degree of dependence on these drugs, as well as a directory of self-help guides for depression and anxiety disorders from the Andalusian Health Service and a suggested cessation guideline.
Scientific supports
The campaign has the support of the Andalusian Association of Mental Health professionals (AEN), Federation of associations of users of Banks, Savings Banks and Insurance of Andalusia (Adicae); Spanish Association of Mental Health Nursing (Aeesme), Andalusian Association of Community Nursing (Asanec), Spanish Association of Social Work and Health; Colleges of Psychology of Western and Eastern Andalusia, Andalusian Council of Official Colleges of Nursing (CACE), Andalusian Council of Colleges of Physicians, Andalusian Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists (Cacof), General Directorate of Consumption (Consumo Responde), School of Patients , Strategy for Patient Safety, Facua Andalucía; Pharmaceutical Care Foundation, Andalusian Society of Quality Care (Sadeca), Andalusian Society of Primary Care Pharmacists (Safap), Andalusian Society of Family and Community Medicine (Samfyc), Spanish Society of Clinical, Family and Community Pharmacy (Sefac), Society of Specialists in Clinical Psychology of the SSPA, Society of Primary Care Pharmacists (Sefap), Andalusian Society of Primary Care Physicians (Semergen), Andalusian Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), Andalusian Society of Psychiatry (Sapsiq), Comprehensive Plan of Mental Health of Andalusia (Pisma).
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