chemical terror

Hello,  I am writing this while listening to my son cry out for support and then instantly reject it.  This happens everytime he wakes up from sleep. It could be in the morning or after a nap, it is always the same - terror, confrontational, confused , despairing. This can go on for a very long time. This morning he was find all morning - because he hadn't slept at all and so avoided the 'terror'.  Is this something that people have experienced , is there anything we can do to help him ? Thank you

Mag, so is he WD from benzos ? after jumping this time i became Very distressed.mentallly , It was só hard ocd , so much sensation of terror, anxiety and a terror feeling 24/7 non stop of anxiety and overwhelming sx . I kept  a long time complaining everyday hours and hours because of why im having tô go trough this.. How bad

i was feeling ... Etc, from.how It was and How it is im in a much better state , my mom supported and endured ALL that, keep being strong, bê aware that things get better , you should update your signature and explain exactly How many mg of benzos he was on ? Is he tapering ? Etc

Hold on belive that he Will get better say that to him, and you too bê aware that he Will get better .. Just keep strong and beliving

Be well

this happened to me during my rapid taper; I lived with my housekeeper and grandma and at like 3am I used to go to my housekeepers room telling her I'm dying while crying and she would have to console me (I'm an adult!)

it still happens sometimes now that I'm alone hence I went to the ER so much convinced I was dying. but I think it's all benzo related. the body will do anything it can do to get more benzos because it doesnt know that's the cause of the fear, it just knows something critical is missing so its freaking out.

Yes, sleep does very strange things in withdrawal.  If you scroll through this board you’ll see that most people despise mornings for many of the reasons you listed with your son.  I personally wake up with extreme anxiety, very confused and feeling down.  It’s almost like the brain doesn’t want you to sleep and is revolting against it. 

 

Here are my tips for your son:

- wake up and drink a cold glass of water

- Do something mindless that gets you into your body whether it’s some planks, an exercise bike, jumping jacks.  It doesn’t have to be intense.  It just gets you into your body and out of your head.

- Perhaps follow that up with some breathing.

- take a shower

- I’m not sure if he’s working right now but just find a task that can occupy the mind whether it’s a puzzle, word games, sudoku, something.  This stuff can be very challenging and frustrating with benzo brain but just do it and don’t expect results.

 

I work from home.  The last thing I want to do in the morning is work but I will just force myself to log on and run over some of the usual reports we look at it.  It takes me 20-30 minutes.  By this time, things start to clear up a bit and the rest of the day is manageable.

 

Getting through the first couple hours after waking is very hard.  You’re super foggy and just want to do nothing.  But you do snap out of it.

 

 

Good tips djej2010. How have you been doing since you jumped?  Was the taper difficult for you? I’m asking as a fellow kindler.

Hi, thanks for all the replies.  He is currently on 16mgs of Diazepam and holding for the moment as life is just too much for him right now.  He has tapered from 30 mgs of Diazepam to 16mgs over approx 10 months, give or take a month. He's been following the Ashton Manual guidelines for the taper and his last cut was just over a month ago.  But he is so fed up now that he refuses to taper any more, which we respect.  But I can see how the medication is ruining his life and the really awful effect it has on his brain - mood, temperament, personality, functioning etc... He is opting out of life in a big way and continually distressed. As mentioned in my previous post, the mornings are awful and he looks manic every time he wakes. He is due to speak to a psychiatrist tomorrow so we'll see what happens.  He is taking 10mgs Propranolol, as and when needed. He believes that a current huge life decision he has to take is causing all of his problems and I don't deny that they are a huge chunk of it but I can honestly see how the Diazepam has caused havoc.

Thanks for all the advice and I'll pass the tips onto him. Hope you all are well and stay well. 

Good tips djej2010. How have you been doing since you jumped?  Was the taper difficult for you? I’m asking as a fellow kindler.

 

I’m not doing well at all but I’m surviving.  Life is very small right now.  I do manage to work some from home but it’s easy to hide here.  I get out of the house a little to go to store and stuff but usually not for more than 30-60 minute chunks. 

 

Yes, the last part of the taper was awful but I really screwed up going way too fast in the beginning.  After having no problems getting down to .5mg of Klonopin in a matter of 6-8 weeks, I stupidly made a cut from .5mg to .25mg of Klonopin and have been in bad withdrawal since that moment.  Never really stabilized. 

Hi  djej2010,  I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering so much.  The medications can do so much harm and I still can't believe that my son is dealing with this disability. Yes, he suffered anxiety and obsessional thinking but never anything like this. He coped and suffered but it was never this daily torment and terror. I do hope that you find healing and relief in time.  I am clinging to all the positive outcomes that I have read about.  Nobody escapes suffering in life but when that suffering is imposed by unsafe prescribing it is almost criminal. I am wishing you healing and newfound joy and peace in your life.