Information about Benzos

Maybe this will help. http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

You are very fortunate. I look forward to day I am off. I'm new to this, but haven't Benzo been given out increasing by many factors if past few decades?

I also agree clinical trails being false. I've lived in a city highly connected to pharm and medical industry. Every train had a poster for trial studies. Rather sad site to see. Since before I thought trail studies where "science based," and random. It became very apparent they were targeting people.

Then you read how they remove people from studies because outcome didn't meet their goals....*shakes head*

SRRIs screwed me up. To the point I felt like a different person, and not in good way.

I do agree Benzos for short-term use can be very useful. But it's when it's given long-term.... At least one part of U.S. government now recommends benzo for no more than 2 weeks daily....from what I remember. Instead of months, and years.

Thank you for saying this. I never "abused" xanax, but after 14 months I reached tolerance. It simply stopped working. I started having withdrawal in between doses.

I've been tapering down for two months. It is one of the most godawful things I've ever experienced.

Don't even talk to me about how benzos are not addictive unless you abuse them. Just don't....

My "doc" that is not my real doc, but did a vengeance act on me, made it so my benzo prescription would not get refilled. Been on the stuff a long time. Is it awful? Well yes... I suppose so. But it does not beat the Effexor withdrawal, which was nothing like any normal feelings could even describe. That was like I was placed in hell. That is the best way I can explain it. Your emotions telling you you are now in HELL and you can never get out.

Benzo withdrawals really, really blow, but they don't come near that, not for me anyway.

I wish I had my meds back though. There was a certain calm feeling of just HAVING them, now I know, they are not there. :/

Psych Central is helping me identify ways I can strengthen my coping skills. I have gotten great advice, support, and the knowledge that other people are doing it...are applying things like a mood tracker, meditation, cardio, and Snap Club. I can see that in the long run this is the smartest way to go. I have read that taking benzos interferes with learning new skills. I think that is the greatest benefit in going off benzos. If a person can tolerate the anxiety and at the same time learn new ways to manage it...then it is like telling benzos to bite the dust! I did not have problems with withdrawal from benzos, but I don't like the games doctors are playing. One doctor will prescribe them, no problem, and the next simply refuses and even makes the patient feel guilty for requesting them. Like Jimi, I miss having the benzos on hand. For me they worked, and I didn't have to take them every day. Now I am being forced to find new ways of managing my anxiety that are not dependent on a doctor's almighty prescription pad.

Well, no one should take meds of any kind, if they are better without it.

Thank you for sharing. Helpful information. Will have to be careful.

I've been starting to think that is what's happening to me, but because I had seizures after last time I reduced, and got off. New doctors don't want me to try again right now. Seizure were bad, and I was hospitalized for them. They wanted to increase dosage of Klonopin. I take the new prescription, but only take old dosage.

I go against doctor's advice, and still try to reduce.... It's become a pill I take to avoid seizures now. Yet I was given for extreme anxiety from ptsd. Now useless. Risk of seizures now, and being hospitalized, has created even more anxiety. Counter productive.

And I don't see any benefit to it anymore, except told I am risking my life if I try to stop. Messed-up.

Plus critical thinking and memory.