DOCTORS have dished out tens of thousands of prescriptions for addictive tranquilisers in Hampshire over the last year, the Journal has learned.

Benzodiazepines, better known as tranquillisers like diazepam and temazepam, have been prescribed 133,541 times for a range of conditions including anxiety, insomnia, some forms of epilepsy and palliative care.

We obtained the figures from the NHS West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group after fears were raised that high numbers of people could be addicted to Valium, Mogadon and Librium in the area.

One New Forest resident, who did not wish to be named, was prescribed diazepam by her GP when she began experiencing panic attacks 30 years ago and has been taking them ever since.

She said: “I feel I have lost my life.

I feel that I am emotionless.

“My memory is patchy and years have gone by I can’t account for. I have been vacant in my own life.

“I haven’t worked for years, my relationships no longer exist.

“I can’t stop taking them because I just end up feeling worse.

“I am addicted to something which was prescribed by my GP which I thought would help me.”

Strict guidelines about the prescribing of benzodiazepine tranquillisers were issued to all GPs in 1988, warning them that the drugs are known to cause dependence if used beyond the recommended four-week maximum.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) agreed in 1982 that there should be large-scale studies to examine the long-term impact of benzodiazepines after research showed some brain damage in some patients.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Involuntary Tranquiliser Addiction (APPGITA) estimates that about 1.5 million people are addicted to this group of drugs. The APPG was set up to raise awareness of involuntary tranquilliser addiction and lobby for support from health service providers, local authorities and government.

However, benzodiazepines are still being prescribed in their thousands.

Withdrawal can be painful and prolonged and some experts say can it be harder than stopping taking heroin.

They act by enhancing the effect of a brain chemical transmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid, which depresses or calms the central nervous system, slowing down mental activity, in turn causing relaxation and sedation.

During her time as Government public health minister in 2011 MP Anne Milton said: “I've met people who've been addicted to benzodiazepines for 20 or 30 years, which has wrecked their lives, wrecked their jobs and wrecked their families.

“We want to make sure that training and awareness is raised so that GPs know how to prescribe well and then we need to make sure that we've got the right services in place to give them the help and support they need to get off these drugs and get back to enjoying life as they should be able to.”

New Forest West MP and minister of state at the department for international development Desmond Swayne said: “NHS guidelines are important but GPs know their patients best.

“The allocation of funding is also a matter best left to clinicians rather than politicians.

“It is for this reason that the clinical commissioning groups were set up.”