We're All Different

Back reading once again.

We're all so different. Hard to understand why some take a low dose benzo for a short time and have so many issues and on the other hand some can take big doses for a long time and have barely no problems at all. Some of these have even ct from what I have read and got by easily as well.

I know your symptoms are real but I have often wondered how much worry contributed to making matters worse. Worrying and thinking about "what if" symptoms can manifest themselves.  I too have to control my thought process.  Even so, our mind is a strong weapon, it can heal us or make us sick. That's why God says to think on things that are good, pure and are of a good report, etc.....I know it's hard to do when going thru battles.

When I found out about the drug I was taking, Clonazapem, after 3 mos and one wk on it and didn't know about tapering slowly, I tapered for one wk by cutting .05mg in half and took this am and pm for 3 days then cut in 1/4 and took am and pm for 4 days and stopped.  I called 4 pharmacist and 3 doctors including my own to ask about how to taper and some said because of my low dose and duration just to quit. But I thought I'll taper for one wk anyway. During the times I was taking this drug which was prn also, I skipped many days not taking it never felt wd's.  I would have taken it even less if I had known about it since I took it when I felt anxious but probably not as anxoius as I sometimes fell now. After I stopped the drug I felt no different than when on it.  I never felt good because drugs scare me and was glad when I stopped. I do have tinnitus and did feel some inner trembles a couple of times and off and on have anxiety. I had pressure on my nose and being stuffy and a heightened sense of smell. Not feeling like leaving my home nor driving long distances occurred beore this drug and which was  caused by anxiety stemming from atrial fibrillation this past Jan.

I was possessed with worry for a month after finding out about this drug and lost my appetite.  I was already worried about the incident with my heart and then finding out about the drug put worry on top of that. Then I started to worry about tapering too fast and the "what if's" again.  If I don't have bad wd's by now, I should be ok.......really.......this is the thing that occupies my mind now.

I wonder how much of my symptoms is caused by worry.

Solstice

Solistice,

I doubt many people could manifest physical symptoms merely by worrying....if they could do that...they probably would just wish them away...I don't think anyone has that sort of power....

As far as some of the other pyschological symptoms....at one time...I thought they were seperate from the physical issues....I know realize there is a physical component to them as well....I was lucky enough to avoid the depression and anxiety that I read about here.....but I have had a bit of the apathy that comes along with this process....

I have very minor symptoms at the moment...but I won't consider myself healed...until I am one year benzo free...I am glad you are feeling well and I hope this continues..we all deserve total healing...but I have seen too many stories of people getting hit with symptoms 3 months out....6 months....9 months out...I am a bit leery to claim victory at this point....it is thought that it could take 6 months to 2 years for the system to regulate itself as far as GABA is concerned....that is quite a long time.....it is amazing how much damage these pills can do to people...

I do see your point though...some people certainly have harder withdrawal than others...I think alot of that can be tied to how long you were on the drug, what dosage you took....rate of taper etc....but I don't think those are the only factors either.....I think alot of it depends on how the body is "hard wired"...I think genetics plays a huge component too..

The main thing I have learned from being here is benzo withdrawal sure doesn't fit into any neat little box....maybe that is why it is so hard to understand...but there sure aren't enough hard and fast answers....to satisfy most of us..

Be glad you were one of the people that have healed quickly....no matter what reason it was that you are healing quicker..embrace it

TC

Hi Solstice.   You're right.   Benzo impacts each individual differently.  I think worry can sometimes lead to physical symptoms.  We can literally worry ourselves sick.  I believe that we can learn better coping skills to manage anxious thoughts, no matter which benzo or how long it was used.  Jon Kabat-Zinn has done some excellent research in the mind/body connection.  Meditation and watching thoughts go by can dramatically impact hypertension, blood pressure and the development of coronary heart disease.  He has some excellent books including Full Catastrophe Living.  Sounds like you are doing well Solstice at this stage in your healing.  I hope it continues to go well.  If you do experience a setback, knowing that it can be quite normal to have a symptom or wave of symptoms reappear during the first year or so should take some of the fear/anxiety impact away. I believe TC is correct that the GABA system and one's nervous system may take a while to reset.   Anyway, keep on keepin on.

Vertigo (no more)

Solistice,

 

I doubt many people could manifest physical symptoms merely by worrying....if they could do that...they probably would just wish them away...I don't think anyone has that sort of power....

 

As far as some of the other pyschological symptoms....at one time...I thought they were seperate from the physical issues....I know realize there is a physical component to them as well....I was lucky enough to avoid the depression and anxiety that I read about here.....but I have had a bit of the apathy that comes along with this process....

 

I have very minor symptoms at the moment...but I won't consider myself healed...until I am one year benzo free...I am glad you are feeling well and I hope this continues..we all deserve total healing...but I have seen too many stories of people getting hit with symptoms 3 months out....6 months....9 months out...I am a bit leery to claim victory at this point....it is thought that it could take 6 months to 2 years for the system to regulate itself as far as GABA is concerned....that is quite a long time.....it is amazing how much damage these pills can do to people...

 

I do see your point though...some people certainly have harder withdrawal than others...I think alot of that can be tied to how long you were on the drug, what dosage you took....rate of taper etc....but I don't think those are the only factors either.....I think alot of it depends on how the body is "hard wired"...I think genetics plays a huge component too..

 

The main thing I have learned from being here is benzo withdrawal sure doesn't fit into any neat little box....maybe that is why it is so hard to understand...but there sure aren't enough hard and fast answers....to satisfy most of us..

 

Be glad you were one of the people that have healed quickly....no matter what reason it was that you are healing quicker..embrace it

 

TC

Hi  TC,

I am so glad you're doing good.  I know these people's symptoms are real but do know worrying can bring about other symptoms as well.

I have gotten some inner trembles  about 3 times and didn't last too long. I have tinnitus since I stopped well.

The thing with me I have had to get my mind off my breathing because I was breathing from my mouth so much and gasping for air.  Had to start breathing from my nose to control this when it ain't stuffy.  I stopped reading this site for awhile then started back again and got upset all over again. Yesterday I got so nervous that I started shaking somewhat and even got up this morning feeling still shaky from getting nervous after reading stuff.  My husband said he was going to take the pc from me since he notices it too!

I want to go shopping and go somewhere with my husband but feel so nervous about it. Today is his birthday and tomorrow is our anniversary and 41 fantastic years together.

I posted a message that was mentioning if  a person took a benzo prn and can stop many days even wks or mos. and go back on them, what's the difference in that and reinstating.  Many people do this and they do work again. I read several testimonies on BenzoUK that mentions some went back on after several mos.

Just wondering about this, can you shed some light?  As you know I took clonazapem 3 mos off and on prn and if I wanted to reinstate (not that I will) it wouldn't be any different then thoseI mentioned, right?  Was thinking about this after reading some of these posts.

Thanks for responding TC

Solstice

Solistice,

 

I doubt many people could manifest physical symptoms merely by worrying....if they could do that...they probably would just wish them away...I don't think anyone has that sort of power....

 

As far as some of the other pyschological symptoms....at one time...I thought they were seperate from the physical issues....I know realize there is a physical component to them as well....I was lucky enough to avoid the depression and anxiety that I read about here.....but I have had a bit of the apathy that comes along with this process....

 

I have very minor symptoms at the moment...but I won't consider myself healed...until I am one year benzo free...I am glad you are feeling well and I hope this continues..we all deserve total healing...but I have seen too many stories of people getting hit with symptoms 3 months out....6 months....9 months out...I am a bit leery to claim victory at this point....it is thought that it could take 6 months to 2 years for the system to regulate itself as far as GABA is concerned....that is quite a long time.....it is amazing how much damage these pills can do to people...

 

I do see your point though...some people certainly have harder withdrawal than others...I think alot of that can be tied to how long you were on the drug, what dosage you took....rate of taper etc....but I don't think those are the only factors either.....I think alot of it depends on how the body is "hard wired"...I think genetics plays a huge component too..

 

The main thing I have learned from being here is benzo withdrawal sure doesn't fit into any neat little box....maybe that is why it is so hard to understand...but there sure aren't enough hard and fast answers....to satisfy most of us..

 

Be glad you were one of the people that have healed quickly....no matter what reason it was that you are healing quicker..embrace it

 

TC

One more thing TC,

You  know my history of my short time and low dose and I didn't have wd's the days I didn't take the drug nor when I stopped except for some minor ones, so can you say that I healed quickly? This morning is 43 days off.

Thanks,

Solstice

Solistice,

 

I doubt many people could manifest physical symptoms merely by worrying....if they could do that...they probably would just wish them away...I don't think anyone has that sort of power....

 

As far as some of the other pyschological symptoms....at one time...I thought they were seperate from the physical issues....I know realize there is a physical component to them as well....I was lucky enough to avoid the depression and anxiety that I read about here.....but I have had a bit of the apathy that comes along with this process....

 

I have very minor symptoms at the moment...but I won't consider myself healed...until I am one year benzo free...I am glad you are feeling well and I hope this continues..we all deserve total healing...but I have seen too many stories of people getting hit with symptoms 3 months out....6 months....9 months out...I am a bit leery to claim victory at this point....it is thought that it could take 6 months to 2 years for the system to regulate itself as far as GABA is concerned....that is quite a long time.....it is amazing how much damage these pills can do to people...

 

I do see your point though...some people certainly have harder withdrawal than others...I think alot of that can be tied to how long you were on the drug, what dosage you took....rate of taper etc....but I don't think those are the only factors either.....I think alot of it depends on how the body is "hard wired"...I think genetics plays a huge component too..

 

The main thing I have learned from being here is benzo withdrawal sure doesn't fit into any neat little box....maybe that is why it is so hard to understand...but there sure aren't enough hard and fast answers....to satisfy most of us..

 

Be glad you were one of the people that have healed quickly....no matter what reason it was that you are healing quicker..embrace it

 

TC

Excellent post, Solstice.

You're right about the mind/body connection.  After all, it's a main reason why docs put us on this crap in the first place. Change the way the brain works and the physical issues go away (although in my case, only Xanax did that.  Klonopin just made me feel worse).  I have numbness in my foot (and sometimes my hand).  But you know what?  I don't really notice it throughout the day. It's "worse" at night (when I have no other distractions).  And if I focus on it?  It almost always gets worse.  Meditation and positive thinking (along with God's help) are slowly turning things around for me.  

I've read so many posts here and I see what you mean.  Some people CT and are okay after a short while.  Others taper for months (and in some cases years) and still have a hard time for months after they jump.  To further confuse matters, Ashton herself states that people on lower doses for shorter periods of time won't have the issues others have (this site kind of disproves that).    

Ashton also states, "Stopping the last few milligrams is often viewed as particularly difficult. This is mainly due to fear of how you will cope without any drug at all. In fact, the final parting is surprisingly easy. People are usually delighted by the new sense of freedom gained. In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely."

One thing that scares me the most about these sites is when there's a positive thread going and someone will find or hear of a worse case scenario somewhere and decide to share it with the rest of the forum.  Maybe a lot of people don't believe in positive thinking, but negative thinking (and trust me I used to be the Queen) never gets anyone anywhere.  At this point, I'm so tired of being sick, that I'm angry about it.  I don't have the anxiety issues a lot of people here suffer from (although, admittedly, I AM an anxious person).  Now, if I have chest pains for example, I'll sarcastically say to myself, "Well it must be time to die.  Hurry up - get it over with."  Amazingly, the chest pains stop.  

“Don’t spend a lot of time imagining worst-case scenario. It rarely goes down as you imagine it will, and if by some fluke it does, you will have lived it twice.” - Michael J. Fox

Excellent post, Solstice.

 

You're right about the mind/body connection.  After all, it's a main reason why docs put us on this crap in the first place. Change the way the brain works and the physical issues go away (although in my case, only Xanax did that.  Klonopin just made me feel worse).  I have numbness in my foot (and sometimes my hand).  But you know what?  I don't really notice it throughout the day. It's "worse" at night (when I have no other distractions).  And if I focus on it?  It almost always gets worse.  Meditation and positive thinking (along with God's help) are slowly turning things around for me.  

 

I've read so many posts here and I see what you mean.  Some people CT and are okay after a short while.  Others taper for months (and in some cases years) and still have a hard time for months after they jump.  To further confuse matters, Ashton herself states that people on lower doses for shorter periods of time won't have the issues others have (this site kind of disproves that).    

 

Ashton also states, "Stopping the last few milligrams is often viewed as particularly difficult. This is mainly due to fear of how you will cope without any drug at all. In fact, the final parting is surprisingly easy. People are usually delighted by the new sense of freedom gained. In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely."

 

One thing that scares me the most about these sites is when there's a positive thread going and someone will find or hear of a worse case scenario somewhere and decide to share it with the rest of the forum.  Maybe a lot of people don't believe in positive thinking, but negative thinking (and trust me I used to be the Queen) never gets anyone anywhere.  At this point, I'm so tired of being sick, that I'm angry about it.  I don't have the anxiety issues a lot of people here suffer from (although, admittedly, I AM an anxious person).  Now, if I have chest pains for example, I'll sarcastically say to myself, "Well it must be time to die.  Hurry up - get it over with."  Amazingly, the chest pains stop.  

 

 

“Don’t spend a lot of time imagining worst-case scenario. It rarely goes down as you imagine it will, and if by some fluke it does, you will have lived it twice.” - Michael J. Fox

.....but some and ct and never have wd's.....Dr Ashton says 40 to 50% can come with hardly any problems at all.  There's a  women that responded to my post and said she was on benzos for years and years and stopped and her first week was so bad then smoothe sailing. I know it's hard to believe some can do this because of ALL the negativity on this site.  I just wished good things were being said.  Even then when you read those, you hold your breath and wonder what the last word will say. Maybe someone will start a websitefor ONLY good things and nothing else will be tolerated.  I'll tell you what's so discouraging is when someone tapers and and they mention that for years they are still having wd's.  That's hard for newcomers to take.

In fact I had to stop reading because it scared me so bad, and then I got curious about some of the members and had to look again.

I am not taking Diazepam as you wrote, I only took .05mg Clonazapem for only 3 mos and one week PRN then tapered one week which was really like cutting back but not tapering. As I mentioned and which is very important, I skipped many days during the 3 mos. Most days I took 1 dose and some days 2 doses and 2 days 1.5 mg and on 2 days took 1/2 the dose.  This was a very sporadic 3 mos.

Solstice

I agree.

Oh, by the way, I didn't write that you were taking Diazepam.  I was quoting Ashton.

Read what I wrote again.    

Ashton also states, "Stopping the last few milligrams is often viewed as particularly difficult. This is mainly due to fear of how you will cope without any drug at all. In fact, the final parting is surprisingly easy. People are usually delighted by the new sense of freedom gained. In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely."

Your Klonopin usage sounds almost exactly like my Xanax usage. I would use it and then wouldn't.  Would use it for a few weeks and then stop.  I even stopped for a few months several times and had absolutely no issues (I also knew nothing about withdrawal).  

Rhetorical question:  How could I have used Xanax sporadically for months and had no issues but suddenly had issues after a month of Klonopin (and after learning about possible withdrawal)?  This is why I agree with your original post.  How much of this is psychological, right?

Some of what I'm experiencing is from benzo usage, but not all of it.

I try to stick to success stories and not read the messages with doom and gloom subjects (I mean the ones sharing negative info and not the ones where people are just asking for help).   This site is unique in that I've found more positive-thinking people here than on any other site.  I truly believe people on this site want to get well and want to help others get well, too.

I agree.

 

Oh, by the way, I didn't write that you were taking Diazepam.  I was quoting Ashton.

 

Read what I wrote again.    

 

Ashton also states, "Stopping the last few milligrams is often viewed as particularly difficult. This is mainly due to fear of how you will cope without any drug at all. In fact, the final parting is surprisingly easy. People are usually delighted by the new sense of freedom gained. In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely."

 

Your Klonopin usage sounds almost exactly like my Xanax usage. I would use it and then wouldn't.  Would use it for a few weeks and then stop.  I even stopped for a few months several times and had absolutely no issues (I also knew nothing about withdrawal).  

 

Rhetorical question:  How could I have used Xanax sporadically for months and had no issues but suddenly had issues after a month of Klonopin (and after learning about possible withdrawal)?  This is why I agree with your original post.  How much of this is psychological, right?

 

Some of what I'm experiencing is from benzo usage, but not all of it.

 

I try to stick to success stories and not read the messages with doom and gloom subjects (I mean the ones sharing negative info and not the ones where people are just asking for help).   This site is unique in that I've found more positive-thinking people here than on any other site.  I truly believe people on this site want to get well and want to help others get well, too.

I know what you mean about the positive. I really believe reading the negative posts got to me. I also believe everyone wants to get well on this site.

I think if a person takes it very sporadically like we have, then it's easier to stop.  I never had issues with Clonazapem other than scared to take it and hated when I was on it.

I did get off fast. This is why I was asking about taking it for absolutely emergencies only very prn if I ever needed to. I think keeping it in my purse never helped because I never thought I would ever take it.  But maybe it will help me to travel knowing it's there maybe??  I don't know. I have to deal with this anxiety for sure.  I see a psychologist to help me thru this....Lord I wish I never had to deal with this situation.

Solstice

Ya know Solstice, I've gotten the feeling from you for quite some time that you think our pain is in our heads, that reading about makes it happen, or that if we just think positive thoughts or believe in God, we'd feel better!

I quit cold turkey, I didn't know a thing about tapering them, I never educated myself.  I didn't know about BenzoBuddies until 5 months after I quit.  I never read horror stories on the internet, I went into it blind.  I went through emotional, physical and mental agony.  I had no idea what was happening to me, I didn't manufacture it by reading about it, I lived it.  It came out of nowhere and sent me to hell. 

I'm glad you feel good, I'm glad you're not one of those who will suffer the agony of this process, but please don't try to tell us we can prevent any of this from happening by only reading nice things, it's real!

I don't think anyone can prevent W/D by reading stuff, but I do believe a lot of the negative stuff makes people feel worse. I've seen it.  Hell, I've experienced it.  Someone mentions a worst-case scenario, and all of a sudden others jump on board wondering if that's going to happen to them, too.  If I read enough negative posts, I'll believe I have permanent brain damage, that this will never end, and that essentially, my life is over.

I liken recovery to climbing a mountain. There are two people I could choose to coach me.  One is telling me to not give up and that I can make it.  Recovery is right around the corner.  The other person is telling me every horrible thing that could happen, and that I have miles and miles of sheer torture to go. Either way, I still have to get to the top of that mountain.  I'd rather have the first person as a coach.

What got me put on this stuff in the first place was illness caused by mold sickness and then (thanks to an insensitive neuro) pretty much believing I had MS by obsessively reading everything about it on the internet (and maybe a coincidence, but that's exactly when the numbness and tingling started).  Emotionally, I was an absolute mess, and I can thank myself for worrying myself right into K-town.    

Pamster, I don't doubt for a second that you went through what you went through and (hard to sound sincere in text) but my heart breaks for what you went through. If I said ANYTHING to offend you, please accept my apologies.  In fact, I've read your posts (and your signature) and think, "Okay, if she did it, I can do it."

Thinking positive thoughts and believing in God DOES make me feel better - otherwise I'd probably ... (well, insert something ending my own existence here). The mold situation caused me to lose my home and most of my possessions.  I have no family.  My friends have no clue as to how to help me through any of this.  I'm terrified I won't be able to return to work (and I HAVE to return to work).  The only thing I have to hold on to are posts from those who've successfully made it through.

Hi Kendra,

My comments were not directed towards you.  I believe as well about the power of positive thinking, and I've always prided myself on my own.  During this time, however it was lost to me.  The tools I'd used to get through life were gone, I was left with hopelessness and despair.  Now that I'm healed though, everything I once had has returned to me. 

My rant in the above post was brought on by many posts I've read suggesting that many of our symptoms are not due to benzo's, that what we read here makes us believe they are.  That somehow we're making this worse for ourselves because we're too wrapped up in the negative on the forum.  We're not making this stuff up, it's not something we read and then imagine we have.  It's real.

As I said, I agree with you, positive thinking is the best way to go, staying calm in the face of panic, stress, and anxiety is key.  But it's not always possible, and the symptoms slam into us anyway.  I just don't like it when I see someone minimize the suffering of others, by suggesting that it's all in their heads.

This thread is just what I needed to read because this afternoon I was beating myself up and telling myself that there is something wrong with me

and that I am just mentally weak ...... and people have suggested to me also that if I worry about it, it happens.  And sometimes I doubt about

my anxiety and think it's not the K w/d, it's just me because I'm becoming mentally ill and this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life.

    THEN I come on Benzo Buddies and read about things that absolutely relate to me - i.e. feeling normal at night and like a basket case in the morning; burning feet, anxiety surges, etc.  and I thank God that I KNOW that there are other people going through the same thing and that is

IS the drug.  If it weren't for this site, I would probably be back at a hospital, getting addicted to more drugs.

      I agree, that when a person reads a comment about long w/d and their painful experience, it is frightening.  So that is when I turn the computer off and try to do something else.  I think if a comment upsets you, then shut it down.  Everything that happens to people on this

site is not going to happen to you and some things that happen to you are not going to happen to others.  But I understand the FEAR - I have

had it and it controls your mind.  Just this morning I was worrying about getting old and being bed ridden, and dying a painful death.  Now we all

might have these fears, but most of the time, when our mind is not being hijacked by these terrible drugs, we just push it away.  I have found

that I don't have the power to push it away - Klonopin keeps it right there - and so to Solstice - maybe your fears that you are having now

are a result of your drug w/d.  And maybe not.  But you'll never know unless you hear that someone else has had the same experience.

    And sometimes I say to myself - I need to read a successful story - let's hear about someone who has beat this and there is a thread site

for that.  So when you come on to Benzobuddies - go to that thread and read and reassure yourself.  And most of all, if you feel fine - go with it,

and don't look for sx that are not there.  I wish you peace in your journey.

Ya know Solstice, I've gotten the feeling from you for quite some time that you think our pain is in our heads, that reading about makes it happen, or that if we just think positive thoughts or believe in God, we'd feel better!

 

I quit cold turkey, I didn't know a thing about tapering them, I never educated myself.  I didn't know about BenzoBuddies until 5 months after I quit.  I never read horror stories on the internet, I went into it blind.  I went through emotional, physical and mental agony.  I had no idea what was happening to me, I didn't manufacture it by reading about it, I lived it.  It came out of nowhere and sent me to hell.  

 

I'm glad you feel good, I'm glad you're not one of those who will suffer the agony of this process, but please don't try to tell us we can prevent any of this from happening by only reading nice things, it's real

 

 

 

 

Pamster,

Please let me apologize if I came across that way. I completely agree that the symptoms people are having are REAL.  I was just saying I wonder if some of the symptoms are manifesting themselves because of thinking so negative about certain symptoms.  This is what I have done and yes, it scares me too!  I think I'm just trying to find some good things in all the suffering going on.  Trust me, I have only sadness when it come to reading these stories.  I wish it were all in the mind then we could control most of it.

It really scares me when I hear also when we don't know what's going to happen next. Maybe my symptoms aren't as bad as most but I don't take anything for granted.

Yes, I believe and trust in God to bring me thru this but I know many others don't think this way and reading positive things hopefully will make me not feel as scared.

I have thought of you so much when I read about a newcomer having bad problems and know you will help them. I don't know how in the world you made it, you've got to be one strong individual. Before I started on this drug I had problems leaving my home and then it got worse while taking this drug, I guess because I was so scared of it but at that I didn't know anything about the drug. I get so down because I want to get back to my normal life.

Again forgive me for coming across the way I did.  I have a lot of respect for those helping others go thru their problems and hopefully maybe one day I can help as well.

Solstice

Hi Solstice,

I apologize for letting my emotions get the best of me, I came off a little harsh I know.  I tell my story not to bring attention to my suffering but to emphasize the powerlessness of this process.  We can't predict it, we can't control it and we can't rush it. 

Before benzo's I was a healthy happy person who took a drug to cope with a little anxiety, butterflies in my stomach, nothing more.  What it turned me into was someone I didn't recognize, during my use and withdrawal.  Who I became during this was not who I was before then or who I am now.  I know in my heart that benzo's were entirely responsible for my suffering and now that they're gone, my suffering is over.  There are too many people in our real lives who doubt the extent of our suffering, it upsets me to see it happen here.

Thank you for your kindness and your willingness to help others, it's vitally important that we provide the reassurance people need to make it through this.

GROUP HUG!!!