The rate of children and adolescents who overdosed on benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan, rose by 54% from 2000 to 2015, with the rate of those who developed severe illnesses increasing from 14% to 24% during the same period, according to a study in the journal Clinical Toxicology. Researchers also found that the rate of intentional benzodiazepine exposures increased from 36% in 2010 to nearly 48% in 2015, while accidental ingestion prevalence dropped from 61% to 50% during the same period.