My mistake he was hooked on benzodiazepines (lie corrected for you).
Which I have just discovered are like opiates on steroids. I am shocked that as a clinical psychologist, he was unaware that it was such powerful medication.
Benzodiazepines work on entirely different receptors than opioids. They work on GABA receptors which opioida mostly act on mu-opioid receptors. Please do not lie on the internet in order to attack people, it makes you a bad person.
It's used routinely in clinical psychiatry and psychology. And you listen to your psychiatrist, even as a psychiatrist and especially as a psychologist.
Actually yes, when I was at psychiatry clinic the psychiatrist of the day dispensed all medication - including medication for stomach problems. Keep in mind that every medical doctor (including psychiatrists, but not psychologists) is trained in the entire field of medicine; they have specializations but that doesn't mean they can't solve other problems.