Side Effects with Dr. Josef

Longterm Effects of Benzos on the Brain

June 3, 2026·13 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Click here if you need help quitting psychiatric medications: http://membership.taperclinic.com/signup/?utm_source=podcast  Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin are among the most commonly prescribed medications for anxiety and insomnia but what happens to your brain when they're used over months or years? In this video, we break down what current research says about the long-term effects of benzos on memory, cognition, and the brain's GABA system, plus what's known about tolerance, dependence, and recovery after stopping. Whether you're taking them, considering them, or just curious, here's what the science shows. Get our free tapering course: https://taperclinic.com/free-guide/   Join +6000 people learning how to taper on our newsletter: https://membership.taperclinic.com/newsletter   CONNECT WITH ME: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjosefwittdoerring/  - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjosefwittdoerring  - X/Twitter: https://x.com/DrJosefWD  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjosefwittdoerring/  - Website: https://taperclinic.com/  DISCLAIMER: All the information on this channel is for educational and/or entertainment purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos, or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, these videos can maybe help you prepare for your discussion with him. We do our best to spread awareness with these videos, but for legal reasons we can’t answer health questions in the comments. If you leave questions, we’ll make videos about common questions in the future! If we catch incorrect health information, hate speech, illegal solicitation of drugs in the comments, we will remove them.

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