Successful start to taper but let down feeling after

I was able to navigate the first 12 days of reducing my Ativan from 2 to 1.75mg with considerable painful symptoms but am stabilized now. Sleeping through the night now is great but I have some depressive symptoms with feeling almost traumatized by the past 12 days.

Any suggestions on how to break out of this slump? I feel good that my mind is healing from the chemical damage and encouraged with tapering further...just worn out I guess

Listen to your body.

Every week will be different.

Spend a lot of time reading posts and learn from others.

Hi Mike,

That was a pretty big cut going from 2mg to 1.75mg Ativan, so it's no wonder your mind and body are feeling the impact. I just finished tapering from Ativan and what helped me was going at a slower pace and doing tiny daily reductions instead a a periodic big cut.  The concept behind this is to more closely match the rate of your body's ability to heal with your Ativan reductions.

There's a dedicated Ativan Support Group we'd love you to participate in, where we share what's worked, how we're doing and try to help one another out.  Be great if you want to join us:  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=44903.7650

In my experience, I felt increasingly better as I tapered down and improvements continue now that I'm Ativan-free.  There's a light at the end of this tunnel.  It's worth the fight! 

xo,

sierra 

Hi. Suggest

Nurture yourself as you went at it a tad fast!  It’s not a race but I never listen and taper at 20% and wonder why I get low!,

Exercise might help.

Post again tomorrow so the Ativan specialists will have more to say.

Personally I would hold if you can and not updose —-but opinions vary.

Be thinking of you Mike , best wishes

Dick

Thank you all for the advice, I will also check out the Ativan specific support page.

The past two days have seen anxiety symptoms at a very minimal level but with my interest level in life depressed and a numbness type feeling.

So I’m not paralyzed by the anxiety like last week but trying to make sense of depressive symptoms as I begin next taper.

I’ve experienced a great deal of depression throughout my taper. I just wanted to say that exercise has no doubt helped me. I was pretty totally sedentary until about 6 months ago, then about three months ago I worked my way up to walking a couple of miles a day outside and i also exercise on my Bowflex. Some days that’s pushing myself because I might be tired, etc but push I do. Also I realized that my fear of my depressive feelings scared the hell out of me. Further realizing that my fear was feeding my depression (and anxiety symptoms) encouraged me to let go. Accept this process and not to FIGHT my way through it like I did for most of my taper when things have felt so difficult. Claire Weekes’ books have been invaluable for this experience. I hope this has made sense. 😊 Typing fast on my phone here.  All of these changes for me were simple, but not EASY. I think these things are necessary for me (lifestyle changes) in order to manage not just through this taper, but for managing my life drug free when I’m done. 👍🏻 I sure hope this helps.