My Wifes Struggle - Any Recommended Rehab Facilities for Benzos?

Hi I am here for the first time but have been witness to my wife’s struggle with benzodiazepines for years.  I found your site through a YouTube reaction video to Lisa Ling Benzos special. September 19 my wife overdosed aspirated and barely survived. Benzos were the only drug found in her system and only drug she used beside the anti psychotic seroquel, which may be mis-prescribed due to effects of Benzos.  I am writing to try to find her the best rehab facility. she is due to go there in the next few days after physical therapy for walking after being in bed for 17 days.  In the long term I think this site may be an important part of her recovery.

 

At this time she did not take Benzos every day as prescribed.  At first she was prescribed them regularly, before I met her. And she has gone months, maybe years without them.  Not that she would tell me.  But now, when it was at it’s worst, it was once in a 10-14 day thing in large doses.  Also she began to mix with a drink, not heavily, one beer or 2, to intensify the effects.  She does not get drunk otherwise.  This combination would have been fatal if she was not found when she was.    The reason I am providing this information is for someone out there to better understand her particular situation. We are putting her into a rehab in the next few days( once she is done with physical therapy)  bc there is fear she will go back to them immediately.  I understand the weening off process associated with Benzos but she is lucky she does not suffer the extreme withdrawal symptoms that an every day user would, and is currently off them with no outside visual withdrawal symptoms.  However there is something there inside her that triggers her to take these benzos in large qtys and has been unable to stop. Also the adverse effects from the benzos has left long lasting psychological distress that led to a Bipolar 2 diagnosis.    Any thoughts help because this side of the story is new to us and her family and may explain a lot of things.  Also please if anyone knows a good rehab facility specifically for benzos please share it with us.  Thank You.

 

 

Frank, my heart goes out to you and your wife and I am very grateful that you found this website. The 1st and most valuable resource to help her taper the medication is the Ashton Manual: https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

So, it does make sense that she is taking them in large doses 10-14 days apart, as after this time frame (about 2 weeks after last dose) is when you generally begin to experience acute withdrawal symptoms . Otherwise known as "inter-dose withdrawal," this essentially means the drugs are still working in her system up until 2 weeks after the final dose, at which point acute withdrawal begins. In other words, her body is responding to acute withdrawal symptoms which is what is causing her to take medication in those intervals.

 

As far as rehab goes, the greatest benefit (for me at least) was learning about the traumas that caused me to turn to medication. This is VERY useful insight for staying sober. However, there is often limited assistance and experience as far as the withdrawal itself goes. Their most probable solution will be to medicate her to ease her symptoms. Often, people find themselves poly-drugged after going to rehab facilities during acute. It is easy to misdiagnose based on the severity of symptoms, then the patient must withdrawal from those medications which can further complicate the situation. You will read many stories on here of that exact situation. My advice would be to support her while she slowly weans herself off of the medication in a safe and stress-free environment. Once she is stable I think rehab is a good way to ensure she stays sober and learns how to cope naturally without drugs/alcohol. (disclaimer: this is not advice towards or against rehab. I think it is very useful when the time is right Also, I cannot advice as to a specific facility without knowing your general location).

 

That is my personal experience. I went through a horrifying withdrawal after using benzodiazepines and alcohol for years and after about a year of sobriety and many other lifestyle changes, I am almost completely recovered and am on the road to full recovery. It can be a long road for some, others recovery fairly quickly. If you have any questions for me personally, don't hesitate to send me a private message. I am on here daily and am happy to offer my experience and strategies that I used during recovery to ease the pain and rebuild my life.

 

na- 

Hi, I am in the post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) and will be for many months more.  I took Xanax daily for 6 years and wanted to get off safely.  The only way for me to be successful was to enter an inpatient treatment facility and I believe was this was the best decision of my life!!!!  The facility was highly recommended by a neighbor because her son had recently completed treatment for a Xanax addiction.  The facility is Swift River in Cummington, Massachusetts and I cannot say enough about the quality of this facility.  The staff could not have been more genuine, caring and helpful. They really did

go above and beyond in every way.  I literally spent the month of July 2019 there.  The only way to safely detox off of a benzo. is with another benzo.  I was given a Librium taper and the last 5 days I was there, I was off the lowest Librium dose. The Xanax changes one's brain after long term use and I am dealing with the withdrawal symptoms I have.  I went back to my teaching position in September and able to do everything I did before stopping Xanax.  The symptoms I have are a heaviness and subtle vibration in by body (difficult to describe).  I am used to it because it is always with me.  I will take this any day, rather than be addicted to a benzo.  Let me know if you any questions I may help you with.

Hi, I am in the post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) and will be for many months more.  I took Xanax daily for 6 years and wanted to get off safely.  The only way for me to be successful was to enter an inpatient treatment facility and I believe was this was the best decision of my life!!!!  The facility was highly recommended by a neighbor because her son had recently completed treatment for a Xanax addiction.  The facility is Swift River in Cummington, Massachusetts and I cannot say enough about the quality of this facility.  The staff could not have been more genuine, caring and helpful. They really did

go above and beyond in every way.  I literally spent the month of July 2019 there.  The only way to safely detox off of a benzo. is with another benzo.  I was given a Librium taper and the last 5 days I was there, I was off the lowest Librium dose. The Xanax changes one's brain after long term use and I am dealing with the withdrawal symptoms I have.  I went back to my teaching position in September and able to do everything I did before stopping Xanax.  The symptoms I have are a heaviness and subtle vibration in by body (difficult to describe).  I am used to it because it is always with me.  I will take this any day, rather than be addicted to a benzo.  Let me know if you any questions I may help you with.

 

Congrats!!! Detox can work but it sucks!!

Detox facilities are often bashed on BB, but for a few people, it might be their only hope. Frank, my heart goes out to you. What a difficult situation. My guess is that your wife is so fully addicted that she no longer reasons well. That happens to many people, me included. Over time, benzos can cause a lot of harm, and because it happens slowly, one does not always connect their troubles WITH their benzos.

 

May I ask how old your wife is?

 

I started my journey off benzos at age 62. One is never too old to recover from these darn drugs.

Please let us know what happens.

east

Detox facilities are often bashed on BB, but for a few people, it might be their only hope. Frank, my heart goes out to you. What a difficult situation. My guess is that your wife is so fully addicted that she no longer reasons well. That happens to many people, me included. Over time, benzos can cause a lot of harm, and because it happens slowly, one does not always connect their troubles WITH their benzos.

 

May I ask how old your wife is?

 

I started my journey off benzos at age 62. One is never too old to recover from these darn drugs.

Please let us know what happens.

east

 

I am glad that there is this new awareness here. When I started lurking here 7 years ago this was a totally unacceptable sentiment.

My suggestion to the OP is to avoid addiction based detox and pursue inpatient psych treatment where she will be taken off and given other pharma support etc. I had mine at Hopkins. Very professional.

Detox facilities are often bashed on BB, but for a few people, it might be their only hope. Frank, my heart goes out to you. What a difficult situation. My guess is that your wife is so fully addicted that she no longer reasons well. That happens to many people, me included. Over time, benzos can cause a lot of harm, and because it happens slowly, one does not always connect their troubles WITH their benzos.

 

May I ask how old your wife is?

 

I started my journey off benzos at age 62. One is never too old to recover from these darn drugs.

Please let us know what happens.

east

 

I am glad that there is this new awareness here. When I started lurking here 7 years ago this was a totally unacceptable sentiment.

 

How is your wife doing?  I am 62 also and can’t believe I am dealing with this.