Benzodiazepine Tapering & Deprescribing
in Miami, FL
Concierge telemedicine for benzodiazepine tapering, psychiatric medication deprescribing, and dependence treatment throughout Florida.
Benzodiazepine Tapering & Deprescribing in Miami, FL
Mark Leeds, D.O. specializes in benzodiazepine tapering, psychiatric medication deprescribing, and the treatment of opioid and alcohol dependence. For Miami patients, Dr. Leeds provides care through a concierge telemedicine model that delivers weekly video appointments and around-the-clock text access to a physician who understands the complexities of physical dependence. Miami’s sprawling geography and heavy traffic make regular in-office visits a genuine burden — telemedicine eliminates that barrier entirely. Patients receive the same attentive, individualized care regardless of whether they live in Brickell, Kendall, or Homestead.
Living in Miami
Miami is a major international city at the southeastern tip of Florida, serving as the cultural and economic hub of Miami-Dade County. With a population that is remarkably diverse, the city is home to communities from across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond. This diversity is one of Miami’s greatest strengths, but it also means that healthcare needs — and experiences with the medical system — vary widely among residents.
Despite having a large number of healthcare providers, Miami patients seeking specialized benzodiazepine tapering often find themselves cycling through physicians who are unfamiliar with safe, long-term discontinuation protocols. Many prescribers are comfortable starting benzodiazepines but lack the expertise to help patients stop. Dr. Leeds provides Miami residents with focused, evidence-based tapering care through a telemedicine format that respects their time and their privacy.
From the high-rises of downtown to the quieter neighborhoods of Coral Gables and Pinecrest, Dr. Leeds’ concierge telemedicine model brings specialized care directly to Miami patients wherever they are.
Medication Tapering & Deprescribing Programs
Treatment Programs for Miami Patients
Dr. Leeds’ primary focus is benzodiazepine tapering — helping Miami patients safely discontinue medications like alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam, and diazepam that they may have been taking for years. Each taper is designed individually, with weekly adjustments based on how the patient is feeling and responding. There are no cookie-cutter reduction schedules; every plan reflects the specific patient’s situation.
Dr. Leeds also provides psychiatric deprescribing for patients who are on multiple psychiatric medications and want to simplify their regimen under careful medical guidance. This includes tapering from SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentinoids, and other psychiatric medications that can produce withdrawal symptoms when discontinued too quickly.
OUR STORY
ABOUT Mark Leeds, D.O.,
About Mark Leeds, D.O.
Dr. Mark Leeds is an osteopathic physician whose practice is centered on helping patients navigate the difficult process of tapering from benzodiazepines and other medications that cause physical dependence. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC), an organization dedicated to educating the public and medical community about benzodiazepine risks and withdrawal.
As the host of The Rehab podcast, Dr. Leeds engages with patients, advocates, and researchers on topics ranging from withdrawal science to the failures of conventional detox programs. His concierge telemedicine practice provides Miami patients with weekly appointments, 24/7 text access, and the direct involvement of their physician at every step — a model built specifically for the demands of safe tapering.
SERVICES AT GLANCE
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
Dr. Leeds treats alcohol dependence in Miami patients using naltrexone and the Sinclair Method, an evidence-based approach that involves taking naltrexone before drinking to block the endorphin reward that reinforces the habit. Over weeks and months, this pharmacological extinction process reduces cravings and the compulsive drive to drink, allowing patients to regain control without the all-or-nothing demands of traditional abstinence programs.
For Miami patients who prefer an abstinence-based approach, naltrexone can also be prescribed as a daily medication to reduce cravings. Dr. Leeds works with each patient to determine which approach fits their goals and monitors progress through weekly telemedicine visits.
Services And Approach By Miami Centre To Effectively Treat Drug Addiction
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 Miami
Dr. Leeds’ concierge telemedicine model was designed for exactly the kind of care that benzodiazepine tapering requires: frequent contact, responsive adjustments, and a direct physician relationship. Miami patients receive weekly video appointments and 24/7 text access to Dr. Leeds — not to a front desk or a nurse line, but to the physician himself.
This level of access matters because tapering is not a set-it-and-forget-it process. Symptoms can shift from week to week, and patients need to know that their physician is available to answer questions, provide reassurance, and make timely adjustments. The concierge model provides this continuity at a fraction of the cost of inpatient care, and without the disruption of leaving home.
Miami patients seeking expert benzodiazepine tapering or medication management can reach out to Dr. Leeds to learn more about the concierge telemedicine program.
Concierge Telemedicine for Miami
Dr. Leeds’ concierge telemedicine model was designed for exactly the kind of care that benzodiazepine tapering requires: frequent contact, responsive adjustments, and a direct physician relationship. Miami patients receive weekly video appointments and 24/7 text access to Dr. Leeds — not to a front desk or a nurse line, but to the physician himself.
This level of access matters because tapering is not a set-it-and-forget-it process. Symptoms can shift from week to week, and patients need to know that their physician is available to answer questions, provide reassurance, and make timely adjustments. The concierge model provides this continuity at a fraction of the cost of inpatient care, and without the disruption of leaving home.
Get Started Today
Subutex Treatment
Subutex (buprenorphine) is available to Miami patients through Dr. Leeds’ telemedicine practice. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that helps manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings, allowing patients to stabilize without the risks associated with full agonist opioids. Subutex may be appropriate for patients who cannot tolerate the naloxone component found in Suboxone.
Dr. Leeds provides ongoing monitoring and dosage adjustments through weekly appointments, ensuring that each patient’s treatment remains effective and responsive to their needs.
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
Low dose naltrexone (LDN) may be considered for select Miami patients as part of a broader treatment plan. Prescribed at much lower doses than standard naltrexone, LDN has shown potential benefits for immune modulation and chronic pain management. It is obtained through a compound pharmacy and can be discussed during a consultation with Dr. Leeds to determine whether it may be a helpful addition to a patient’s care.
Concierge Telemedicine vs. VIP Rehab
Miami is saturated with luxury rehabilitation centers that promise spa-like amenities and celebrity-level privacy. While the settings may be appealing, the medical care inside these facilities often relies on the same rapid tapering protocols that cause patients to suffer unnecessarily. A beautiful facility does not compensate for a pharmacologically unsound taper.
Dr. Leeds’ concierge telemedicine model delivers what matters most: expert medical management from a physician who specializes in tapering, with weekly appointments and 24/7 access. Patients maintain their privacy, remain in their own homes, and receive individualized care that no 30-day program — regardless of cost — can replicate.
Call Now For The Best in Addiction Recovery &
Rehabilitation Services
Methadone vs. Buprenorphine
Methadone treatment for opioid dependence requires daily visits to a licensed methadone clinic — a routine that can be burdensome and stigmatizing for Miami patients trying to lead normal lives. Buprenorphine offers a practical alternative that can be prescribed via telemedicine and taken at home, with a more favorable safety profile due to its partial agonist properties and ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
Dr. Leeds can help Miami patients evaluate whether a transition from methadone to buprenorphine makes sense for their situation, and provides ongoing management through his concierge telemedicine model.
Opioid Dependence and Withdrawal
Physical dependence on opioids develops as the brain adapts to the sustained presence of the drug, altering endorphin production and receptor sensitivity. When the opioid is reduced or stopped, the resulting withdrawal — which can include pain, anxiety, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress — reflects this neurological imbalance, not a lack of willpower.
Dr. Leeds treats opioid dependence in Miami patients with buprenorphine-based medication-assisted treatment, providing stabilization and, when appropriate, a carefully managed path toward eventual discontinuation. Every decision is made collaboratively during weekly telemedicine appointments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is alcohol considered a drug?
tend to speak of alcohol separately from other drugs, it is clearly a drug. So, why is alcohol legally available? Prohibition, the outlawing of alcohol, in the early 20th century failed, so alcohol has been a legally available drug ever since.
is inpatient rehab better than outpatient addiction treatment?
Inpatient rehab is, in some cases, the best option for addiction treatment. There are complex cases which are best addressed in an inpatient setting. However, many addiction treatment issues can be handled by an outpatient addiction treatment doctor. In fact, some addictions are best treated by a private doctor.
why do doctors prescribe subutex?
Subutex is a brand name for a sublingual tablet that contains only buprenorphine as the active ingredient. The tablet dissolves under the patient’s tongue. Unlike Suboxone, Subutex does not contain the abuse deterrent, naloxone. Doctors prescribe Subutex to patients who are allergic to naloxone and to pregnant patients.
How long does cold turkey benzo withdrawal last?
Benzodiazepines should not be quit cold turkey. The trauma to the central nervous system can be significant. A patient can have seizures if they quit benzos suddenly. There is also a risk of long-term side effects related to quitting benzodiazepines abruptly. The withdrawal period may last from weeks, to months.