New Member Short Term User Need Encouragement

Hello all, I just joined and decided to share my short brief story. Earlier this year January took Xanax short term that was given to me by family member who was only trying to help me due to Anxiety issues I was dealing with. Well I didn't know after taking about 30 pills within two weeks cold turkey that Xanax would damage my brain like it did. I had horrific brain zaps including tingling and burning sensations. 8 months later it has gotten better over the last few months. I am still healing still dealing with tingling sensations in my brain occasionally burning. This has been hell that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Thank god this forum exist and other platforms where many people have healed from this type of injury. I can't wait until my nervous system completely heals. Because this has been extremely exhausting worrying about these wild symptoms. I'm currently taking no drugs. I did change my diet, drink lots of water, exercise as much as I can, try to minimize stress because it causes symptoms to increase. Any positive encouragement will be gladly appreciated  because I am still at times stressed like no one around me understands what happened to me.

Hello 4yahminah, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

I'm glad to hear you're benzo free but boy, it's been a long road of miserable symptoms hasn't it?  We're glad you found us, it's so important to have our symptoms validated, there are those around us who don't believe us, who are tired of hearing about it and just want us to get back to normal, if only we could.

 

It sounds like you've used some important tools to get through this, I'm glad you've been using them because they're spot on.  I hope your short time use and cold turkey will allow you to heal from this sooner rather than later but we just don't know how it will work, we're all so different.

 

Please feel free to start a thread on the Post-withdrawal Recovery Support board, we have many who can relate to what you're going through.

 

Please let us know how we can help you.

 

Pamster

First, you did nothing wrong. This is not your fault. You had no idea (as do most people) what even short term benzo use can do to us. I am so pleased you are joining us to have support and information as you finish your journey towards healing.

 

Congrats on  getting off the benzo as early as you did. Any longer use would have likely taken you down into experiences you were able to avoid, like kindling (that is when the benzo no longer works.) Although Cold turkey is very difficult, sometimes it is the best option. (We generally taper to minimize the pain of withdrawl.) You avoided many horrible experiences that  would of manifested with longer usage, I wont get into those here, but I am so pleased you  didn't have to go through those.

 

Cold turkey usually results in pretty intense symptoms. Everything your experiencing is normal. Your central nervous system is still healing, so be patient and accept it's part of the process. It can take a while, this is not unusual. 18 months post cessation recovery is a general time frame, but your experience could be 6 months or a few years. Hopefully, as Pamster said, your healing timeline wont be as long as if you had used the xanax longer.

 

Keep your eye on the prize. You will be free eventually of symptoms, and feel like yourself again.

 

-Welcome from the BB team, we are glad to have you. Let us know if we can help you in any way.

It has been a roller coaster ride ..up and down healing process. You are right I definitely had no idea I shouldn't beat myself up. In due time I should be completely healed. Thank you for responding to me.