Indeed, and the range is rather large as well for what they cover. Most people have taken a Valium (diazepam) at some point in their life for example.
Swedish physicians are quite restrictive with prescribing benzodiazepines in general - unless you have some serious issues you're not going to get them. This is in contrast to my (very possibly flawed) image of benzodiazepine use in the United States. Going by pop culture and brief discussions with a few Americans, that country pops heavy duty benzos such as Xanax like candy, with their doctors' blessings. I don't have any insight into which approach is more guided by rationality and the well-being of patients, so I'm not making any judgements.
My point is that the Swedish journalist might have made a much bigger deal of their role in this mess than an American or possibly a Brit would.
Benzos work very, very well in the short term however they are usually counterproductive in the long term.
They are still used in acute medical settings. For things like drug withdraw in a medical facility and for medical procedures such as colonoscopies. They are a component in twilight anesthesia. For example, I was prescribed a benzodiazepine in an emergency room to get me to sleep because I was staying overnight in that ER however they are very rarely prescribed for insomnia at home (anymore).[1]
I'm sure Sweden uses them in acute medical settings as well because they are very effective in that role.
[1] Nonbenzodiazepine medicines known as "Z drugs" are now the widely prescribed insomnia medicines despite their downfalls and risk of dependence.
I see, so perhaps my notions are just outdated then. Thanks for setting me straight. I still believe it's possible though that the average American may be more familiar and comfortable with the thought of using benzodiazepines than the average Swede.
>I'm sure Sweden uses them in acute medical settings as well because they are very effective in that role.
That's certainly true, I know from personal experience that you are right about that.
Of course, America went through a culture of benzo use whereas Sweden did not.