Psychological treatment that reduces anxiety has been found to be beneficialto benzodiazepine withdrawal. High drop-out and relapse rates, however, havealso been reported. They might be due to a heightened anxiety levelmaintaining the drug-taking habit or to the addictive potency of the drug,which is not addressed by the intervention strategies. In the present study,initial assessment data were compared among treatment refusers, drop-outsand completers – successful as well as unsuccessful ones – of apsychological treatment programme in support of benzodiazepinewithdrawal. Treatment refusers showed a more negative current mood statethan those consenting to treatment. Internal locus of control was predictiveof premature termination and unsuccessful completion of the treatment trial.Neither medication-related variables nor anxiety or depression were found toinfluence the success of treatment. Perceived control over medication intakeis thought to reduce compliance with the treatment regimen – a patternthat may be consistent with the addiction hypothesis.