Editing Sedative (section)

=== Worsening of psychiatric symptoms ===
The long-term use of benzodiazepines may have a similar effect on the brain as [[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]], and are also implicated in [[Mood disorder#Substance-induced|depression]], [[Anxiety#Substance-induced|anxiety]], [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] (PTSD), [[mania]], [[psychosis]], [[Insomnia#Substance-induced|sleep disorders]], [[sexual dysfunction]], [[delirium]], and [[Cognitive disorder|neurocognitive disorders]] (including benzodiazepine-induced persisting dementia which persists even after the medications are stopped).<ref name=":12">{{Cite book|title = Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition|last = American Psychiatric Association|publisher = American Psychiatric Association|year = 2013|location = Arlington, VA}}</ref> As with alcohol, the effects of [[Benzodiazepine|benzodiazepines]] on neurochemistry, such as decreased levels of [[serotonin]] and [[norepinephrine]], are believed to be responsible for their effects on mood and anxiety.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Collier|first1 = Judith|last2 = Longmore|first2 = Murray|editor1-first = Peter|editor1-last = Scally|title = Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties|edition = 6|year = 2003|publisher = Oxford University Press|isbn = 978-0-19-852518-9|page = 366|chapter = 4}}</ref><ref name="ashman">{{cite web |author = Professor Heather Ashton|year = 2002|url = http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm|title = Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lydiard RB, Laraia MT, Ballenger JC, Howell EF | title = Emergence of depressive symptoms in patients receiving alprazolam for panic disorder | journal = The American Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 144 | issue = 5 | pages = 664–5 | date = May 1987 | pmid = 3578580 | doi = 10.1176/ajp.144.5.664 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Nathan RG, Robinson D, Cherek DR, Davison S, Sebastian S, Hack M | title = Long-term benzodiazepine use and depression | journal = The American Journal of Psychiatry | volume = 142 | issue = 1 | pages = 144–5 | date = January 1985 | pmid = 2857068 | doi = 10.1176/ajp.142.1.144-b | publisher = American Journal of Psychiatry }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Longo LP, Johnson B | title = Addiction: Part I. Benzodiazepines--side effects, abuse risk and alternatives | journal = American Family Physician | volume = 61 | issue = 7 | pages = 2121–8 | date = April 2000 | pmid = 10779253 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Psychiatry, third edition|vauthors= Tasman A, Kay J, Lieberman JA |publisher = John Wiley & Sons|year = 2008|location = Chichester, England|pages = 2603–2615}}</ref> Additionally, benzodiazepines can indirectly cause or worsen other psychiatric symptoms (e.g., mood, anxiety, psychosis, irritability) by worsening sleep (i.e., benzodiazepine-induced sleep disorder). Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat insomnia in the short-term (both prescribed and self-medicated), but worsen sleep in the long-term. While benzodiazepines can put people to sleep, they disrupt [[sleep architecture]]: decreasing sleep time, delaying time to [[REM sleep]], and decreasing deep [[slow-wave sleep]] (the most restorative part of sleep for both energy and mood).<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ashton H | title = The diagnosis and management of benzodiazepine dependence | journal = Current Opinion in Psychiatry | volume = 18 | issue = 3 | pages = 249–55 | date = May 2005 | pmid = 16639148 | doi = 10.1097/01.yco.0000165594.60434.84 | s2cid = 1709063 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Morin CM, Bélanger L, Bastien C, Vallières A | title = Long-term outcome after discontinuation of benzodiazepines for insomnia: a survival analysis of relapse | journal = Behaviour Research and Therapy | volume = 43 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–14 | date = January 2005 | pmid = 15531349 | doi = 10.1016/j.brat.2003.12.002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Poyares D, Guilleminault C, Ohayon MM, Tufik S | title = Chronic benzodiazepine usage and withdrawal in insomnia patients | journal = Journal of Psychiatric Research | volume = 38 | issue = 3 | pages = 327–34 | date = 2004-06-01 | pmid = 15003439 | doi = 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2003.10.003 }}</ref>