Rebound anxiety-trigger warning maybe

I've been tapering for only a month but I am concerned about the rebound anxiety. I understand it can be 10 times worse than before I was put on the benzo. That was a nightmare time in my life and I don't know if I'll be able to handle it if it's much worse. I have a good therapist but this tapering is going to go on sooo long before the healing starts. I have ocd and I really have a problem with uncertainty and ofc this has been a year of uncertainty. Does anyone know what mg is the jump dose for clonazepam? The way I have it figured it could be a year before I jump. And I'm only at .38mg now. My niece who's in the mental health field said I shouldn't take that long. That she would think maybe 6 months at most. I just don't know. I am all over the place. I could really use some help.

I think that you want to get at or below 0.050 before you jump.

 

From 0.38, you might be able to do it in 6 months.  It's really impossible to know with any certainty.  While it's nice to set goals, one has to be willing to adapt as necessary.  I think that the key is to adjust the taper rate according to your symptoms.  You don't need to be symptom-free to do your next cut, but you should be comfortable 'enough' so that you're confident in making your next cut.

What really worries me is who will I be when I'm off of this. I got on this for extreme anxiety, anhedonia was so bad. I really fear the rebound anxiety. I've read so many things and listened to a lot of people saying there are ways to get through it without medication. Now that I have started this journey I guess I'm really scared of the unknown.

What really worries me is who will I be when I'm off of this. I got on this for extreme anxiety, anhedonia was so bad. I really fear the rebound anxiety. I've read so many things and listened to a lot of people saying there are ways to get through it without medication. Now that I have started this journey I guess I'm really scared of the unknown.

 

I thought I'd say hello and let you know you're not alone regarding your fears.  When I posted similar thoughts, I was given so much positive reasons from folks here on BB, to continue to move forward. (Don't get me wrong, there have been some post here that have scared the heck out of me) But for the most part there has been a combination of people saying they learned how to work with their anxiety, to finally being drug free gives your mind a chance to get to a state where the anxiety is not taking control, to thoughts about what it would be like to stay on benzos longer making it more difficult in the future to taper or reach tolerance or.......  I think you get the idea. 

 

One last thing that works for me, when I feel the fears you voiced, I picture a ugly benzo monster  whispering in my ear, all of the reasons I need to let them have control of me, fear what I'd be like without them, etc.  Then I flick them off my shoulder and smile as I step on them 

Oneday, thank you so much.  :smitten:That is very helpful. I'll think of the benzo monster and flick it away Some of these posts are very scary indeed.

Hi Joli

 

Try to taper to .025 with clonazepam.  The lower the dose you stop from, the gentler is the landing.

 

Try not to count time.  Count successes. Count recovery.  Count courage.  Not time.

 

What will life be like for you when you are benzo free?  How will you feel?  Who will you be?  You will know when you get there.  I promise that you will be wiser and stronger than you knew was possible.

 

I live life like this:  I can only cross one bridge at a time.  The one right in front of me.  I can't get to the other bridges until I cross the one in front of me. 

 

You've got this.