Let me say something of Ashton Protocols. It's not to be considered as the last authentic word, or Bible of addicionology. Professor Heather Ashton prepared it on the context of UK in a certain period..This not to disregard the above said manual as many patients should have helped by it. Still I say, there is "To give and take from it."

Ashton is insanely stubborn on tapering off any Benzo using Valium. Should we need to consider Valium is something Godsend? Does Valium effectively treat all benzo dependence? No is the answer. Valium (Diazepam) works for some, but it would be bumper foolish to use it as the gold standard Benzo to treat dependence.

Valium has its own problems and they are not trivial to neglect. In certain patient population Valium can induce or aggravate aggressive behaviour to a considerable level. Valium is more of a depressant than a mood elater for some. This will inflict suicidal behavior in many. Often this is seen in patients consuming high doses, but hey..Ashton recommends Valium in high doses during the switch.. ie..for someone dependent on Xanax 8 or 9mg.. the Valium substitution can go as high as 100mg of Valium. This is not the recommended dose of Valium but Ashton can't help it.

Besides Valium is a highly reinforcing drug in it's class. Its subtle sedative effect with euphoriant high can attract drug abusers to use it again and again that is causative of another drug problem on its own.

Then why it is a benzo du jor in Ashton manual?

Reason : It was the only Benzo with an almost unbelievable half-life when professor Ashton entered the field. She found the certain Benzo's availability in the tiniest dose too that would make it convenient to use in from very high to relatively smaller dose forms. Ashton is addictionologist so, it is normal for her to look upon everything through the prism of addiction and treat likewise. But in the real world we have seen people immensely being helped by Benzos for their ailments and withdrawing the helping chemical will be devastating in their case because stopping and reinstating Benzos or Antidepressants can prove almost lethal for them for the reason the withdrawn drug may not necessarily effective in second attempt. Patients are forced to double their dosage to suffer more and unnecessary adverse effects.

I could have gone and on but long posts seldom attracts readers so, let me pause here now. One thing I learnt from my experience is there isn't any Protocols to follow in the case of Benzodiazepine addiction or habituation. First of all it is to educate people on their problems to the point of them having new insights on their own. This will help the needy to listen to their bodies. Working on this will help to target the goals to achieve.

And finally : Benzodiazepines are great drugs in the right hands. Many in the real world is being tremendously helped by them. The horror stories are mostly the aftermath of the medication being in the wrong hands. Users should recollect their state of mind prior to the medication, this is often impossible as the patient only look upon a drug after the drug being effective to the extent of them forgetting what led them taking it.