Jump to content

What are the best things that have helped your rapid withdrawl?


[JG...]

Recommended Posts

Hello! This is my first day on benzobuddies. It's a bit daunting seeing all the different discussions and posts, so apologies if I am reposting a question that has already been asked somewhere else. My history is in my signature, but basically I am two months into being benzo-free and alcohol-free. I still get very fatigued, and very dizzy. Was wondering if people have any hot tips for dealing with these two post-benzo symptoms?

 

So far, I find that (1) lying back with my head fully in the water- with just my nose poking out- in a hot bath with bubbles really helps! Also, (2) massaging-applying significant pressure-  to my shoulders, neck, and the bridge of my nose, also helps. Finally, for sleep, (3) I wear ear-gels that mold to my ear canal shape, and then ear defenders over the top really help reduce anxiety when trying to sleep. But still haven't cracked the fatigue, the dizziness. All suggestions very much appreciated!

 

:) :) :) :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's great you've found some strategies that work well for you. 

 

There's a support thread for dizziness you might want to check out:  The Dizziness Group: For those who are floating, boating, falling or flying

 

Fatigue is tough - I personally think that to a great extent fatigue is telling us to rest! So to the extent you can, I encourage you to get as much rest as you can.  You're system is healing and as with any injury, rest is crucial to the healing process.  I don't mean you should be inactive, moderate exercise is also important and can help discharge anxious energy so you can get better sleep.

 

Welcome!

Brighterday  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, Brighterday! That's really helpful. Re: fatigue, that is one of the things I am struggling with, not least of all because at first I struggled to even get my head around the concept of "rest lots" but "exercise more"! It sounds obvious when I see it written down, but at first I was - "well it's either one or the other!"

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know what you meant! When I was in early withdrawal my ability to connect the dots or understand things moved in slow motion.  It has definitely gotten better.  Hang in there!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a good way of putting it. I never realised that I was both exercising more and resting more at the same time. Apart from eating, there's not much more to my life at the moment!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations! Getting off benzos and alcohol is a really big deal. I would like to know what made you decided to do this.

 

Benzo wd can be pretty awful. The key things that seem to help more people are:

 

1. Distracting yourself. Get your mind OFF withdrawal and onto something else. People come up with some neat ways to do this. I strung itsy bitsy beads for months. A man unravelled a thick hemp rope. One woman did coloring books.

2.Stay active as possible, but no "major exercise" unless that is your bag, so to speak.

3. Stay positive no matter what! Try to reverse any negative thoughts. Do that in writing first, and do it on the forum/

4. Try to help others. This is very beneficial. It releases the "feel good" chemicals and hormones. You dont have to kn ow everything, just offer advice, support and concern - this will be very appreciated. All of us here have walked in your shoes. I sure have.

east (annie)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a good way of putting it. I never realised that I was both exercising more and resting more at the same time. Apart from eating, there's not much more to my life at the moment!

 

Thanks, Diaz-e-BAM, it's good to know that the very narrow spectrum that my life has become is not unusual! Definitely in basic survival mode at the moment, or SAFE mode as Microsoft might call it! Hope you are having a good-enough sort of week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations! Getting off benzos and alcohol is a really big deal. I would like to know what made you decided to do this.

 

Benzo wd can be pretty awful. The key things that seem to help more people are:

 

1. Distracting yourself. Get your mind OFF withdrawal and onto something else. People come up with some neat ways to do this. I strung itsy bitsy beads for months. A man unravelled a thick hemp rope. One woman did coloring books.

2.Stay active as possible, but no "major exercise" unless that is your bag, so to speak.

3. Stay positive no matter what! Try to reverse any negative thoughts. Do that in writing first, and do it on the forum/

4. Try to help others. This is very beneficial. It releases the "feel good" chemicals and hormones. You dont have to kn ow everything, just offer advice, support and concern - this will be very appreciated. All of us here have walked in your shoes. I sure have.

east (annie)

 

Thanks ever so much for these tips, eastcoast62. Really good to see them written down in a list, I don't know about you but I find coping-tip-lists really helpful to refer back to. I am going to add these to mine. I've had a bit of a dip sort of week, mainly triggered by some things outside of my control. Having to dial back what I planned to do, and strip it down to the basic essentials like having healthy food to eat! But what motivated me was being blue-lighted by ambulance into hospital emergency room with massive seizures following benzo use, which then triggered a full blown psychotic episode where I thought I was God! Never had anything like it before, I guess the closest I can compare it to when I was a teenageer and I had a really bad LSD "bad trip" but one that lasted a few days. Terrifying. Suffice to say, I never want to have that experience again, and now that I am completely off the benzos and alcohol, the NHS docs reckon that as long as I stay off them, whilst I might have these awful long-term withdrawl benzo side-effects, I am very unlikely to have the seizures>really bad trip>3 weeks in a psychiatric hospital with Docs trying to keep you alive scenario again! But in terms of positive motivation going forward, just being alive and hoping to be able to make a positive difference really helps. We can all do that, and together we all have something to contribute. Hope you are having a good-enough week. :) 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JG,

Wow. That is quite a story. And one I can relate to. My history of benzos is just as bad. Benzos plus alcohol, like you. Its been a long rough ride. But I am so glad I fought it all and won.

I m glad you found my suggestions useful. I have a lot of them, all learned the hard way. In benzo wd we have to become our own cheerleaders. And our own therapists. Our only support is online: faceless, just words on a screen.

 

 

I will tell you what worked the best for me: faking it. My old therapist had told me about this, but I blew her off, dude to Benzo Brain. And we know how Benzo Brains think: NOT WELL. But very early on in my CT I heard Debra's voic inside my mind. She had told me that faking it can permanently changed how your mind thinks.  So I began to try to do this. I rote it down on paper first. And after that I began doing this on the forum. I never once sounded down or discouraged, and of course I WAS those things! I have gone back and read my first posts here and NONE of them reflected how crappy I felt. What happened over time is that I slowly trained my mind to BE more optimistic and hopeful. I find this fascinating. I am no longer Miss Sad Eyes. Of course some of that is simply because I got off benzos.

Eastcoast has ben the Queen of Faking It for almost 9 years now. LOL!

Annie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is really, really helpful! Thank you! Yes, faking it sounds really plausible actually. It's certainly worked for me in other walks of life. If you fake being confident in a job interview, I found you are more likely to get the job, and if you fake being happy, you at least feel a little less sorry for yourself after a bit. Bizarrely, I hadn't thought about it in relation to Benzo recovery though, so that's really helpful. 👍😊
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...