Help please!

I’m tapering Ativan it is my 9th time, on 3.75mg can’t sleep, Im so dissociated that I don’t know who I am, where I am, Im going crazy. I feel through the day like I feel in dreams, dreams are reflection for my day. This is just too crazy, Im going nuts, Im psychotic, I can’t see all details of the picture my eyes are producing, all my senses are mixed up, can’t see colors right, everything is different it is worse than dp/dr.

If this is the 9th time you are tapering ativan, you are likely experiencing kindling where each successive taper can be more difficult. However, it is doable.

 

I noticed from a previous post that you have been given a set time frame in terms of tapering. Is this still the case or can you slow the taper down.

 

The DP/DR is very common to benzo withdrawal. After my cold turkey the entire world looked strange and I thought I looked strange as well. It was pretty scary at the time.  Now I know this was a withdrawal symptom.

 

Can you put on some White Noise when you are trying to sleep? I did this through a app on my tablet and it helped a lot.  I also ate a few dried dark cherries at night to help with sleep, they contain a natural melatonin.

 

The best thing is to try to distract from these symptoms any way you can. 

 

pianogirl 

If this is the 9th time you are tapering ativan, you are likely experiencing kindling where each successive taper can be more difficult. However, it is doable.

 

I noticed from a previous post that you have been given a set time frame in terms of tapering. Is this still the case or can you slow the taper down.

 

The DP/DR is very common to benzo withdrawal. After my cold turkey the entire world looked strange and I thought I looked strange as well. It was pretty scary at the time.  Now I know this was a withdrawal symptom.

 

Can you put on some White Noise when you are trying to sleep? I did this through a app on my tablet and it helped a lot.  I also ate a few dried dark cherries at night to help with sleep, they contain a natural melatonin.

 

The best thing is to try to distract from these symptoms any way you can. 

 

pianogirl 

 

I held for 3 weeks and I became worse, just did a cut 5 days ago and I’m going crazy, will do another cut in the next 5 days, need to keep moving. I reinstated in December don’t want to prolonge use of benzos.

Hi Akul

 

Sorry to hear you are struggling so!  And you’ve tried so many times.  It’s disappointing to have such problems when all you want is to get off the meds and feel better.

 

I agree with piano that likely kindling  is the issue.  That makes it harder each time.  I believe this can be the last and successful taper, though. 

 

Try to think of this experience as a message that these meds don’t work.  Once you’re free of this (and you will be!), that you’ll never reach for another benzo.  You can get a mindset for healing, put yourself in charge of healing.  Realize you aren’t being led by these symptoms. 

 

Your parasympathetic nervous system is not active.  The benzos put it to sleep.  As you taper, it tries to wake up.  You feel it everywhere, brain and body.  You can do things to help it wake up.  The vagus nerve calms you down.  Do things to activate it.

 

These may sound like not enough, but you have nothing to lose except the withdrawal symptoms.

 

Yes, tart cherry is amazing!  You can also drink a small glass at bedtime.  Natural melatonin is better than the pill form.  Get no sugar added and straight tart cherry juice.  Yes, white noise.  It’s a distraction and supports beta brain waves, the restful ones.  Eye mask to keep visuals down and rest your eyes.  This all helps with sleep. 

 

Other practices:  Lay in the floor comfortably, prop feet on the wall.  Breathe 4 7 8.  4 in through nose, hold breath 7 count, blow out 8 count.  Like birthday candles out.  Repeat repeat for awhile until you calm.  This activates the calming parasympathetic  system.

 

Also:  Alter sensory experiences.  Run ice water over your resists.  Do 20 jumping jacks.  Take a long very warm lavender bath.  Walk briskly outside or even just around your home.  Hold and drink a cup of extra strength chamomile tea and focus on the warmth. 

 

Write a mantra in big beautiful letters.  ‘My brain is healing’. ‘ Healing is happening now ‘ or whatever makes sense.  Say it out loud like a prayer often. 

 

Distract.  Music, plant indoor seeds, colour etc.

 

Symptoms do pass.  Go slow, breathe deep and often, believe in healing.

 

🙏