When are benzos needed?

Exactly. I have used benzos for extended periods under a psychiatrist's care. My pdoc is careful and conservative; he considered my case (eg, I don't have any substance abuse problems, my anxiety was uncontrolled with therapy and even SSRIs, I was continuing to work hard in therapy, etc), and he decided that it was relatively safe to have me taking Klonopin daily for more than a year. I was able to come off the benzos each time I used them--when the time was right and an episode of depression/anxiety fully resolved. Using the benzos along with an SSRI allowed me to not only function but also get something out of therapy.

Yes. The stigma just doesn't seem to go away- the stigma that medication 'covers things up.' No. Medication allows us to function so we can work on ourselves to overcome our mental health challenges.

I have been on Klonopin for years. I take .5 mg at night along with Trazodone for sleep and up to 2 mg per day as needed for anxiety. I'm trying really hard to not take it during the day. I really want to stop taking it, but my psychiatrist doesn't want to discuss a tapering off schedule. I'm really tempted to completely stop taking it during the day and start cutting back on the .5 mg at night on my own and reduce it to .25. Not sure what kind of reaction that will cause and am really not sure if I should do this without my pdoc's supervision.

I would not do this on your own. Tapering too quickly off of benzos can be dangerous. If you really feel that you are ready to taper but your pdoc won't agree to it, then maybe you should get a second opinion.

I agree. When used correctly and in conjunction with therapy and self-help work, medication helps put a floor under depression or calm the nervous system down enough for insights to emerge in therapy and change to be attempted. White knuckling through mental illness or self-medicating in various ways (alcohol, sex, work, etc) are all ways of "covering things up." If someone has high blood pressure, a good doctor might recommend both a statin and lifestyle modification, not one or the other. Good studies show that recovery from depression, for example, proceeds best with both therapy and medication, at least for more severe forms.

I went a very, very, very long time without seeking the help that I needed because I had convinced myself that my problems weren't bad enough and I hadn't tried hard enough. If you feel like you have goals that could be reached with the help of a benzo then it sounds like it might be time. ::Shrug::

My Klonopin has made a big difference, in a very good way, in my life when I finally admitted to myself that I needed them and it was OK to need to them.

My doctor gave me a prescription and 2 refills on my Ativan.

I was worried. I just told him gently that I was responsible with it but could I have another refill?

He said “sure” in a nice voice. I am glad he refilled it, and it is what I wanted, but sometimes he makes no sense in his decisions. It took a year to get him to prescribe it and now he’s ok with it.

I am not complaining though.

Sometimes it just takes time for the doctor to get to know you before he prescribes benzo's. I have proven over years that I am responsible with them he will write me any benzo that I want. Xanax works best for me.

I've been taking Klonopin for 25 yrs, it barely works anymore. I've tried alternatives, but they do nothing for me. I'm at a loss, I suffer from severe panic on a daily basis.