benzodiacepine dependency

[luckyCAT]

greetings to all users of this forum,

i´m a student of psychology and I need to present in class some case of a person that was treated with benzodiacepines and had some problem getting off it afterwards.

If you experienced something like that, I would be happy if you could share your story with me.

If you know a similiar story from the internet/a movie/book/..., I would also be thankful for hints! :)

bye,
luckyCAT

[alankay]

Benzos are NOT the problem, anxiety is. When you take a benzo for anxiety, but don't get psychotherapy to find/address the cause, the anxiety will return when you stop it....but so somehow it's the benzos fault?? Do a paper on something else as this one already has a predetermined outcome by the nature of the papers purpose. This is not psychology but demonizing a med class that has been used for over 50 year in virtually every country. Liberal use is the cause of most issues. Alankay

[acetone]

In my humble opinion benzos are the most effective anti-anxiety meds there are. They far far surpass SSRIs and other ADs in their anxiety relief and ease of use properties. Its just they have withdrawal and tolerance associated with long time use. To withdraw from long time use taper off slowly. If you are only looking for benzo horror stories to spook others google "Benzo withdrawal" and there you have your stories.

[Enduronman]

whoa,...

A psychology student. Cool!!!

I took xanax for 7 straight years, daily, up to 3mg.

Last Black Friday, I stopped taking them. Sealed the bottle with 101 inside. And ended up in the local ER from detox. Self-inflicted.

It felt like I was being cremated alive, for 3 solid days, and like I was on fire. The burning sensation was something that I'll never forget.

I also had severe ataxia. I had no control of my own body movements. I couldn't put my right foot down to walk. It looked like I had CP. That lasted for 10 days. I couldn't drive. For one day, I couldn't talk. Had to point and grumble. An odd experience to say the least.

I also have a disease that is capable of doing all of those same things, all by itself. A double edged sword persay.

I never opened that bottle. I still have them. It's symbolic to me, I succeeded.

Yes, benzo's are the best "anti-anxiety" medication available on this planet. Xanax, is and always will be #1. (because of it's chemical structure and how it targets certain brain chemicals of the "feel good" catagory).

My answer to your question? Is it hard? No. Did I pray for death? Yes.

Mind over matter, it just depends on what the individual person finds to be, the matter.

E-Man.

[artaud]

benzodiacepines

Curious, what nationality are you?

Benzodiazepine, at first I thought you misspelled it, but I did an Internet Search and found similar spellings.

I have long learned that they are effective, except for me, to have the benefit of their continued efficacy at the same dose, I learned to live with a lot of anxiety without using them, saving my "as needed" prescription for the particularly bad situations and anxiety. The half life of the drug varies considerably from one form (say Klonopin vs Xanax) to another.