Friends and Family Letter

Hello, I have worked up a letter for people to give to their friends and family during benzo withdrawal. Hoping this will help some of us explain what we are going through and get the support that we need to heal! I formatted in in Word, so it may need some editing to look perfect. Feel free to edit and share! Here it is:

 

 

Dear Friends and Family:

 

You are reading this now because someone you know and care about is struggling with one of the most difficult times in their life by choosing to withdraw from a Benzodiazepine class prescription drug.

 

Benzodiazepines are psychoactive drugs first distributed as Valium in the 1960’s and later distributed under various brand names such as: Xanax, Paxil, Librium, Klonopin, Ativan, Lunesta, and Ambien, among others. Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for the treatment of  anxiety, insomnia, agitation, seizures, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal and as a premedication for medical or dental procedures, and are frequently given to those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.*

 

Patients are seldom warned about the dangers of using ‘Benzos’ and many doctors are uneducated about the side effects and possible withdrawal effects that occur when a patient attempts to stop taking the medication.  Physical dependence can ensue in as little as nine days use, even when taken only in very small amounts or exactly as prescribed.

 

It is important to understand that a person using Benzo’s as prescribed is not an ‘addict’. A person who is addicted has a disease that undermines optimal function and drives one to compulsively use a drug, despite the negative consequences. In contrast, a person withdrawing from Benzodiazapines has unwittingly damaged their GABA neurotransmitters as the result of responsible use of a medication, and is forced to undergo negative consequences in order to discontinue their use of the medication. It takes a brave and strong individual to choose to this painful process, rather than continuing to take the medication indefinitely.

 

It is vital that a person who wishes to discontinue use of a Benzodiazepine does so in an informed and gradual manner (tapering) to avoid serious side effects such as seizure, coma, or psychosis. Even when gradually tapering off of the medication, side effects are often severe and debilitating and can include symptoms such as:

 

• Abdominal cramping, bloating and digestive disturbances (diarrhea and constipation)

• Inability to control bodily functions such as swallowing, blinking, movement of limbs

• Weakness and fatigue, sleepiness and loss of interest in life

• Severe headaches and ‘cog fog’ or fuzzy thinking

• Tinitus, ringing in the ears

• Inability to process incoming data like talking, television, reading

• Extreme hunger and thirst, hypoglycemia

• Blood pressure fluctuations

• Lightheadedness or fainting, dizziness

• Difficulty breathing, the feeling that the brain isn’t sending the ‘breathe’ command

• Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, tachycardia

• Sensitivity to light and sound, movement

• Blurry vision, double vision, seeing waves or sparks, eye twitches, photosensitivity

• Menstrual irregularities, hormonal imbalances

• Twitching or aching muscles, myoclonic jerks or spasms

• Adrenal ‘rushes’ – these can be instantaneous or last for hours

• Severe Insomnia and changes in sleep patterns such as early waking

• Anxiety, depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, fear of being alone

• Hypochondria, convinced that they are going to die

• Derealization – the feeling of unreality, or as though you are in a movie

• Depersonalization – Arms and legs feel detached from body, can’t recognize your own face or possessions

• Itching, burning skin, pins and needles feeling

• Hallucinations (visual, tactile, and auditory)

• Exaggeration of natural reflexes such as startling easily

• Impotence, decreased sex drive

• Loss of taste, constant hunger, nausea, weight loss or gain

• Shaking, tremors or seizures

• Morbid thoughts, changes in personality, loss of self respect, suicidal feelings

• Worsening of symptoms with changes in diet, supplements or other medications

 

The process of withdrawal from these drugs can be profound, painful and life-altering.  Most people do completely recover, but the healing process can be extremely slow. Most sufferers will be healed one year after COMPLETING their taper off of the medicine, but many take longer (18 months – 2 years) to feel completely themselves once again.

 

As a support for a person withdrawing from benzodiazepines, you are a crucial part of the healing process. Many people are unable to drive, shop, work, or parent effectively during their healing. Their daily lives and activities, and often their self-respect and relationships suffer a severe blow. The person undergoing this process is very vulnerable and will need your assistance in a variety of ways, including:

 

• Physical helps such as food preparation, personal care, and assistance with household chores.

• Financial help if the loved one is unable to work. 

• Emotional support and understanding – a non-judgmental attitude that embodies encouragement and persistent hope.

• A peaceful, comforting living environment as free of loud noises, bright lights, and chaos as possible.

• Transportation to doctor’s appointments or to meet other needs, and help with shopping.

• Help parenting or making arrangements for childcare.

• Companionship (sometimes constant) especially during periods of lightheadedness, heart symptoms, seizure episodes,    agoraphobia or severe depression or anxiety.

 

Most of all, the person going through withdrawal needs you to be present in their life and to let them know that you will not give up on them.  Constant reassurance and caring is the only weapon a caregiver has to help fight the lies that the withdrawal of the benzodiazepine feeds to the brain and nervous system. You are integral to your loved one’s eventual success. You can remind them that they will get through this, that you are there for them, and that they are not to blame for the temporary damage the drug has caused. 

 

For many who have gone through this long and difficult process, life after benzo withdrawal is much better as they have learned to embrace opportunity and value their relationships more highly.  The gratitude for those friends, family, and medical practitioners who have assisted them on their journey is beyond measure.

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

*Courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_withdrawal_syndrome

*For more information on Benzodiazepines and withdrawal, please visit www.benzobuddies.org

 

 

 

Paxil is not a benzo, but an SSRi. Neither are Lunesta or Ambien. They are kissing cousins to benzos and are recommended sleep aids. But they are still addictive, just like benzos. And tinnitus has two "ns", not one. Good job otherwise.  Bets

Good to know! I really needed this edited, but didn't get any replies yet off the feedback forum. Not sure how I got those wrong, but I was still in acute when I wrote that part. Any other errors I should correct?

Good to know! I really needed this edited, but didn't get any replies yet off the feedback forum. Not sure how I got those wrong, but I was still in acute when I wrote that part. Any other errors I should correct?

 

I'm a copy editor by trade, and also a reporter. If you want, I can go thru it for you. No charge of course. Under normal circumstances, I would charge you $60. Bets

That would be great! I am not a professional (obviously) just a bb who wished there was something like this on the site that I could just print and hand to my family. I am hoping this will help other bb's and their families who are just starting their journey.

One thing you might want to consider is that 2 years is not the "cap" for benzo wd. I'm sure most people do recover substantially within that time frame but the problem with stating a limit is that anyone who hears that will expect you to be fully healed by that time and if you still have symptoms after that, the disbelief kicks back in and you are right back where you started.

 

In my opinion it is much better to be vague "Withdrawal symptoms can last for months or even years". That way you aren't painting yourself in a corner.

 

Overall an excellent letter though.

I can't edit any copy that is written on the open forum. There's no Modify button.

Thank you FloridaGuy - good point. I changed it. Maybe if anyone has a correction/criticism they can offer it up and I will just make the changes and then post the revised copy? I guess we aren't supposed to email each other or i would just do it thataway!

Thank you so much for this letter. Many times I have started to write this and got waylaid by other projects or symptoms. Great job and much needed thank you again. River.

Thank you for writing this and making it available. I copied it to my computer and will make adjustments as necessary, but it's an excellent frame work.  Thanks again, I know how hard it must have been to write this during withdrawal.

 

Korbe

Thanks guys, just trying to pay it forward. Don't know how I would have made it through without this forum. I think some version of this gives the person going through w/d some credibility and communicates what our fuzzy brains are maybe not able to say about what we need from our support system during the process. Here is an updated version with a couple of the corrections:

 

Dear Friends and Family:

 

You are reading this now because someone you know and care about is struggling with one of the most difficult times in their life by choosing to withdraw from a Benzodiazepine class prescription drug.

 

Benzodiazepines are psychoactive drugs first distributed as Valium in the 1960’s and later distributed under various brand names such as: Xanax,  Librium, Klonopin, Ativan,  among others. Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for the treatment of  anxiety, insomnia, agitation, seizures, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal and as a premedication for medical or dental procedures, and are frequently given to those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.*

 

Patients are seldom warned about the dangers of using ‘Benzos’ and many doctors are uneducated about the side effects and possible withdrawal effects that occur when a patient attempts to stop taking the medication.  Physical dependence can ensue in as little as nine days use, even when taken only in very small amounts or exactly as prescribed.

 

It is important to understand that a person using Benzo’s as prescribed is not an ‘addict’. A person who is addicted has a disease that undermines optimal function and drives one to compulsively use a drug, despite the negative consequences. In contrast, a person withdrawing from Benzodiazapines has unwittingly damaged their GABA neurotransmitters as the result of responsible use of a medication, and is forced to undergo negative consequences in order to discontinue their use of the medication. It takes a brave and strong individual to choose to this painful process, rather than continuing to take the medication indefinitely.

 

It is vital that a person who wishes to discontinue use of a Benzodiazepine does so in an informed and gradual manner (tapering) to avoid serious side effects such as seizure, coma, or psychosis. Even when gradually tapering off of the medication, side effects are often severe and debilitating and can include symptoms such as:

 

• Abdominal cramping, bloating and digestive disturbances (diarrhea and constipation)

• Inability to control bodily functions such as swallowing, blinking, movement of limbs

• Weakness and fatigue, sleepiness and loss of interest in life

• Severe headaches and ‘cog fog’ or fuzzy thinking

• Tinitus, ringing in the ears

• Inability to process incoming data like conversation, television, reading

• Extreme hunger and thirst, loss of appetite,  hypoglycemia

• Blood pressure fluctuations

• Lightheadedness or fainting, dizziness

• Difficulty breathing, the feeling that the brain isn’t sending the ‘breathe’ command

• Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, tachycardia

• Sensitivity to light and sound, movement

• Blurry vision, double vision, seeing waves or sparks, eye twitches, photosensitivity

• Menstrual irregularities, hormonal imbalances

• Twitching or aching muscles, myoclonic jerks or spasms

• Adrenal ‘rushes’ – these can be instantaneous or last for hours

• Severe Insomnia and changes in sleep patterns such as early waking

• Anxiety, depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, fear of being alone

• Hypochondria, convinced that they are going to die

• Derealization – the feeling of unreality, or as though you are in a movie

• Depersonalization – Arms and legs feel detached from body, can’t recognize your own face or possessions

• Itching, burning skin, pins and needles feeling

• Hallucinations (visual, tactile, and auditory)

• Exaggeration of natural reflexes such as startling easily

• Impotence, decreased sex drive

• Loss of taste, nausea, weight loss or gain

• Shaking, tremors or seizures

• Morbid thoughts, changes in personality, loss of self respect, suicidal feelings

• Worsening of symptoms with changes in diet, supplements or other medications

 

The process of withdrawal from these drugs can be profound, painful and life-altering.  Most people do completely recover, but the healing process can be extremely slow. Most sufferers will be healed one year after COMPLETING their taper off of the medicine, but many take months or even years to feel completely themselves once again.

 

As support for a person withdrawing from benzodiazepines, you are a crucial part of the healing process. Many people are unable to drive, shop, work, or parent effectively during their healing. Their daily lives and activities, and often their self-respect and relationships suffer a severe blow. The person undergoing this process is very vulnerable and will need your assistance in a variety of ways, including:

 

• Physical helps such as food preparation, personal care, and assistance with household chores.

• Financial help if the loved one is unable to work. 

• Emotional support and understanding – a non-judgmental attitude that embodies encouragement and persistent hope.

• A peaceful, comforting living environment as free of loud noises, bright lights, and chaos as possible.

• Transportation to doctor’s appointments or to meet other needs, and help with shopping.

• Help parenting or making arrangements for childcare.

• Companionship (sometimes constant) especially during periods of lightheadedness, heart symptoms, seizure episodes, agoraphobia or severe depression or anxiety.

 

Most of all, the person going through withdrawal needs you to be present in their life and to let them know that you will not give up on them.  Constant reassurance and caring is the only weapon a caregiver has to help fight the lies that the withdrawal of the benzodiazepine feeds to the brain and nervous system of the sufferer. You are integral to your loved one’s eventual success. You can remind them that they will get through this, that you are there for them, and that they are not to blame for the temporary damage the drug has caused. 

 

For many who have gone through this long and difficult process, life after benzo withdrawal is much better as they have learned to embrace opportunity and value their relationships more highly.  The gratitude for those friends, family, and medical practitioners who have assisted them on their journey is beyond measure.

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

*Courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_withdrawal_syndrome

*For more information on Benzodiazepines and withdrawal, please visit www.benzobuddies.org

 

Hi b4h,

Great letter.  May I add to the list of symptoms:  RAGE, anger, uncontrollable episodes of emotion and/or crying.

 

Thanks,

Ringo

bumping...hoping this can get locked in somewhere so it is easily accessible to people who need it. Or if the bb forum mentors will create one and lock it in, it would be so helpful. I just know that there are people who would love to be able to communicate all this to friends and family but can't b/c of where they are in w/d.

I love it!!! What a fantastic idea. Thank you 

b4h.... You did a fantastic job with your letter!!!    :thumbsup:

 

Hugs, P

I think it would be a good idea if this could be added to and modified as members contribute to it.

 

If t these  additions were written by you I think it would be great.

 

I'll see if I can get it as a sticky.

Hi - I've had a couple of people PM me looking for this so I thought I would re-post it for them. Hugs to everybody!  :smitten: