"Coming off benzodiazepine tranquillisers or sleeping pills.
Warning: “Cold turkey” withdrawal (stopping benzodiazepines completely all at once) is strongly advised against. It is possible to have a withdrawal seizure or fit as a result of “cold turkey”. Stopping all at once often means the person can be overwhelmed with severe withdrawal symptoms. As the pain and distress is unbearable, the person will usually start taking benzodiazepines again, which can result in a sense of failure, or a fear of going through withdrawal again.
It is recommended that people taking benzodiazepines who wish to come off the drugs reduce the dose by small amounts rather than stopping completely even after only a few weeks of benzodiazepine use.
A slow reduction program from the drugs allows the body and mind to slowly adjust to each level and gradually return to normal functioning".
http://www.tranx.org.au/benzodiaz.html