Benzodiazepine Tapering & Deprescribing
in Hollywood, FL
Concierge telemedicine for benzodiazepine tapering, psychiatric medication deprescribing, and dependence treatment throughout Florida.
Benzodiazepine Tapering & Deprescribing in Hollywood, FL
Benzodiazepine Tapering & Deprescribing
Mark Leeds, D.O. is an osteopathic physician who specializes in benzodiazepine tapering, psychiatric medication deprescribing, and the treatment of opioid and alcohol dependence. Through a concierge telemedicine model, Dr. Leeds provides Hollywood patients with weekly video appointments and 24/7 text access — the kind of close, sustained care that makes a meaningful difference during the difficult process of medication discontinuation. Because all appointments are conducted via secure video, patients in Hollywood can access specialized tapering expertise from home, without driving up to Fort Lauderdale or south to Miami for an appointment that lasts fifteen minutes.
Living in Hollywood
Hollywood sits between Fort Lauderdale and Miami along the southeastern coast of Florida, offering a quieter alternative to its larger neighbors. The city is known for its iconic Hollywood Beach and the Broadwalk — a pedestrian-friendly promenade stretching along the oceanfront — as well as the Arts Park at Young Circle and the surrounding residential neighborhoods that give much of Hollywood a relaxed, community-oriented feel.
Despite its proximity to two major metropolitan centers, Hollywood patients seeking help with benzodiazepine tapering often find a gap in local expertise. Most physicians in the area are comfortable prescribing benzodiazepines but have little experience helping patients discontinue them safely. Dr. Leeds fills that gap, providing Hollywood residents with direct access to a physician whose entire practice is built around safe, individualized tapering.
Whether a patient lives in the quiet residential streets west of Dixie Highway, near the Broadwalk, or in the neighborhoods closer to Pembroke Pines and Davie, the telemedicine format eliminates the commute and provides consistent weekly access to specialized care.
Medication Tapering & Deprescribing Programs
Treatment Programs for Hollywood Patients
The foundation of Dr. Leeds’ practice is benzodiazepine tapering. Many Hollywood patients arrive after years — sometimes decades — of benzodiazepine use that began with a legitimate prescription and continued because no physician offered a clear path to discontinuation. Dr. Leeds designs individualized taper schedules grounded in the Ashton Manual and hyperbolic tapering principles, with a particular emphasis on helping patients understand what the process will feel like, week by week, so they are not blindsided by symptoms that are actually a normal part of the taper.
Beyond benzodiazepines, Dr. Leeds helps patients taper from psychiatric medications that may no longer be appropriate, including SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentinoids, and atypical antipsychotics. This psychiatric deprescribing process requires the same careful, gradual approach. Many Hollywood patients are taking several psychiatric medications simultaneously and benefit from a physician who can evaluate the full picture and develop a rational plan for simplification — one medication at a time.
OUR STORY
ABOUT Mark Leeds, D.O.,
About Mark Leeds, D.O.
Dr. Mark Leeds is an osteopathic physician whose practice is focused on helping patients safely taper from benzodiazepines and other medications that cause physical dependence. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about benzodiazepine dependence and the challenges of withdrawal.
Dr. Leeds is also the host of The Rehab podcast, where he explores topics related to dependence, withdrawal, and recovery with patients, researchers, and clinicians. His concierge telemedicine model was built specifically for the kind of care that tapering demands: weekly appointments, direct physician access, and the ability to adjust a treatment plan in real time. For Hollywood patients, this means receiving the same caliber of specialized attention regardless of geography — without the impersonal experience of a traditional medical office.
OUR SERVICES
Here are some of the services provided by Mark Leeds, D.O. via concierge telemedicine throughout Florida.
Alcohol Treatment and the Sinclair Method
For Hollywood patients dealing with alcohol dependence, Dr. Leeds offers treatment using naltrexone and the Sinclair Method. This approach involves taking naltrexone approximately one hour before drinking, which blocks the endorphin reinforcement that alcohol normally provides. Over time, the brain gradually unlearns the association between alcohol and reward — a process called pharmacological extinction — reducing cravings and compulsive drinking without requiring immediate abstinence.
The Sinclair Method is particularly well-suited to patients who have not succeeded with traditional abstinence-based programs or AA. Dr. Leeds monitors progress through weekly telemedicine appointments and adjusts the treatment plan based on each patient’s response. For patients who prefer full abstinence from the start, naltrexone can also be taken daily as a craving-reduction tool.
Benzodiazepine Tapering: What BIND Feels Like and What to Expect
One of the most disorienting aspects of benzodiazepine dependence is that patients often do not understand what is happening to them. They may have been taking a prescribed benzodiazepine for years, functioning well enough, when new and alarming symptoms begin to emerge — heightened anxiety that feels different from their original condition, sensory disturbances, muscle tension, depersonalization, or a pervasive sense that something is neurologically wrong. This is often tolerance withdrawal: the brain has adapted so thoroughly to the medication that the current dose no longer maintains equilibrium at the GABA-A receptor. It is critical to understand that physical dependence is not addiction. A patient experiencing these symptoms is not engaging in drug-seeking behavior — their nervous system has physically adapted to a medication their doctor prescribed, and that adaptation is now causing harm.
When tapering begins, patients understandably want to know what to expect. The first few weeks of a well-designed taper are often focused on stabilization — finding the right starting point where the patient feels as steady as possible before reductions begin. In the early reduction phase, many patients experience a wave of increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, and heightened nervous system sensitivity within a few days of a dose cut. These symptoms typically peak and then settle over the course of one to three weeks, a pattern known as windows and waves — periods of relative normalcy (windows) alternating with periods of symptom flare (waves). As the taper progresses and doses become smaller, the reductions also become smaller, following hyperbolic tapering principles. Dr. Leeds prepares Hollywood patients for this rhythm so that a wave does not trigger panic or a premature decision to abandon the taper.
Some patients develop what is known as Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) — a condition in which withdrawal symptoms persist for months or even years after dose reductions or complete discontinuation. BIND can include a wide range of symptoms: burning skin sensations, tinnitus, visual disturbances, cognitive difficulties, gastrointestinal problems, muscle pain, and a feeling of internal vibration or electric-like nerve sensations. These symptoms are real, neurologically based, and not evidence of a psychiatric relapse. Dr. Leeds takes BIND seriously because many physicians dismiss these symptoms or misattribute them to anxiety, which leads patients to feel unheard and sometimes results in being placed back on the very medication they are trying to discontinue.
For Hollywood patients, Dr. Leeds incorporates BIND awareness into every stage of the taper. This means pacing reductions to minimize the risk of protracted symptoms, monitoring closely for early signs of neurological disturbance, and — when BIND does develop — adjusting the taper plan to allow the nervous system more time to heal between reductions. The concierge model, with its weekly appointments and 24/7 text access, is specifically designed for this kind of close, responsive care. A patient experiencing a sudden wave of BIND symptoms at 10 PM does not need to wait until the next available appointment slot — they can reach Dr. Leeds directly.
Services & Approach to Medication Tapering
Benzodiazepine Tapering
Dr. Leeds specializes in safe, medically supervised benzodiazepine tapering using the Ashton Manual crossover protocol, hyperbolic tapering, and compound pharmacy formulations. Learn more about tapering services.
Psychiatric Deprescribing
Safe tapering of SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentinoids, and antipsychotics using the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and individualized hyperbolic dose reduction. Learn more.
Opioid Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment using buprenorphine (Suboxone, ZubSolv) with individualized dosing strategies for maintenance or gradual tapering. Learn more.
Alcohol Treatment
The Sinclair Method using naltrexone gradually reduces cravings through pharmacological extinction. Does not require abstinence to begin. Learn more.
Concierge Telemedicine for Hollywood
Dr. Leeds operates on a concierge telemedicine model that gives Hollywood patients a level of access and continuity that is rare in modern medicine. Each patient receives weekly video appointments, 24/7 text access to Dr. Leeds for urgent questions, and the assurance that every communication is directly with their physician — not a nurse, medical assistant, or automated system.
This model exists because benzodiazepine tapering and psychiatric deprescribing are not processes that can be safely managed with a monthly check-in. Symptoms shift, new challenges emerge, and dose adjustments often need to happen between scheduled visits. The concierge format ensures that Dr. Leeds can respond to Hollywood patients in real time — adjusting doses, addressing new symptoms, and providing reassurance during a process that is inherently uncertain and often anxiety-provoking.
Concierge Telemedicine for Hollywood
Dr. Leeds operates on a concierge telemedicine model that gives Hollywood patients a level of access and continuity that is rare in modern medicine. Each patient receives weekly video appointments, 24/7 text access to Dr. Leeds for urgent questions, and the assurance that every communication is directly with their physician — not a nurse, medical assistant, or automated system.
This model exists because benzodiazepine tapering and psychiatric deprescribing are not processes that can be safely managed with a monthly check-in. Symptoms shift, new challenges emerge, and dose adjustments often need to happen between scheduled visits. The concierge format ensures that Dr. Leeds can respond to Hollywood patients in real time — adjusting doses, addressing new symptoms, and providing reassurance during a process that is inherently uncertain and often anxiety-provoking.
Hollywood patients ready to begin a safe, individualized benzodiazepine taper or explore psychiatric medication deprescribing can contact Dr. Leeds to schedule an initial consultation.
Subutex Treatment
Dr. Leeds prescribes Subutex (buprenorphine) for Hollywood patients managing opioid dependence. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings without producing the euphoria associated with full agonist opioids. Subutex contains only buprenorphine — without the naloxone component found in Suboxone — and may be appropriate for certain patients based on their clinical profile and history.
Through weekly telemedicine appointments, Dr. Leeds monitors each patient’s response, adjusts dosing, and provides the consistent oversight that medication-assisted treatment requires for long-term success.
Suboxone (Buprenorphine and Naloxone) – Side Effects, Symptoms & Treatment in Hollywood, Florida
Does Suboxone have side effects? As many Hollywood, Florida residents who take Suboxone are aware, Suboxone does not cause the typical side effects that we associate with opioid use.
Most opioids cause a variety of symptoms that make it more difficult to function. Opioids tend to cloud a person’s thinking to some degree. This brain fog is even possible for people who take prescribed opioids and follow their doctor’s directions.
Opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or oxycodone, wear off quickly, leaving the user feeling as if they need to take more of the drug. They start to obsess over opioids, when and where they will be able to get more.
Suboxone is different in this respect. People who take Suboxone do not get opioid brain fog, cravings, obsessions, or compulsions to take more and more opioids.
However, Suboxone does sometimes cause side effects for a small percentage of patients. The most common side effects are similar to side effects of opioids.
These side effects include constipation, insomnia, excessive sweating, headaches, difficulty urinating, and possibly ankle swelling. Does a person who gets side effects get all of these side effects?
No, typically a person will only have one, maybe two side effects. More likely, the person will have no side effects at all.
Fortunately for Hollywood, Florida residents who take Suboxone and have side effects, there are ways to address these side effects to help them to go away. Suboxone doctors are aware of these possible side effects, and they have strategies to address the issue.
Most important, you should report any side effects from Suboxone to your doctor as soon as possible. Then, your doctor can take action to make a change that will help you to overcome the side effects and to start to feel better when you take Suboxone.
Outpatient Telemedicine as an Alternative to Inpatient Rehab
Many Hollywood patients are told that inpatient rehabilitation is their only option. While residential treatment is appropriate in some situations, it is not necessary — and often not advisable — for benzodiazepine tapering. A safe taper typically takes months, sometimes longer. It cannot be compressed into a 30-day inpatient stay. The rapid detox protocols used in many facilities ignore the pharmacology of benzodiazepine withdrawal and can leave patients with severe, protracted symptoms.
Dr. Leeds’ outpatient telemedicine model allows Hollywood patients to taper safely over the appropriate timeframe, in their own homes, while maintaining their work, family responsibilities, and daily routines. For patients living in Hollywood’s quieter residential neighborhoods, the home environment itself becomes a therapeutic asset — familiar, stable, and free from the stress of institutional living.
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Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
Dr. Leeds offers low dose naltrexone (LDN) as part of a comprehensive treatment approach for select Hollywood patients. LDN is prescribed at doses far lower than those used for opioid or alcohol dependence and has shown promise in modulating immune function and reducing certain types of chronic pain and inflammation. It is obtained through a compound pharmacy and may be considered as an adjunct for patients dealing with pain-related conditions alongside their primary treatment plan.
Methadone – Purpose, Uses, Side Effects, and Risks & Treatment in Hollywood, Florida
Methadone is a potent opioid drug that has been used to treat heroin addicts since the 1960s. Now, in the 2020s, we no longer call people “addicts” when they have issues with substance use.
While people who go to recovery meetings have every right to refer to themselves in any way they see fit, we should refrain from labeling people with derogatory words, such as “addict.”
Methadone is known as a replacement drug. People stop taking heroin or fentanyl, and the same day, they can be started on methadone. From that point on, every morning, usually at 5am, they must line up at the local methadone clinic for their daily dose.
While methadone is very much like giving a person a replacement opioid so they don’t have to go out and use heroin, buprenorphine is very different.
Buprenorphine is the drug found in Suboxone. While it is an opioid, by definition, it is a unique opioid with unique properties.
People who take Suboxone do not feel high from their medication. They are able to get a full month’s prescription, instead of going to a clinic every day.
And, Suboxone patients can see a private Suboxone doctor to renew their prescription. Patients in Hollywood who are looking for the gold standard of care for opioid dependence are welcome to contact Dr. Leeds for more information.
Opioid and Opiate Withdrawal: Symptoms and Treatments in Hollywood, Florida
What do people in Hollywood, Florida do when they want to stop taking opioid or opiate drugs? The problem is that when a person stops taking an opioid or opiate, they experience physical withdrawal symptoms. Opioid withdrawal is not something to take lightly. While the withdrawal symptoms that occur with stopping opioids is typically not physically dangerous, it is extremely unpleasant. In fact, opiate withdrawal and opioid withdrawal syndromes are significant enough that people have been known to continue taking opioids for years to avoid going through withdrawal. Fortunately, there are medications to treat opioid withdrawal that are now available. Lucemyra is a relatively new medication that is used to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms. It does not completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms, but it makes the symptoms of cold sweats, chills, depression, anxiety, aches, cramps, insomnia, and fatigue more tolerable. For people who are at risk for serious harm from using street opioids or abusing prescription opioids, it may be best to start methadone or buprenorphine treatment. Methadone and buprenorphine Methadone and buprenorphine are both approved for treating opioid withdrawal as well. While these two opioid-type treatment medications also have a withdrawal syndrome, they are much safe than the alternative. Taking street opioids is highly dangerousOxycodone Withdrawal and Detox in Hollywood, Florida
At one time, there were many pharmacies in Hollywood, Florida that sold oxycodone tablets. Over the past decade, many of these small, mom and pop pharmacies have gone out of business.
Oxycodone is a potent prescription opioid, often prescribed to treat acute or chronic pain. People who were taking oxycodone and suddenly found it to be unavailable may have switched to another opioid, or if they quit cold turkey, discovered that oxycodone has a significant withdrawal syndrome.
In fact, oxycodone withdrawal is very similar to withdrawal from any other opioid. So, is the treatment for oxycodone withdrawal the same as for heroin withdrawal?
That depends. If a person was abusing oxycodone and became addicted to it, they will benefit from medication-assisted treatment with Suboxone. On the other hand, if the person was prescribed oxycodone for pain, and they no longer need to take it, then Lucemyra may be a good option to help make oxycodone withdrawal symptoms more tolerable.
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Concierge Telemedicine vs. VIP Rehab
South Florida is saturated with luxury and so-called VIP rehabilitation centers, many of them within a short drive of Hollywood. These facilities charge tens of thousands of dollars per month and offer spa-like amenities. However, the medical protocols for benzodiazepine tapering inside these facilities are often no better — and sometimes significantly worse — than standard rapid detox. A luxury room does not make an unsafe taper safe.
Dr. Leeds’ concierge model provides what VIP rehab fundamentally cannot: sustained, long-term, pharmacologically sound tapering under the direct and continuous care of a single physician who specializes in this work. Hollywood patients remain in their own homes, maintain their privacy, and receive a level of individualized medical attention that no facility — regardless of its price tag — can replicate on a per-patient basis.
Mindfulness and Wellness During Tapering
Benzodiazepine tapering places demands not just on the body but on a patient’s emotional and psychological resilience. Dr. Leeds encourages Hollywood patients to incorporate mindfulness practices, gentle physical activity, and stress-reduction techniques as supportive tools during their taper. Hollywood’s Broadwalk and beachfront offer accessible, low-intensity environments for walking and fresh air — small but meaningful supports during a process that can feel all-consuming. These practices do not replace proper medical management, but they can help patients tolerate the discomfort of withdrawal and maintain a sense of agency and normalcy throughout the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people who go to detox for opioids end up relapsing?
Detox facilities often use the drug, buprenorphine, to quickly taper clients off of opioids. The time period for this fast taper may be anywhere from five days, to a week or two. Unfortunately, fast tapers often lead to failure. Long-term buprenorphine maintenance is usually a more successful strategy.
Do rehabs offer Suboxone therapy?
Rehabs traditionally have been against Suboxone treatment. Because of their focus on 12-step group therapy, derived from the Alcoholics Anonymous program, they prefer abstinence-based addiction treatment, without the use of any medications. While more recently, some rehabs are offering Suboxone, the best option is to see a private Suboxone doctor.
Are benzodiazepines addicting?
Benzodiazepines are not highly addictive drugs. While it is possible for people to abuse these sedative prescription medications, few people become addicted to them. On the other hand, physical dependence on benzodiazepines is common. People who take benzodiazepines, as directed, for many years, often find that they cannot easily quit.
Why do so many people relapse after going to rehab for alcohol use disorder?
When people quit drinking cold turkey and go to rehab, they are typically detoxed from alcohol and then introduced to 12-step recovery. One major problem with this strategy for treating alcohol use disorder, or alcoholism, is that people often develop the alcohol deprivation syndrome months later, characterized by intense cravings.