For those in protracted withdrawal - It's not you

I know this study has been posted here before, but I hadn't seen it in over a year and it's shocking to read it again. After a 3.5 year followup, fully 6% (!!!) were doing poorly (no better). Yes it is a small sample size, but there is not much research to go off of here, since the medical community is in denial. I don't think a drug could be introduced to the market these days if it were to disable 6% of the people who take it for 3.5+ years.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to make sure people realize there is nothing fundamentally wrong with them. The severity of the withdrawal seems to be essentially a roll of the dice. There have been plenty of success stories posted after 3, 5, 7, even 9 years, with combinations of drugs far worse than just benzos. So I don't think anyone should get too down on themselves if they are in protracted for an extended period of time.

 

"Benzodiazepine Withdrawal:

Outcome in 50 Patients

 

Clinical outcome was assessed in 50 consecutive patients who completed a course of supervised benzodiazepine withdrawal following referral to a Clinical Pharmacology Unit. The patients had been taking prescribed benzodiazepines regularly for 1-22 years and all wished to stop. On presentation, all had many symptoms which they attributed to benzodiazepines. The outcome 10 months to 3.5 years later was judged as excellent (fully recovered) in 48%, good (much better) in 22%, moderate (better) in 16% and poor (no better) in 6%. One patients failed to withdraw and three relapsed onto benzodiazepine use after withdrawal. Younger age was significantly associated with a favourable outcome, but outcome was not related to duration or dosage of benzodiazepines, type of benzodiazepine, rate of withdrawal, symptom severity, psychiatric history, marital status or sex."

 

https://www.benzo.org.uk/ashbzoc.htm

It’s so refreshing to read someone saying this, than the usual or often gaslighting. I’m protracted, and no way was I like this, even in my hardest times. I never thought did be protracted, obviously feared it and avoided the topic, but hey here I am. Yes roll of the dice is true. I wish no one had to go through one day of this and sadly we’re all different to properly compare. Some are ‘lucky’ and aren’t as affected, although still not pleasant, some get hammered, and no correlation to dose and duration, as I’ve seen some ct high doses after years of use and they’re not too bad. The thing with protracted is you are worn out more and more, amongst other things. Thank you! ❤️