Correlates of benzodiazepine use in major depressive disorder: The effect of anhedonia

摘要

Background: Current treatment guidelines emphasize the limited role of benzodiazepines in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), mainly due to the absence of long-term data, risk of abuse and potential adverse effects. However, benzodiazepines continue to be prescribed for long-term use in a significant number of patients. This study sought to evaluate benzocliazepine use in a large sample of MDD patients seen at a ternary care clinic, and determine whether use is related to illness severity or complexity, as well as to identify the clinical predictors of benzodiazepine use.