S2E74: Benzodiazepine Taper Protocol: 2026 PMHNP Guide

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.A benzodiazepine taper protocol for PMHNPs built on the 2025 joint guideline: 5-10% cuts every 2-4 weeks, when to pause, and how to get through the last steps. In this Deep Dive episode, two hosts walk through “Benzodiazepine Taper Protocol: 2026 PMHNP Guide” from the Psych NP Fellowship blog by Lindsay Hill, DNP, PMHNP-BC. Key takeaways: • The 2025 joint guideline, backed by 10 societies including AANP and the APA, recommends starting with 5-10% dose cuts every 2-4 weeks and rarely going faster than 25% every 2 weeks. • Physical dependence is expected after steady use. Withdrawal risk is real with use on 4 or more days a week for 1-3 months at moderate to high doses, or for 3 months or longer at any dose. • Fixed milligram cuts get steeper as the dose drops. A 0.25 mg cut is 12.5% at 2 mg of clonazepam and 50% at 0.5 mg. • When withdrawal symptoms show up, slow or pause the taper before adding another drug. Do not use flumazenil to speed things up. • The goal can be a lower dose, not zero. Offer CBT or CBT-I alongside the taper, and watch for withdrawal for 2-4 weeks after the last dose. Read the full article: https://psychnpfellowship.com/benzodiazepine-taper-protocol-pmhnp-2026/ Explore the Psych NP Fellowship: https://psychnpfellowship.com/programs/ This content is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized clinical judgment or supervision.