He didn't really have an addiction, as far as I've read. He had a dependence. Addiction implies craving and behavior focusing on solving the craving. Dependence just means that your body has over-adjusted to the medication and now requires it to function properly, which can happen with normal prescription use and have absolutely no addiction craving involved at all.

Benzodiazepine dependence, even without true addiction, is a goddamn nightmare, and is absolutely one of the hardest drugs to terminate. Even after the initial major withdrawal, significant symptoms can last for months or even years after the last pill.

Dr. Peterson dealt with "benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome," which basically happens when you're on a short-acting benzo for longer than you should be. You end up dealing with perpetual, debilitating withdrawal symptoms even though you're actively taking the drug. It would make him feel anxious and crazy, which would cause him to take a relaxation pill, which would then make the problem worse, which then requires another pill.

It's hard for patients and inexperienced clinicians to see when it's happening, because people on benzos usually already have anxiety, so patients acting like a crazy anxious basket case isn't considered weird. It just warrants more benzos.

Psychiatric medications can be prescribed by literally any doctor, and I truly don't think that most of them understand the problems with many psychiatric medications well enough to be prescribing, especially short-term benzos like Clonazepam (which is what caused Dr. Peterson's issues).

They're a fantastic medication when used and managed properly, but most of the time, they're handed out as a quick fix and then forgotten, rather than used as a crisis response med. Some people don't even survive withdrawing from benzodiazepines, especially if they try to do it without professional help (which, again, isn't often available, because, again, most doctors aren't educated enough on these meds).

He and I are 100% on the same page when it comes to talking about the problems associated with these types of medications and how the medical industry fails to manage them properly.