Wd tapering from klon after 9 months to year use was not every single day sometimes it was more frequent 1-2mg every other day or sometimes couple of days on occasion higher 3-4mg I have twitching and tingling feeling I want to know if there is anything to calm it im currently trying to make it to .75 mg and taper from there

I posted here two days ago about being on 0.75mg of Xanax for sleep and it suddenly stopped working. While my doctor thinks it was a bad batch I got 3 weeks ago, I’m also on Seroquel for sleep which leaves me groggy and not functioning until 2-3pm the next day. I swear from 3-7/8pm I’m inconsolable and spiral into OCD thoughts (which I was doing in the previous weeks when I wasn’t getting any sleep except I am getting some sleep now).

I don’t recognize myself and feel extremely bad mentally during that time, convinced I have prion disease or something physiological going on (no one can tell me different during those episodes), I hyperventilate, feel extremely ill, and feel awful for my friends and family. In the hour I have not being on either pill, I feel fairly normal. My psychiatrist did say when you don’t sleep despite taking both pills, the feelings are intensified. I feel like the “come down” every day is intensified until I get 2 hours where I’m more stable.

I don’t want nor plan to be on Xanax in the long run and I don’t know that starting Seroquel is quite the long term answer but these episodes get so bad and I get so hysterical and feel so bad mentally in my head, that I would welcome any advice or insight or stories relating. Heck, I would even take suggestions of treatment centers.

I’m also wondering if switching to Valium or something would be better (despite the whole reason I liked Xanax was the short half life and I could function the next day).

Additionally, I’m wondering if I’m having a paradoxical reaction after 4 years and what that looks like.

Sorry for the overload and chaotic-ness.

(Side note: My psychiatrist is aware of everything and we are trying to work through it, but I would love to hear any advice).

So I’ve been tapering for about 9 months at this point from 1.5mg Ativan down to 0.25mg daily. I dropped my morning dose of 0.0625 exactly one week ago, and started feeling it almost immediately. In the past when I’d drop, it would be a couple weeks before I’d really feel some withdrawal. This has me a bit scared, as my peak has been at about three weeks post-drop, but I’m already feeling it now. Is the onset different when you go down to once daily from your experience? Thanks in advance and stay strong everyone!

Yo can any of you guys relate to feeling conpletely controlled by your anxietes? What I mean is, I'm ~1 year out from cold turkey WD after 4 yrs of use, bla bla bla, and I still have so fkin much anxiety and I'm so insanely insecure, I feel that these two things dictate and limit EVERYTHING I do (and my whole identity?? I feel like there's a hole in me where all the things I wanna do with my life and my views on things etc should be - like there's so much anxiety and other b/s there's no room left for the rest of me to flourish, or even exist at all. I've lost my entire personality along the way).

Also, for those of you who feel like you made it out - do you think you're better for having gone through this? (Not as in seeing yourself better than others, but as in a better human being/person)

I had a set back from Clonidine. I made a post before taking it and it seemed like a lot of the Benzo community gave me the okay but it completely set back my sleep. I can’t fall asleep until 7am-10am. Sleep quality is more awful. Wondering how long this is going to last. Not really a question , I’m just needing to rant. I noticed after taking it, it was listed on benzo coalition. Also have head pressure again. Does anyone know the science on what clonidine does and why it would possibly set me back? I feel wired

Started taking 1-2mg of Xanax every day sometimes twice a day for about 2 months straight. Started getting very slight withdrawals between doses so I decided to taper and get off them. Had about 4 days of moderate withdrawals (insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations, headaches, loss of appetite etc). It has now been 7 days since my last dose and I have felt normal the past 2/3 days. Am I ok to re continue taking Xanax but keep it at once a week or would it throw me right back into withdrawals? Any help would be appreciated I don’t want to ruin all my hard work but I also would like to be able to take Xanax now and again when needed.

Relapsed on Saturday last week and been taking Valium occasionally and it’s making me feel super depressed/low and suicidal.

Making me think about all the sad things that have happened in my life. I was doing okay before. I need to try and find the strength to overcome the dark feelings and stopped taking them because they certainly ramped up since I took my last dose one hour ago.

Advice and support please

This study investigates the relationship between Alexithymia and benzodiazepine use. People who score higher on alexithymia scales can have difficulties identifying how they are feeling, which has been linked to alcohol and drug use. We are hoping to identify whether Alexithymia is a risk factor for Benzodiazepine use and dependence. This research is being conducted as part of the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology Programme at the University of Exeter.

https://exe.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bxVyWJqZUx2e9pA

I graduated last year from college with my bachelors and went through the whole tapering process afterwards. It took me 4 months and I'm now a year off Clonazepam 2-3MG for the past 3 1/2 years. Most jobs I've looked at are 30+ hours a week and the thought of that causes me to feel panic. Being around others for more than a few hours causes me restlessness.

I was thinking of doing remote volunteer work for small projects of around 5-10 hours per week. I've been trying to build up of how I'm on the computer because when I return to work, it'll be using the computer most of the time. I really wanted to apply for this one part time job but I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it and will end up not only losing it but also destroying any chances of working for the organization in the future.

Has anyone done this? Any tips on how to transition back into a schedule? I've been forcing myself to get out of bed, do chores and exercise since I ended benzos.

Hi I’ve quit oxy cold turkey and used valiums to get sleep at nights and for the restless leg syndrome. I’ve been using 5mg for 2 weeks every day. Will I go through withdrawals now from the valiums ? I’d like your advices so I can do my research and prepare for it.. thank you everyone

December 29th will mark 7 years off diazipam. And,unfortunately for me still in absolute hell dont even feel any better,yes a couple symptoms improved but some have got way worse and developed new issues.im housebound lost my job my girlfriend have zero life,I rely on my parents to basically live.i did take antibiotics 3 years ago amd I have got h pylori which tortures me everyday,are them 2 things enough to stop any healing I duno but apart from ive tried a few supplements which I've reacted badly to, even vitamins, but nothing caused a setback was just like bad reactions for a few days. I don't believe everyone recovers from this no more,zero evidence to back up that claim, yes many heal and many dont suffer for years but my nervous system feels like it's blown to pieces I cant tolerate anything, literally any stimulation, good or bad same with adrenaline or loud noises or fast movements,car journeys make me feel horrendous,the head symptoms are brutal the noise in my ears all day non stop the electric feeling through the nerves the burning head the palpations and fatigue and now really depressed I only see one way out but I don't want to but this is too much, I don't understand why it's not all improving id be ok if I saw signs of healing. maybe when the damage is so bad it just struggles to heal.i eat as organic as possible, I do my best to avoid chemicals especially smells as they seem to destroy me obviously don't touch alcohol.yes my gut is wrecked and I cant take anything to heal it but I was still bad before gut issues.i no many won't believe alot of this but I've nothing to lie about benzos ruined my life nothing Is worse then this nothing lasts this long everyday a torture chamber.i domt no many whats recovered past my stage 7 years nearly is pain unimaginable n having to watch people live there life's n move on while u have to fight to survive is a different type of pain

Hey guys does anyone know how to stop a burning chest sensation from the Valium

Tapering from 2mg Klonopin it is ok to jump at 0.05

I assume that most people who become addicted on benzos do so at least in part because it for a moment helps with the anxiety. When one stops on benzos, there is a terrible withdrawal, but might the issue also be that the anxiety that one had before even touching benzos for the first time also comes back?

Also, are there any alternatives to benzos? Are people just stuck with their anxiety when they stop on benzos? I run 5km almost daily, take cold showers, do WHM breathing exercises, but nothing helps like benzos. Therapy (including CBT) didn’t help either.

Anything to knock the edge off that's beneficial towards the healing process

Hey everyone, recently found this sub, and had a question hopefully someone can help me with about my PAWS symptoms.

I had taken 1mg of Ativan nearly daily for anxiety from Sept 2020 to Aug 2023. I stopped for 4 months, and then took it again for a full month again from late Dec to late Jan 2024. After that I quit it cold turkey from 1mg, and have been clean of it for 8 months.

I'm still experiencing PAWS symptoms, though I'm seeing improvement now compared to the first few months of being off it.

My main question is: Is the fact that I stopped cold turkey from 1mg likely to have a large impact on my recovery time? I know that its not advised to do this, and in hindsight I shouldn't have done it, but I'm not entirely sure if 1mg is considered a large enough dose to hinder my recovery from stopping cold turkey from it in February.

Thanks for the help!

i’m currently 4 months off and in the past used kratom for pain management, took a break because it was giving me reflux i think? or maybe it was just from the withdrawal honeslty who knows, but i just had some and now im wondering if that was a bad idea, could it re trigger my withdrawal symptoms? i’ve been feeling really good for the past month so i hope i didn’t mess it up, i just googled and saw there is a compound in kratom that works on the GABA receptors

Just venting. I’ve been on a super long taper that has been slowed by major life events. I was RXed a monster dose and am way down, but have a long ways to go still until I’m to zero and recovered.

I haven’t had alcohol in almost 3 years. I stopped weed over a year ago. I haven’t had any real drugs like psychedelics or ketamine in 6 or so years.

And I’m not going to get to have any for years to come until my brains is benzo healed.

I used to get happy hour drunk with friends. I used to smoke too much pot. I tripped a Lot back in the day, and a little while benzos were starting to fuck up my life / interdose withdrawal taking over. I miss that stuff.

The number of times people have told me I need to relax is Enormous. In medical settings too. I’m clinically, semi dangerously stressed the fuck out. But I can’t relax for a bunch of reasons but chemically the benzo taper / interdose withdrawal is top of the list. And it’s such that I can’t even have a beer to force relaxation for 10 minutes, obviously.

I stopped weed well into my benzo taper. I think it was basically a failed experiment a year+ without it. I’m more with it, better memory, sort of more functional, but my PTSD and sleep are worse. But I don’t think I can resume it. I have super low dose edibles available but am afraid of having a panic attack or something similar given my lack of tolerance.

When I’m healed up in 2028 or whatever I want to get absolutely smashed. Stumble home from the bar and then book a trip for an ayahuasca retreat.

Hello, my sibling is withdrawing from Valium. As of right now, taper gone from 2mg, 1mg, 0.5mg, and now 0.25mg a night with hopes of cold Turkey starting Monday. He took xanax recreationally and later prescribed - for 2 years. Now, on Valium with hopes of weening off. Going quite well from what I see.

Wondering, how long you expect withdrawl symptoms to last with no benzos at all in his system starting Monday?

I know it's probably related to a mix of benzo withdrawals causing my sleep to be crap and not being able to take vitamin d since it makes my symptoms terrible. Does anyone have any advice for how to feel more energetic? I feel like I barely have energy for a normal life nowadays, it's hard enough to maintain a job. Forget about thinking about going back to school and spending time with friends or family. I feel so fatigued lately that even making conversation seems much harder than it should be. I feel like i keep letting people down for never having energy to do anything and I have some big things lined up (a cruise with family and a trip to Japan next year) and I'm dreading both of these things because I don't know how I'm going to manage to find the energy to do them. It's hard too because no one really seems to understand or they forget that this isn't really something that will just go away. Sometimes I worry it's all in my head too (I've been tapering for years and while going slow has allowed me to have less symptoms and live a somewhat normal life, it has its up and downs). I don't recall feeling this exhausted in a really long time and it's just really tough being like this :(

Hello guys, long story short im addicted to benzos. How did it happen? Last year I had a tragic event in my life and I depended on Bromazolam and Flubromazepam to keep it together. I tried to taper it, taking only 4mg of Flubromazepam/week but somehow I end up also taking 1 or 2 mg Bromazolam. I need to chill the f down cause now I can’t control my emotions and I’m very dependent on the substance to calm myself down. Any advice on this shitty situation? I’m afraid to just stop taking it cause I have such bad muscle spasms I’m afraid I will have a seizure.

So for the past 35 days I’ve taken 2mg of Bromaz the first 20 of those days, then have tapered my dose to 1MG the last 15. I quit for 3 days (the last 3 days) after I realized I had done it long enough to create a withdrawal. The first day was anxiety ridden, gf was driving me up the wall by existent. 2nd day was okay just sweat flashes and headache ish. Third day wasn’t bad just itchy feeling on back and face with sweat. I took .5MG today and feel fine. Bromaz is 1/2 strength of Xanax. So 2Mg of Bromaz is 1MG of Xanax. Given this timeline and dosage, how long do I need to detox before I don’t feel super anxious and irritable? And did my dose today reset my timeline? Irritability is my biggest issue as it creates such rifts in my relationship and my gf has no clue I take this so she just thinks I hate her.

Last year in October 2023, I received both my Flu and Covid shots. I had passed my acute phase and I was experiencing a faint glimmer of the windows and waves trend we all talk about.

October 2023 would’ve been month 5 since my jump, and I remember going into a wave the day after getting the jabs. This is how sensitive you can become once you end using your benzo.

Flash forward to this year, at about almost month 19, and I get both of them again on Tuesday morning. I felt mostly normal for the first 8 hours after the boosters, but at around 8pm I started dipping into wave territory.

For about 2 hours I had lost control of most of my thoughts and emotions. It takes about 20 minutes to recognize that I’m going crazy - you can never become accustomed to waves, they tear you sideways, always.

It feels like people can easily forget the torture when they come back here smiling through their words, telling us that it’s all going to be great and we got this. I know they mean so well, but I can’t help but feel that time can make a fool out of any emotions felt. This isn’t a dig at anyone trying to spread cheer. Tears of joy were streaming down my eyes 10 days ago when I exited my last wave.

It was at 12pm that my headache reached maximum “am I having a stroke?” level. All of this stress is worth the protection from Covid, no doubt, but these side effects were definitely going to send me into a multi day wave. I was certain of it.

I woke up the next morning with my usual depression, but no mother fucking wave. I have been wave free for 10 days now.

It took 19 months, but I can get vaccines again, I can eat sugar again, and, after a walk in the morning, I have about 75% of my brain back again.

I’m going to write quite a few thoughts in the coming days about my experience, and I’ll be here for the long haul to help everyone and anyone, since I’m a huge Reddit nerd anyway. So you’re probably gonna get sick of my repetitive advice, but if there is anyone as lost as I was coming on here, they’ll need to know that it really does get better.

Just a reminder to anyone in the early stages, if you’re at month 1 or at month 6, and you really want off of this drug, you may have to prepare for a long battle. This is definitely not over for me either - I’m am sure as shit that if I really pushed myself I could easily wave myself. For the next year I have to be very careful with my central nervous system.

Happy Halloween everyone 🎃 and hang in there. ♥️

Also, get your vaccines people.

Ive been on .5mg-1mg xanax daily for around a year. I successfully got down to .25mg and felt like a totally normal human being. I thought I had totally rewired my nervous system.

After taking the .25mg for a couple weeks I stopped it cold turkey. 24 hours later, BOOM. Massive panic attack. I never suffered from panic attacks. Thankfully I knew it was a panic attack so I wasn’t afraid just extremely uncomfortable.

Last night I caved in and took 1mg because my insides feel shook to the core. I don’t know what to do :( I feel ashamed. I know I probably tapered too fast but now I feel like I have to start all over again.

I developed bad tinnitus a few months ago and im realizing it couldve been caused by being on clonasepam this long. But wont going off it just make the tinnitus worse? And add other unwanted side effects? Really scared about what i did to my brain. Anyone been on it this long? How did it go?

Over the summer, I was having a lot of panic about travelling. My doc gave me 1mg Ativan and said to take it when you need it. I ended up taking 0.25 for 6 weeks but took a week break when things settled but then went back on it. Once I got back home I slowly tapered to 0.125 for 2 weeks.

Now I'm off it for the past 10 days.

My only "withdrawal" symptom is anxiety. Even though I'm not travelling anymore I'm still getting nervous. I get nervous doing things I normally do. I still do most of the things even with the anxiety.

Thing is, I wedding to goto this weekend. I'm scared of having a panic attack at that wedding. So l'm contemplating taking 0.25mg just to make it through. I know people say to expose yourself to situations but sometimes when I do expose and end up having a severe anxiety episode, I end up avoiding that similar situation the next time.

(Side note. This isn't the first time l've had Ativan. Over the past 18 months I've used it on and off. But this summer was the most consistent I have used it)

Advice? (Without scaring please)

Im currently on 6mg of Xanax a day and I’ve been on Xanax for over 8 years, I got down to 5mg over the past 2 weeks, but I still feel some slight withdrawals and just minor symptoms like chills, yawns, and those kinds of things. I was wondering how quick you could taper off Xanax without feeling much of any withdrawal? I know it wont be painless but out of curiosity, how long will the small withdrawals last when I stabilize at a lower dose? Also im seeing a psychiatrist right now that plans on tapering me monthly slowly Anyone that has any advice thank you so much!

After 2yrs came from 9mg diazepam to 7mg in about a month, 0.5 cuts every 10 days.

I can't decide should I wait it's been 10 days and symptoms are heavy breathing and heart rate went up a bit with more anxiety..

To wait longer (how longer if) or go up to 7.5mg?

Thxx a lot