All the information available says benzos are only for very short term use, the precribing guidelines etc. But the thing is that psychiatrists do put people on these long term and they supposedly have vast amounts of knowledge, experience and expertise. I know a few people on stims for ADHD who are also precribed Rohypnol for sleep long term. They are also regularly drug tested for street drugs. But for whatever reason the benzos are judged as fine long term.
My mother is over 70 and has a standing script for zopiclone to be used every night, has had it for years. Meanwhile the prescription guidelines state that it's not adviced for elderly people and should only be used for 14 days max. Should also only be used as a last ditch med after other avenues are exhausted. But in reality tons of people are put on these long term as a first option, especially old people. How the docs justify deviating from the guidelines I don't know.
I saw a psychiatrist a while back for anxiety and the first thing she said was forget about a Valium script. I wasn't looking for it anyway.
I did ask for hydroxyzine which she immediately gave me. I have tried it a couple of times in the past without any effects that I could remember. But I wanted to see if it worked this time around, and it did, did notice a small release of tension. But holy shit, brutal nightmares and constant headache. I felt it made me all red eyed too, but I'm uncertain it was the cause for sure.