Substance use: benzodiazepine withdrawal: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Substance use: benzodiazepine withdrawal

Sample item

A woman who has been taking alprazolam 4 mg daily for years stops abruptly and has a generalised seizure, with anxiety and tremor. Prevention depends on:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Gradual dose tapering

Benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause seizures, anxiety, insomnia, tremor and rarely delirium, especially with high-potency short-acting drugs. Slow tapering, sometimes by converting to a long-acting agent such as diazepam, is recommended.

Option by option

  • A. Gradual dose tapering (correct)

    Correct. Gradual tapering avoids withdrawal seizures.

  • B. Abrupt cessation

    Abrupt cessation precipitates withdrawal.

  • C. Switching to an antipsychotic

    Antipsychotics lower seizure threshold.

  • D. Adding disulfiram

    Disulfiram is unrelated.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is A, Gradual dose tapering. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause seizures, anxiety, insomnia, tremor and rarely delirium, especially with high-potency short-acting drugs.

Why is "Abrupt cessation" not the answer?

Abrupt cessation precipitates withdrawal.

Why is "Switching to an antipsychotic" not the answer?

Antipsychotics lower seizure threshold.

Why is "Adding disulfiram" not the answer?

Disulfiram is unrelated.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Substance use: benzodiazepine withdrawal in Psychiatry. Slow tapering, sometimes by converting to a long-acting agent such as diazepam, is recommended.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Substance use: benzodiazepine withdrawal?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.