Benzodiazepines and their uses.

I have been taking Xanax prn for 8 years. I use it for anxiety and to help me fall asleep, either when I first go to bed or after a nightmare. Pdoc had me take .5/4x a day to begin with, now I take it when needed. Despite my fears of addiction (I have been sober 30 years now) that has not been a problem. I don't crave it, do not need larger doses, do not need to take it more often. I typically only take it during the day when suicide seems like a good option, or when I have had more than 3 nights of poor sleep. Pdoc has told me to take 4 and go to bed as an alternative to the ER; he doesn't think a psych ward would be good for me (and I happen to agree, based on my IP experience).

July was a really bad month for me; intense agitation, feeling like I was burning up inside, unable to settle, unable to think straight, unable to sleep. I took Xanax when I couldn't stand it. Recently I read that the can be a late-onset reaction like this to coming off anti-depressants. And my last dose of AD was in that time frame. I wish I had known this last month! The article said that benzos are the only thing he has found that helps. I'd have taken more when I was in the midst of that misery. Now that I am past it, I guess I am grateful that I didn't take more b/c of addiction/withdrawal.