Does anyone know people in REAL life who have healed?

Not discrediting the online community because I do gain hope from this forum, but do any of you know of people in real life who have healed from this nightmare?

I know a local guy here in my town that was on kpin for 9 years and was up to 5mg. A day for the last 3 years who has made a full recovery. He tapered for 6 months and endured nearly 3 years of protracted suffering and has been enjoying 5 years now of symptom free life. It ends as long as you eat clean and get plenty of exercise, most importantly stay off the pills and let the brain 🧠 heal. That’s the advice he gave me and it seems to be working.

That's good to hear. It's a damn shame how long it takes to feel better though. Why can't it be a year? Why does it have to be three years? I know someone, a close friend, who is going through withdrawal after being polydrugged on Cymbalta, Gabapentin, and Trazadone after an accident. He is still struggling. He is still taking the Trazadone though.

Yes. I have a nurse friend who was poly-drugged after a back injury. She didn’t know what was wrong with her until we started talking and she told me her drug history. She’s doing fine now. 

Yes as well. I know of at least three former members from a long time ago who have healed 100% they said and are back to living their normal life. And it didn’t take them long to heal. Good for them.

Yes, my brother-in-law. He was on Xanax, Ativan, and Valium. It took him 10 years, but he's completely healed now. Is a different person entirely. Goes mountain climbing, eats well, drinks when he wants to, travels. At one point he was in a wheelchair, thought for sure he had ALS. Went from doctor to doctor.

 

CBT helped him a lot also.

10 years to get better? That seems like a long time. Was it mostly physical symptoms? 

 

I can understand why someone in the throes of withdrawal, especially the mental symptoms, would doubt healing. But the success stories are numerous and there seems to be a new one every 2-4 weeks. I'm still suffering terribly mentally, but things aren't as bad as they were 12 months ago. Still, I need constant reassurance that my mental symptoms could get better over time and I often find myself doubting that I will ever improve.

10 years to get better? That seems like a long time. Was it mostly physical symptoms? 

 

I can understand why someone in the throes of withdrawal, especially the mental symptoms, would doubt healing. But the success stories are numerous and there seems to be a new one every 2-4 weeks. I'm still suffering terribly mentally, but things aren't as bad as they were 12 months ago. Still, I need constant reassurance that my mental symptoms could get better over time and I often find myself doubting that I will ever improve.

 

Bolded above is the most important statement in your response, and IS your reassurance. You can’t like at this shit on a day-by-day basis, it will eat you alive. Just try to practice mindfulness. You have to look back over many months to mark improvement.

My bf who I live with was on benzos and opiates for several years and came off them back to back. I think some of his symptoms were different than mine but he cold turkeyed benzos and survived it somehow. I wouldn't try it. He didn't know not to cold turkey and his blood pressure at the time was thru the roof.  That was a few years ago. He does still blow up in anger but there are lots of factors that add to that from his life. He drank a lot for years. He was always moody possible due to how he coped with some trauma in his his life. He is in a lot of pain from back issues everyday but not due to benzos but from surgeries. So it's hard to say if the benzos caused the anger still. Besides that benzo wise he is totally healed. He guzzles coffee all day and doesn't complain over any symptoms.

 

Love hearing all of these success stories. Keep them coming!!!

No, but I know two people who contined to take them, and both are screwed.

 

Both iatrogenic. 

 

Great thread. 

 

Dee

Does anyone know anyone who has healed when most of their life has been spent ON the drugs?  Say 35 years ON?

 

Or is it best to stay on small amount and try to manage.

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Were these healed people taking benzos daily? It seems to makes a difference whether it's daily use or not.

I've been on this site for almost 10 years, and I've come accross many who have healed. Its more common for people to healthan it is for people to suffer months and years down the road

My primary care doctor was given painkillers and benzos when he was in the hospital after back surgery. He went through withdrawal, but now he is doing fine

I know people who died because of ADs, benzos, other "medication" and I know people committing suicide because they were put on CT but told that they are mentally ill and it was their fault.

I have also seen people recover from a CT of high dosage longterm intake of Ativan and this person, a friend of mine, was working and is still working, without any crashes or symptoms or whatever.

I also know 2 people who are about 5, 7 and 8 years off benzos, and they say they have a good life although they still can feel symptoms of wd or suffer from the circumstances that come with being sick for a long time (like financially).

From my perspective, anything is possible.

Regarding myself I would say with 3 years off, I am not suffering from withdrawal any more, I am fighting with what withdrawal has left me so to speak.. like finding a job which I can do, an own apartment, a restart from zero ...

I healed!

I am completely healed and have been since the day I walked off over a year ago.  —V

I know another member of BB that has gotten much better. He still has some minor symptoms, but he's managing. Sadly, he doesn't come by BB any more. He doesn't want to think about the experience, which I guess I understand.

I am completely healed and have been since the day I walked off over a year ago.  —V

Great to hear from you Valley..!!

You were VERY instrumental in my healing that has, and continues to happen...!!

 

Thank you..

 

I am completely healed and have been since the day I walked off over a year ago.  —V

Great to hear from you Valley..!!

You were VERY instrumental in my healing that has, and continues to happen...!!

 

Thank you..

Hi Cant!  So glad you’re doing well!  —V

Yes, my brother-in-law. He was on Xanax, Ativan, and Valium. It took him 10 years, but he's completely healed now. Is a different person entirely. Goes mountain climbing, eats well, drinks when he wants to, travels. At one point he was in a wheelchair, thought for sure he had ALS. Went from doctor to doctor.

 

CBT helped him a lot also.

 

How did CBT help? 

Uh... in 10 years, tho, I will be dead...

If it weren't for the confusion and the derealization, I'd considered myself healed. I can drive, I ran errands, I try to manage my business, though I struggle with these tasks due to the confusion, but I try to live my life regardless. Some days I get bedridden but when I can wake up, I get up and do what I can. Hopefully the cognitive abilities will return and my derealization will lessen or disappear. Till then I'm stuck on 60/70 percent healed.

I have a VERY close friend who cold-turkeyed off of Klonopin...after taking it daily for six years for sleep. According to her, it was HELLACIOUS and the absolute worst thing she has ever endured in her entire life (which is ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISE to any of us on these boards and going through it ourselves!)...and she healed 100% COMPLETELY GOOD AS NEW/BETTER THAN BEFORE. So, yes...

 

WE ALL HEAL.

 

It just takes TIME.

 

May all beings be free from suffering.

xoxo

Neely

I have a VERY close friend who cold-turkeyed off of Klonopin...after taking it daily for six years for sleep. According to her, it was HELLACIOUS and the absolute worst thing she has ever endured in her entire life (which is ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISE to any of us on these boards and going through it ourselves!)...and she healed 100% COMPLETELY GOOD AS NEW/BETTER THAN BEFORE. So, yes...

 

WE ALL HEAL.

 

It just takes TIME.

 

May all beings be free from suffering.

xoxo

 

 

Neely

 

 

how long did it take her to heal?