About 18 years ago I had a horrendous addiction to Xanax and Valium, but it was at my own hands - we're talking about a physical addiction more than a mental thing. I was trying to escape my own thoughts so took tons of pills every day. When I realized what I was doing i tried to stop cold turkey and ended up in a hospital psyche ward for detox - nonstop shaking, panicky feeling, skin crawling, sweating. Benzo detox is as bad as heroin I've been told.

Now that I've been through that I will never do it again. I go through times when I have panic attacks and need to take something. I have a PRN (as needed) Xanax prescription that I never abuse. I've had Klonipin and Ativan on occasion as well. I don't have the same need to escape and I will not go through that withdrawal again.