I persist!

Your reasons for joining BenzoBuddies;

Hi. I'm a young woman who is curious about others' experiences with stopping benzodiazepines. I'm hoping to find a full range of experiences here, but I recognize that if someone is posting on a support forum, their experience was/is probably difficult.

The type of benzodiazepine (or z-drug) you take or have taken

Klonopin (clonazepam); switched 5 months ago from Ativan (lorazepam).

For how long you have been taking benzodiazepines

About a year

Your present dose

.1mg 2x a day

If you have started or finished your taper;

I am on week 10 of a 10-week taper. I have been decreasing from 1 mg 2x a day by .1 mg 2x a day each week.

And anything else you feel would be useful for those wishing to reply to your introduction.

Is there a section on the website for success stories? I like to curate what I read to encourage myself to be hopeful. This is because the depression and anxiety are hindering my capacity for hope.

I am an abuse survivor. I have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, PTSD, PMDD, and I consider myself an HSP (highly sensitive person.) I have a wonderful therapist who does talk therapy, EMDR, and Art Therapy. I am a writer, musician, and an artist, but I don't feel motivated or inspired to do this work when I am depressed. The worst symptom, for me, of depression is anhedonia.

My psychiatrist is okay, but limited by the HMO she operates in. I wish I had the opportunity to try more experimental treatments. I have had incredible success with a select few medications, but many have let to strange/unpleasant/awful reactions.

I am in my twenties and I live with my parents like any self-respecting millennial should.

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!  We are glad you decided to join us.  You'll find a lot of support and information on this forum, which is the only one of its kind online.  it sounds lie your taper is going well, congratulations on being near the end of it.  Symptoms often appear near the end of a taper, this is normal, they'll go away in time.

For those starting a taper, we generally recommend starting out at a rate of 5 to 10% every 10-14 days, then adjusting the taper to suit your own needs.  Note: very short term users may be able to taper faster.

Withdrawal symptoms, which vary widely but commonly include anxiety and insomnia, often occur during a taper, but these are temporary and will get better in time.  In general, first tapers are easier, but cold turkeys or multiple withdrawals may be more severe and longer lasting.  Here are a few links to get you started:

The Ashton Manual, a concise reference for tapering and symptom issues.

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

Once again, welcome!