4 Years Benzo Free to World Championship Dancer!

After a forced cold turkey 4.5 years ago from 15yrs Xanax (Alprazolam) prescription 6mg daily, I had seizures and was hospitalized 9 months.

 

Then with severe acute symptoms spent 2 years full-time in a mental health rehab centre.

 

With diet, exercise (mostly walking), Tai Chi, gentle rehab yoga, Music Therapy,  daily meditationand  guided relaxation, I graduated very slowly to comp volleyball, Tennis and Soccer.

 

The biggest factor in my achievements was taking up Tai Chi.

 

Benzos impair a person's ability to calm and relax themselves, as benzos do it by numbing the nervous system.

When benzos are stopped the body has somewhat lost the ability to calm itself naturally.

And depending on circumstances of prescription use, it can, as in my case, take quite a long time, even years, to repair the Benzo nervous system injury.

 

The key is to retrain yourself and your nervous system to relax at will, so as to put yourself in a good position to enjoy life while accepting that the body is healing and it takes however long it takes.

 

Patience and acceptance is key to healing from all injuries.

 

Tai Chi is moving relaxation meditation with smooth, gentle, flowing movements that relax the nervous system. It is a form of dance choreography therapy that greatly improves cognitive function, memory, balance, mobility, strength, spatial awareness and flexibility.

It also improves self confidence and social skills. And is enjoyable to do.

I often do it to my favourite songs or music.

Combining it with breath control it also gives even greater results.

 

Tai Chi also teaches patience. Something often taken away by benzos.

 

It can be done seated or lying down for less mobile people.

 

In my case, by combining Tai Chi with various Latin Dance styles (eg Salsa), I have achieved world class dance level in just over 2 years of Tai Chi practice and Dance training.

With my dance team competing at the World Latin Championships later this year.

 

Despite the fact I deal with often quite strong benzo withdrawal symptoms daily.

 

When they get particularly strong

I use Tai Chi and/or guided relaxation (lying down, seated or walking) to control and manage them very successfully.

 

The moral of the story is the body recovers when it recovers.

 

The time frame is different for everyone.

So many variables.

Give your body an ideal situation to promote healing as with any illness or injury.

Relearn patience, calm and relaxation skills with Tai Chi (also known as Qigong), guided relaxation, meditation and gentle yoga.

This will enable you to lead a rewarding lifestyle while not only allowing healing to take it's natural course but also promoting healing.

 

Due to Benzo wdl I lost my voice for 2.5 years, had severe Alzheimer symptoms with memory and cognitive dysfunction.

 

Tai Chi as a moving relaxation skill was and still is key to my regaining my voice and also being able to remember multiple dance choreographies and to have the confidence to perform them under pressure, at a very high level.

 

YouTube has lots of great info on and examples of Tai Chi, Qigong, guided relaxation, meditation, gentle yoga.

Just takes things slowly and gradually.

Benzo withdrawal causes people to feel they have to rush things. It takes away calm and patience.

 

Tai Chi is training to physically slow down, relax and enjoy movement, regain strength and mobility and enjoy a richer life.

 

 

 

 

 

That is fantastic advice and what a fantastic story.  I am sorry for all the suffering you have gone through but you have done a great job helping yourself to recover.  I hope you will continue to do very well.

 

Fiona 

Thanks Fiona!  Appreciate the support.

HiPhoenix,

Glad to hear of your success:)

May I ask where you stayed and did insurance pay for it? Were they familiar with benzo wd?

Also, did they put you on any meds?

 

Thanks:)

Amazing story and excellent advice!  Am very, very happy for you, may you continue to go from strength to strength. 

 

The key is to retrain yourself and your nervous system to relax at will, so as to put yourself in a good position to enjoy life while accepting that the body is healing and it takes however long it takes.

 

I'm a huge believer in this!  I actually went to a few mindbody movement classes for chronic pain, which incorporated traditional Asian exercise methods such as Qigong.  I wasn't able to commit to a schedule, though, due to the nature of my symptoms, so I started doing it at home daily.  I was absolutely loving it and really, really felt I was on the right path ... until, that is, another G d awful symptom kicked in and put an end to it.   So now I mainly just walk.

 

I'm wondering whether you could elaborate more on your physical symptoms?

 

Thank you for coming back to share, it means a lot, and congrats again.

Thx for the responses.

 

Sleeplesshell I went to a non government organization for mental health rehab in Australia. So insurance wasn't a factor in this country.  And no meds were involved.

Thx Abcd. 

 

My symptoms are pretty much what you would read in the wiki description of Benzo withdrawal syndrome.

 

Probably intestinal and digestive pain is the strongest and most distracting symptom.

 

This is from me not expressing my emotions very effectively after 2 years or so having lost my voice but using chanting and singing and reciting poetry and strengthening my voice to regain confidence to express myself freely and clearly to improve the situation.

 

And to be able to speak out clearly and strongly so as to not let people take advantage of me.

 

Walking is amazingly helpful and alongside Tai Chi (Qigong) and Yoga Nidra guided meditation is my go to for symptom management.

 

If you can walk definitely get back into Tai Chi (Qigong).

 

It works.

Crushing chronic fatigue exhaustion every 3 or 4 hours was previously the most debilitating symptom up until a couple of weeks ago.

 

I changed to get more sun exposure, even at least a few minutes every day or so, and being awake much longer during daylight hours and haven't experienced it since.

Tip of the day:

 

I've found I'm less prone to catching cold and flu by reducing the temperature of my showers very gradually (to avoid shocking the system) to cool after enjoying the usual relaxing hot shower.

 

It's very refreshing done this way.

 

Also increasing the amount of garlic, ginger and vitamin C (from fruit) in your diet when first signs of cold or flu appear either stops them in their tracks or at the very least decreases their length and severity.

 

In Benzo Withdrawal cold and flu symptoms can be much stronger.

Phoenix, I love your heroic story of turning an inhumane situation into triumph...what a fighter you are! Huge respect to you.

 

Thank you also for the great tips. I am housebound currently due to agoraphobia, but am finding youtube Qigong videos and guided meditations invaluable. I have been able to re-teach my body to fall asleep with these. Also, gentle trauma-release yoga (also via the Internet) has been very helpful.

 

Wishing you every blessing. I know that - with your attitude and approach - you will heal completely. Best of luck in that dance championship!!!

I am so happy for you

Doing Tai Chi, too.. Love it because I can do it in bed, sitting, standing...

 

Thank you for your success story, its inspiring to me..

Congratulations Phoenix for taking time to post and share your success story. I am extremely happy for you and to know that healing does occur given the right time. Success stories such as yours give me and those who are still struggling that we will also heal and regain our normal life back when the right time comes.

 

Thank you again and enjoy your new life that you well deserved.

 

Blessings!

Pi

Congratulations Phoenix 

for  sharing your success story.

 

  Success stories such as yours give me

and those who are still struggling

belief that  we will also heal and

regain life back when the right time comes. 

 

Do you have any recommended videos? Especially the ones that help you learn Tai Chi if you're bed ridden?

ideallife: Two other buddies have recommended this site: http://www.flowingzen.com/ Not sure you can do it if bedridden, but you'd likely be able to adapt some of it...

 

I hope this helps. Good luck!

An amazing, remarkable story of persistence. You must have gone through complete hell, but I am so happy for you that you've found joy and healing in dancing, Tai Chi, walking, meditation, among other things. It just shows that the human spirit can get through anything if there is strong enough willpower and strength of conviction. 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!! And I'm wishing the best for you at the World Latin Championships!!!

 

Thank you so much for your story.  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: