"A Self-Help Handout for Benzodiazepine Discontinuation Using CBT"

This is a great journal article that not only gives information and references supporting benzodiazepine discontinuation, but it also offers a self-help guide featuring Cognitive Behvavior Therapy (CBT). CBT is an excellent tool to address anxiety and depression at any time, but here, the information directly addresses the anxiety issues that face people as they're deciding to withdraw from benzos and going through the difficult process of doing so.

 

To see the full article, click in the lower-right section of the link, where it offer the full text.

 

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/222680049_A_Self-Help_Handout_for_Benzodiazepine_Discontinuation_Using_Cognitive_Behavioral_Therapy

 

 

This was a very helpful overview of using CBT during a taper. Thanks for sharing!

You're welcome! I'm glad you took the time to read it too. I was so glad to see an article that was so specifically aimed at the important issues people face when coming off benzos.

Good catch, Lapis!!  I note and support the requirement of a modest ASI score before beginning a taper. 

I found this article way too late in the process for my situation, but still, CBT is such a good tool. Maybe the article will be helpful for others.

CBT can be a very useful tool for many. I can't find it now, but there was an article floating around years ago about taking care when introducing CBT or any therapy during w/d.  The challenge with these is that especially early in w/d, our cognitive skills are not in good shape and since a big part of CBT is cognitive it just may not be possible. Additionally, CBT is a combination of Cognitive and behavioral therapies.  In w/d, there is a very significant chemical component so changing behavior may show little benefit and without the cognitive abilities, it is possible that those of us in w/d, especially early on may not have a good experience with CBT, through no fault of our own.

I want to read the article but am having trouble accessing it. My therapists have been more harmful than helpful

Hey Bailey,

Just scroll down a bit and look on the right-hand side. It says "Full Text" and then beside that, "View". Click on "View" and it should bring up the whole article.

 

WWWI, I understand what you're saying. I know there are good therapists and not-so-good therapists out there, but I think that's where self-help comes in. There are some good books out there too, and CBT really requires us to put effort into our healing. It can't overcome all of the physical things that are happening, but it can help us frame things in a better, more rational way, and that can be so important when everything feels overwhelming. All I can say is don't give up on it. It's a great tool, and it's free of dangerous side effects!

Also I guess what I'm saying is that one goal of cbt is to change your perspective by changing your behavior.  And in the outside world, I think that can prove an effective technique.  However, if you are battling surges of adrenaline caused by w/d of benzos, neither changing perspective or behavior would have any impact.  I do think as cognitive skills return and surges lessen, CBT may be very useful.  Just concerned about dashed expectations and people feeling as if they failed something that in fact for a particular time cannot be successful.  Thanks for posting. Very interesting stuff!

 

WWWI

Wise Woman,  I was in very bad withdrawal from Valium and , long shory short .i was placed in a mental institution. They put  me on klonipin but decided to do a little analysis why they where at it,

 

I don't think they looked up withdrawal symptom   While there I turned out some very wild art work  and this was taken under quite serious scrutiny..

 

They let me go, eventually.with a diagnosis of PTSD.  I'm not sure why the docs came to that conclusion. Maybe it was all that furios scribbling I did in art therapy

Bailey

 

I'm glad to know that despite your creativity, they let you out anyway   On a more serious note, Ashton says that while some people may actually may have mental issues, wd can look like so many conditions and illnesses that diagnosing someone who is in acute w/d is not, most likely, going to provide an accurate diagnosis. Hope you are doing better now

 

WWWI

I've done this program twice when I was outpatient and at the time it worked well,,but it wasn't for benzo w/ d,,I liked it because there were groups of us who really understood what we were going through and could give each other a hug, high five or any previous you had experienced

WWWI,

They DID give me a diagnosis...PTSD. I didn't know this until I read the discharge papers when I got home. Was it for my crazy childhood? Or the years after my husband was diagnosed with cancer followed by our house being burned down followed by my daughter having a stalker?

 

OR was it because I had been through four months of cold turkey Valium withdrawal.

Ah no, couldn't have been that!!

 

I just think they had to fill in the blank.

Bailey - I also have a PTSD diagnosis, and I'm sure it was from withdrawal.  I had no history of trauma (well, a little, but so does everybody).  I had such tremendous anxiety a year ago.  It's now greatly reduced.  Normally PTSD is for life.  I seriously doubt if that applies to me.  This was all drug withdrawal induced for me.

So, if you folks received these diagnoses of PTSD, did they suggest/offer counseling, e.g. CBT or something else?

Great question!! I was left to figure this one out for myself. I got a little pity and scratching of the head from my family. Then we all moved on from that.

 

I think they had to write something.    

Just a label on a piece of paper? Sorry to hear that. Well, you can always check out the options for counseling, or get a good CBT book or something. There are some good ones out there!

So, if you folks received these diagnoses of PTSD, did they suggest/offer counseling, e.g. CBT or something else?

 

Yes - I began counseling about the same time as I jumped.  It's been very helpful for me.

Excellent, badsocref! Glad to hear it.