An experience like no other

Hi M,

 

Thank you for the kind words. 

 

The squirrels have taken all the nuts off the walnut tree - the hummingbirds are no longer flitting around the bird feeder, it must be Autumn, my favorite time of the year.

 

Your daughter is right.  Klonopin can indeed make the conditions for which you were prescribed that drug worsen.  Anxiety, depression, and insomnia can become much worse when tapering Klonopin.  Feeling disconnected from people and your surroundings is a very common withdrawal symptom, as is fear ( especially the fear of being alone ).  Thinking you will never get better is also a withdrawal symptom.

 

Once you have tapered off the Klonopin, hopefully your mind will become much clearer and you will see things in a brighter light. 

 

Other drugs that you wish to discontinue taking must have your doctor's approval, because no one on this site is qualified to suggest or to recommend that you or anyone else stop taking drugs that were prescribed for them by their doctor. 

 

Yes, there is hope for you.  You must believe with all your heart, that you are going to get better.  As sure as I am that Winter follows Summer, and the sun sets in the West or a baby bird learns to fly - That's how sure I am that there is hope for you. You must believe that with every fiber of your being. 

 

When you see the light at the end of the tunnel, it won't be a train coming at you.  What you see will be a brighter future coming at you- lighting up your life in the most spectacular way.

 

I hope you have a nice weekend.

 

pj 

Pj, you've a heart of gold.  I so enjoy what you pour out on the virtual page.  You help a lot of people with your compassion and sage advice.

 

Dear Flicka, you will make it through this dark night of the soul, and be better for it in the end.

PJ,

 

Floc is right.  You are amazing and, whether you believe it or not, God is definitely using you in a big way.

 

Thank-you, floc, for the encouragement also.

 

I'm just trying to hang in minute by minute with this horrible anxiety and fear and lack of motivation.  My appetite is not great and I can hardly make myself go out and buy groceries or cook, let alone eat.

As I taper more, I seem to be feeling more nausea along with the anxiety and trouble sleeping.

 

It is a beautiful day here today and I can't make myself go for a walk, at least not yet.  We'll see...the leaves are turning and it is so beautiful.  Just wish I could be peaceful and enjoy it.

 

Hope you are both having a great week-end.

 

Lovingly,

 

M

 

Pj, you've a heart of gold.  I so enjoy what you pour out on the virtual page.  You help a lot of people with your compassion and sage advice.

 

Dear Flicka, you will make it through this dark night of the soul, and be better for it in the end.

 

Thank you, floc.  You are very kind.

 

 

 

 

 

PJ,

 

Floc is right.  You are amazing and, whether you believe it or not, God is definitely using you in a big way.

 

Thank-you, floc, for the encouragement also.

 

I'm just trying to hang in minute by minute with this horrible anxiety and fear and lack of motivation.  My appetite is not great and I can hardly make myself go out and buy groceries or cook, let alone eat.

As I taper more, I seem to be feeling more nausea along with the anxiety and trouble sleeping.

 

It is a beautiful day here today and I can't make myself go for a walk, at least not yet.  We'll see...the leaves are turning and it is so beautiful.  Just wish I could be peaceful and enjoy it.

 

Hope you are both having a great week-end.

 

Lovingly,

 

M

 

 

Hi M,

 

Walking among the colorful leaves is sure to put a bounce in your step ... and a song in your heart.  I hope you can find the motivation to leave your house and enjoy the majestic Autumn splendor.   

 

I hope you can do this before the trees are stripped bare, and left completely naked by the cold, heartless, perverted North Winds.

 

During withdrawals, a lack of motivation turned me - someone who was always too busy living life to even sit on a couch - into a couch potato.

Just like you, I also wasn't motivated to do much of anything when I was in withdrawals.  When you mention your lack of motivation, believe me, I get it.

 

My poor dog would come up to me, holding a Frisbee in his mouth, begging me to go outside and play a game of catch and fetch with him.  I felt so bad, because as much as I wanted to get off the couch, most of the time, I just couldn't.  Benzos robbed me of my motivation and gave me a mountain of fear and anxiety. 

 

For quite some time I was afraid to leave my house, and when I went to bed, because the benzos made me afraid of the dark, I had to have a night light on in my room.  How crazy was that?  Those benzo withdrawals know no boundaries.   

They torture us in ways that we never thought was possible.  They take away our dignity, and our mind, and our hope.  They leave us emotionally stranded on a sea of loneliness to flounder aimlessly about, like a ship that has lost it's bearings.               

 

Gentle lady, do not despair ... you are going to weather the emotional storm that is swirling around you.

 

When the dark clouds surrounding you have been chased away by the healing winds of time - your fear and anxiety will be much more tolerable, but you will always have some fear and anxiety in your life, we all do.  It's inescapable, because of the hustling, bustling world we live in. 

 

Your zest for life WILL return ... and when it does, you will have the desire to dream another dream, and the MOTIVATION to follow that dream to wherever it may take you. 

 

pj 

For all you moms who are in withdrawals; here's a link to some of the most beautiful and soothing music by Mozart that is sure to relax, and perhaps even comfort you and your baby as you both nod off on your way to dreamland. 

 

 

pj

I am wondering if one has severe mental issues what keeps one going and faithful they will heal and not being temped to take other meds....

Hi Benzomama,

 

Acceptance and patience are two things that a person must have plenty of when going through withdrawals. 

 

Complete physical and mental healing will happen in the timeframe that our body and our brain dictate.  No matter how badly we want to be in charge or how badly we want the withdrawals to end - our body and our brain are in charge of the healing process. 

 

Reassurance, reassurance, and reassurance.  That's what it takes to keep someone believing that they will heal.  Read positive posts.  Tell yourself every day that healing does happen. 

A person should stick a note on their fridge that says: I MUST BE PATIENT- HEALING HAPPENS - IT WILL HAPPEN FOR ME.

 

Thousands of people have doubted that they would ever heal, and those thousands of folks did heal. 

 

Withdrawals tend to cause a person's thoughts to have a negative bent to them, so it is important that folks who may be questioning if they will ever recover, regardless if they went cold turkey or they tapered, be reassured that complete healing will happen. 

It's hard to take your mind off of all the painful and ridiculous symptoms that have been heaped upon you by benzos, a drug that many consider one of the most insidious drug ever concocted, but distraction and a positive attitude can help immensely in your healing.

 

If a person is able to, they should start a journal and document their recovery.  They should write about all the things that they thankful for, write about all the things that once made them happy.

Write only positive things, because positivity will almost always overcome negativity, [...] those negative thoughts that you are having to slowly fade away. 

A person should write about what they want to do when they have recovered, because they will recover. They  must believe that.  Even though the benzos may be trying to convince them otherwise ... they are going to  completely recover.   

 

It's hard, I know, for a person to be positive when mental confusion, depression, anxiety and lack of sleep makes them feel like an alien from another world has taken over their mind and their body.

But, they have to keep telling themselves that they are stronger than any benzo, and they will come out the winner in their battle to get their life back and be free and whole again.

 

Folks, be kind to yourself, pamper yourself.  Try to find a reason to smile, and when the sun is shining, take a walk in it, because exercise is important.  Walking is a miracle drug when it comes to clearing the mind.  Try not to take any other drugs or herbs.  It seems all they do is confuse an already confused brain even more.

 

But, if a person's mental issues are becoming much worse and more intolerable, they should probably see their doctor.  Perhaps that doctor will have some suggestions to help them cope with, as you mentioned, some severe mental issues.

 

People should dream of the day when words like benzos, withdrawals, windows, waves, depression, insomnia, and anxiety are all gone from their thoughts -  replaced by words like, [...], happiness, freedom, peace, and joy. 

When folks have completely recovered - memories of their horrible withdrawals will disappear like the fog does when the sun touches it.  Their mind will be as clear as Waterford Crystal. 

 

pj

I am wondering if one has severe mental issues what keeps one going and faithful they will heal and not being temped to take other meds....

 

hi benzomama,

 

my mother told me that she had been talking to you. her name is lukewinter.

 

i think it's very difficult to keep one going when severe mental issues are forever present but i always just keep reminding myself that it's all withdrawal (for me it is) and it will go away because it has gone away when i'm in a window. even though i've only had partial windows so far, most of the symptoms have lifted to where i know in my heart that i will feel normal again.

 

it's the waves that makes us feel insane and crazed and you just got to keep reminding yourself of the healing like pj mentions.

 

pretty

Thanks pj and pretty,

 

Asking a dr to cope is difficult they dont believe in this....

Were you also in agony 24/7 she doesnt seem to have windows. Even at night she cant sleep because of anxiety. Did you have mental symptoms?

 

her words (question)

 

will i be perfectly normal? not checking in on my conditions condition all the time? or wondering how do i feel/what do i feel? will i just be? like i was before? i will not have to distract or endure something, i will be totally normal? i dont even know what normal is anymore and i sometimes think this is just the way i am now....will i be able to relax and do nothing and feel just fine?

Hi Benzomama,

 

Acceptance and patience are two things that a person must have plenty of when going through withdrawals. 

 

Complete physical and mental healing will happen in the timeframe that our body and our brain dictate.  No matter how badly we want to be in charge or how badly we want the withdrawals to end - our body and our brain are in charge of the healing process. 

 

Reassurance, reassurance, and reassurance.  That's what it takes to keep someone believing that they will heal.  Read positive posts.  Tell yourself every day that healing does happen. 

A person should stick a note on their fridge that says: I MUST BE PATIENT- HEALING HAPPENS - IT WILL HAPPEN FOR ME.

 

Thousands of people have doubted that they would ever heal, and those thousands of folks did heal. 

 

Withdrawals tend to cause a person's thoughts to have a negative bent to them, so it is important that folks who may be questioning if they will ever recover, regardless if they went cold turkey or they tapered, be reassured that complete healing will happen. 

It's hard to take your mind off of all the painful and ridiculous symptoms that have been heaped upon you by benzos, a drug that many consider one of the most insidious drug ever concocted, but distraction and a positive attitude can help immensely in your healing.

 

If a person is able to, they should start a journal and document their recovery.  They should write about all the things that they thankful for, write about all the things that once made them happy.

Write only positive things, because positivity will almost always overcome negativity, [...] those negative thoughts that you are having to slowly fade away. 

A person should write about what they want to do when they have recovered, because they will recover. They  must believe that.  Even though the benzos may be trying to convince them otherwise ... they are going to  completely recover.   

 

It's hard, I know, for a person to be positive when mental confusion, depression, anxiety and lack of sleep makes them feel like an alien from another world has taken over their mind and their body.

But, they have to keep telling themselves that they are stronger than any benzo, and they will come out the winner in their battle to get their life back and be free and whole again.

 

Folks, be kind to yourself, pamper yourself.  Try to find a reason to smile, and when the sun is shining, take a walk in it, because exercise is important.  Walking is a miracle drug when it comes to clearing the mind.  Try not to take any other drugs or herbs.  It seems all they do is confuse an already confused brain even more.

 

But, if a person's mental issues are becoming much worse and more intolerable, they should probably see their doctor.  Perhaps that doctor will have some suggestions to help them cope with, as you mentioned, some severe mental issues.

 

People should dream of the day when words like benzos, withdrawals, windows, waves, depression, insomnia, and anxiety are all gone from their thoughts -  replaced by words like, [...], happiness, freedom, peace, and joy. 

When folks have completely recovered - memories of their horrible withdrawals will disappear like the fog does when the sun touches it.  Their mind will be as clear as Waterford Crystal. 

 

pj

 

So much food for thought here PJ I wanted to repost as a reminder to us all that with time, patience and acceptance we will all recover. It's slow but I see my view changing from a negative bent to more positive just by believing in myself and time.

Hi Benzomama,

 

Acceptance and patience are two things that a person must have plenty of when going through withdrawals. 

 

Complete physical and mental healing will happen in the timeframe that our body and our brain dictate.  No matter how badly we want to be in charge or how badly we want the withdrawals to end - our body and our brain are in charge of the healing process. 

 

Reassurance, reassurance, and reassurance.  That's what it takes to keep someone believing that they will heal.  Read positive posts.  Tell yourself every day that healing does happen. 

A person should stick a note on their fridge that says: I MUST BE PATIENT- HEALING HAPPENS - IT WILL HAPPEN FOR ME.

 

Thousands of people have doubted that they would ever heal, and those thousands of folks did heal. 

 

Withdrawals tend to cause a person's thoughts to have a negative bent to them, so it is important that folks who may be questioning if they will ever recover, regardless if they went cold turkey or they tapered, be reassured that complete healing will happen. 

It's hard to take your mind off of all the painful and ridiculous symptoms that have been heaped upon you by benzos, a drug that many consider one of the most insidious drug ever concocted, but distraction and a positive attitude can help immensely in your healing.

 

If a person is able to, they should start a journal and document their recovery.  They should write about all the things that they thankful for, write about all the things that once made them happy.

Write only positive things, because positivity will almost always overcome negativity, [...] those negative thoughts that you are having to slowly fade away. 

A person should write about what they want to do when they have recovered, because they will recover. They  must believe that.  Even though the benzos may be trying to convince them otherwise ... they are going to  completely recover.   

 

It's hard, I know, for a person to be positive when mental confusion, depression, anxiety and lack of sleep makes them feel like an alien from another world has taken over their mind and their body.

But, they have to keep telling themselves that they are stronger than any benzo, and they will come out the winner in their battle to get their life back and be free and whole again.

 

Folks, be kind to yourself, pamper yourself.  Try to find a reason to smile, and when the sun is shining, take a walk in it, because exercise is important.  Walking is a miracle drug when it comes to clearing the mind.  Try not to take any other drugs or herbs.  It seems all they do is confuse an already confused brain even more.

 

But, if a person's mental issues are becoming much worse and more intolerable, they should probably see their doctor.  Perhaps that doctor will have some suggestions to help them cope with, as you mentioned, some severe mental issues.

 

People should dream of the day when words like benzos, withdrawals, windows, waves, depression, insomnia, and anxiety are all gone from their thoughts -  replaced by words like, [...], happiness, freedom, peace, and joy. 

When folks have completely recovered - memories of their horrible withdrawals will disappear like the fog does when the sun touches it.  Their mind will be as clear as Waterford Crystal. 

 

pj

 

 

PJ-

 

I can't thanks you enough for coming back and making post like this.  It's like a ray of sunshine on an otherwise dark and bleak plain. I'm coming up on 6 months free, still very much in withdrawal, but seeing small glimmers of improvement as I continually practice acceptance and patience... You are absolutely correct about reassurance being key. In withdrawal, our thoughts and perceptions are so off that we can't imagine that we could possibly heal, so continual reassurance is vital, over and over again.

 

Honestly PJ, I truly hope that your are doing well, and I wish you all the best in every facet of life! Thanks for what you do here in this thread. -R.

In withdrawal, our thoughts and perceptions are so off that we can't imagine that we could possibly heal, so continual reassurance is vital, over and over again.

 

benzomama,

 

what 63-Robert says above. those can be the continual mental symptoms until the brain is healed. your daughter must keep telling herself that this is temporary due to the withdrawal. i go through it all the time and i am forever telling myself that. i have had a few partial windows so that is how i know what feeling normal feels like but otherwise it is 24/7 torment that i have to hold on and distract and keep telling myself positive things.

 

i had the hardest core insomnia that last for one month straight just last month. it finally let up and this was when i was in my 25th month. it seemed worse than when i was in acute withdrawal. i was literally going insane. i don't know how i held on but i did and now it's changed and i've been having some good sleep hours for the last 4 nights. it will change for your daughter, just tell her to hang on and try to accept as much as possible, i know it's so hard.

 

i absolutely think we will all go back to feeling our old normal selves again when we are healed. and this is coming from someone who has done many cold turkey's and i am kindling and have been suffering from 26 months now. and also i've been on large dose's of benzo's for many many years. but i have faith that i will go back to feeling totally normal. those partial windows told me so. i hope your daughter has a window soon.

 

love, pretty

Thanks pj and pretty,

 

Asking a dr to cope is difficult they dont believe in this....

Were you also in agony 24/7 she doesnt seem to have windows. Even at night she cant sleep because of anxiety. Did you have mental symptoms?

 

her words (question)

 

will i be perfectly normal? not checking in on my conditions condition all the time? or wondering how do i feel/what do i feel? will i just be? like i was before? i will not have to distract or endure something, i will be totally normal? i dont even know what normal is anymore and i sometimes think this is just the way i am now....will i be able to relax and do nothing and feel just fine?

 

Hi Benzomama,

 

Please tell your daughter for me that she is going to be okay.  The benzos have caused a major disruption in her thought process - making her believe that she will never be normal again.  That is what the benzos do.  They temporarily take away our positive thoughts and replace them with negative thoughts. 

 

With the passage of time, her negative thoughts will begin to fade away.  If need be, reassure her a hundred times a day that she is going to recover. 

Your patience, and your reassurance, combined with the love you have for your daughter, will help her so much in her believing that she will indeed recover and be her normal self again - and she will be.

 

I sincerely wish you both the best.  Prettydaisys, I'm happy for you that you are having better days.  You deserve to.

 

pj

Hi CoAco,

 

It's good to hear from you again.

 

I'm not sure if you saw the response I gave to you back in August regarding your concern about your not getting enough sleep, so I posted it again because not getting enough sleep due to withdrawals affects so many folks, and is so devastating to their well-being. 

 

How did I cope with my not sleeping?  By not going to bed.  I knew I wouldn't sleep, so instead of tossing and turning all night long in my bed, I spent most nights in my recliner with the television on, the volume turned down real low.  I would watch old black and white movies that were showing on the TCM channel.  Colored movies would have been much too bright, and much too stimulating for my already over stimulated mind to handle.

 

As strange as it seems to say it now, at that time, all those great actors from the forties and fifties became my friends, not because I was delusional, but because they kept me company all night long, making me feel like I was not going through withdrawals all alone. 

 

Watching those old movies helped to ease my anxiety over not sleeping.  When morning came, I would just say to myself:  "I didn't sleep last night, maybe tonight I will."

 

On those nights when sleep eludes you, and you have access to some of those wonderful old black and white movies.  You can watch them by yourself or you can take one of your little kids, wrap yourselves up in a light blanket, and cuddle together in a comfortable chair.   

Bonding with your child who is sleeping next to you, the muted voices on the TV, and the stillness of the night, may comfort you enough so that you could possibly fall asleep. 

 

The worst thing you can do is to go to bed, and just lie there, tossing and turning.  Believe me, I did that a few times, and as you probably already know through experience; it's torture.

 

Your sleep will come back, not magically all at once, but it will come back in stages.  Your brain is working overtime to repair the part that regulates sleep.  Try not to obsess about not sleeping, it just makes it worse.  It's got to be so hard for you, raising two little kids on very little sleep.  I [...] your sleep returns real soon, I really do.

 

One night when I was sitting in my chair, and for the first time in many weeks, I started yawning - I knew that I was about to witness a miracle, and I did.  I slept that night, not perfectly, and not all that long, but I slept.

 

Until your sleep cycle straightens out, you can expect sporadic sleep.  Some nights only an hour or two, some nights three or four, maybe five, other nights, nothing.  There is no rhyme or reason to it.  It's maddening, I know, but eventually you will sleep like a newborn baby.

 

You will dream happy dreams again.  No more nightmares.  Your mind will be as free as dandelion seeds floating in the wind. 

 

Take good care of yourself.  I know you're taking good care of your kids.  As long as you can give your kids a peanut butter sandwich, or a bowl of mac and cheese topped off with a big hug and a kiss, you're not neglecting them.  Kids are so resilient and so forgiving.  They will not even remember that you were not able to inter-act with them as much as you wanted to.

 

Good luck to you.  You sound like you are a wonderful, caring father who loves your kids so very much.   

 

[...]

Hi Benzomama,

 

Acceptance and patience are two things that a person must have plenty of when going through withdrawals. 

 

Complete physical and mental healing will happen in the timeframe that our body and our brain dictate.  No matter how badly we want to be in charge or how badly we want the withdrawals to end - our body and our brain are in charge of the healing process. 

 

Reassurance, reassurance, and reassurance.  That's what it takes to keep someone believing that they will heal.  Read positive posts.  Tell yourself every day that healing does happen. 

A person should stick a note on their fridge that says: I MUST BE PATIENT- HEALING HAPPENS - IT WILL HAPPEN FOR ME.

 

Thousands of people have doubted that they would ever heal, and those thousands of folks did heal. 

 

Withdrawals tend to cause a person's thoughts to have a negative bent to them, so it is important that folks who may be questioning if they will ever recover, regardless if they went cold turkey or they tapered, be reassured that complete healing will happen. 

It's hard to take your mind off of all the painful and ridiculous symptoms that have been heaped upon you by benzos, a drug that many consider one of the most insidious drug ever concocted, but distraction and a positive attitude can help immensely in your healing.

 

If a person is able to, they should start a journal and document their recovery.  They should write about all the things that they thankful for, write about all the things that once made them happy.

Write only positive things, because positivity will almost always overcome negativity, [...] those negative thoughts that you are having to slowly fade away. 

A person should write about what they want to do when they have recovered, because they will recover. They  must believe that.  Even though the benzos may be trying to convince them otherwise ... they are going to  completely recover.   

 

It's hard, I know, for a person to be positive when mental confusion, depression, anxiety and lack of sleep makes them feel like an alien from another world has taken over their mind and their body.

But, they have to keep telling themselves that they are stronger than any benzo, and they will come out the winner in their battle to get their life back and be free and whole again.

 

Folks, be kind to yourself, pamper yourself.  Try to find a reason to smile, and when the sun is shining, take a walk in it, because exercise is important.  Walking is a miracle drug when it comes to clearing the mind.  Try not to take any other drugs or herbs.  It seems all they do is confuse an already confused brain even more.

 

But, if a person's mental issues are becoming much worse and more intolerable, they should probably see their doctor.  Perhaps that doctor will have some suggestions to help them cope with, as you mentioned, some severe mental issues.

 

People should dream of the day when words like benzos, withdrawals, windows, waves, depression, insomnia, and anxiety are all gone from their thoughts -  replaced by words like, [...], happiness, freedom, peace, and joy. 

When folks have completely recovered - memories of their horrible withdrawals will disappear like the fog does when the sun touches it.  Their mind will be as clear as Waterford Crystal. 

 

pj

 

 

PJ-

 

I can't thanks you enough for coming back and making post like this.  It's like a ray of sunshine on an otherwise dark and bleak plain. I'm coming up on 6 months free, still very much in withdrawal, but seeing small glimmers of improvement as I continually practice acceptance and patience... You are absolutely correct about reassurance being key. In withdrawal, our thoughts and perceptions are so off that we can't imagine that we could possibly heal, so continual reassurance is vital, over and over again.

 

Honestly PJ, I truly hope that your are doing well, and I wish you all the best in every facet of life! Thanks for what you do here in this thread. -R.

 

You're welcome, Robert.  Thank you ...  I'm doing very well, feeling terrific.  I take life one day at a time, and I appreciate it for the wonderful adventure that it is.

 

I'm glad that you are doing better.  Take care.

 

pj

I did pj and I apologize for not responding. For me to not "brood" over sleep I had to take a step back from all the searching, researching, etc. that only served to build my anxiety. I agree 100% that there is no rhyme or reason to this recovery. Some nights I'll sleep thru 6hrs, another night it will take 2-4hrs to fall a sleep. It's so up and down but, my anxiety towards it is starting to subside. I'll meditate, read, watch a low-visual flick on TV if I really feel wide awake.

 

I also have to confess that I still drink a glass or two of wine a few nights a week. It's something my wife and I always enjoyed doing before all of this and in a sense gives me a taste of the old me. This of course is probably extending my recovery but, you still have to live and why not live while doing the things you enjoyed. I may be wrong...

 

Thanks so much for following up with all us in recovery. It really is super supportive to have someone like yourself who is on the other side lighting the path for us all.

Just because a person is having withdrawals that are making their life miserable, there is no reason why their life should be made even more miserable by their not doing some of the things that they enjoy doing.

 

An occasional glass of wine or a cup of coffee or even a slice of Key Lime Pie for someone who can tolerate such things, can be much more helpful to them, than it is harmful - because a person who lives their life as normally as they can during withdrawals will be more positive, and more accepting of those  withdrawals.  I mentioned Key Lime Pie, because I just had some with my lunch

 

Knowing that they can still do some of the things that gave them a little pleasure before the benzos complicated their life can be very reassuring to people in withdrawals, and can help to convince them that their life is not over, and that they will recover and they will enjoy life again.

 

I drink one cup of coffee a day, and I did that all during withdrawals.  The withdrawals temporarily took away my dignity, took away who I was, and took away my motivation.  No way was I giving up that one cup of coffee to withdrawals.

 

Life without any pleasure may be fine for a tin robot who has no feelings, but not for people in withdrawals who do have feelings. 

 

Go ahead and have that occasional glass of wine.  And don't feel guilty, because an occasional glass of wine is not going to compromise your healing.

Just because a person is having withdrawals that are making their life miserable, there is no reason why their life should be made even more miserable by their not doing some of the things that they enjoy doing.

 

An occasional glass of wine or a cup of coffee or even a slice of Key Lime Pie for someone who can tolerate such things, can be much more helpful to them, than it is harmful - because a person who lives their life as normally as they can during withdrawals will be more positive, and more accepting of those  withdrawals.  I mentioned Key Lime Pie, because I just had some with my lunch

 

Knowing that they can still do some of the things that gave them a little pleasure before the benzos complicated their life can be very reassuring to people in withdrawals, and can help to convince them that their life is not over, and that they will recover and they will enjoy life again.

 

I drink one cup of coffee a day, and I did that all during withdrawals.  The withdrawals temporarily took away my dignity, took away who I was, and took away my motivation.  No way was I giving up that one cup of coffee to withdrawals.

 

Life without any pleasure may be fine for a tin robot who has no feelings, but not for people in withdrawals who do have feelings. 

 

Go ahead and have that occasional glass of wine.  And don't feel guilty, because an occasional glass of wine is not going to compromise your healing.

 

Well said PJ

 

Did you drink any alcohol while in withdrawal and if so how did it effect you ? Do you drink now and if so are you ok with it, not going off topic as this is your success story but I believe if all those who survive this hell know that they will once again be able to enjoy a nice glass of wine on the other side it will then be worth waiting for, I abstained soley based on all the fear and horror stories I read about alcohol on here. So now I often wonder if I tortured myself unnecessary by been fearful of all I read when a nice glass of wine would have many times taking the edge of so to speak.

 

Once again PJ thank you for all you do on here, your a BB Legend to all

 

Cheers 🍻

 

Woofs

Oh thanks for the reassurance pj. I sometimes read on hear about alcohol and it makes me wonder if I'm delaying my mind's recovery but we're all different. So, it may not lengthen my recovery and I still get to enjoy being my "old" self which is a bonus!

Okay guys, just to clarify, I said an occasional glass of wine.  You are smart enough to know that it doesn't give a person license to drink wine everyday or to drink two or three glasses of wine at one time while in withdrawals.  Excessive amounts of alcohol can mess up someone's healing, and no one wants that.  When you have healed, you will know what amount of alcohol you will be able to tolerate.

 

I personally, do not consume alcohol, because I have a very low tolerance for it.  The key to a happy life is to do everything in moderation.  A person would no more want to drink a whole bottle of wine at one sitting, than they  would want to eat a whole chocolate cake.

 

The rain has stopped so I have to get back to work.  Everybody have a nice afternoon.

 

No, CoACO, you did not offend me, because nothing you said was offensive.  

 

 

I hope I didn't offend you pj- I understood the basis of your comments as "occasional". Thanks again!

Prettydaisys, I'm happy for you that you are having better days.  You deserve to.

 

thanks pj!

 

i'm still holding on so to speak. i just can't wait for the day that a full open wide window hits my soul.

Just because a person is having withdrawals that are making their life miserable, there is no reason why their life should be made even more miserable by their not doing some of the things that they enjoy doing.

 

An occasional glass of wine or a cup of coffee or even a slice of Key Lime Pie for someone who can tolerate such things, can be much more helpful to them, than it is harmful - because a person who lives their life as normally as they can during withdrawals will be more positive, and more accepting of those  withdrawals.  I mentioned Key Lime Pie, because I just had some with my lunch

 

Knowing that they can still do some of the things that gave them a little pleasure before the benzos complicated their life can be very reassuring to people in withdrawals, and can help to convince them that their life is not over, and that they will recover and they will enjoy life again.

 

I drink one cup of coffee a day, and I did that all during withdrawals.  The withdrawals temporarily took away my dignity, took away who I was, and took away my motivation.  No way was I giving up that one cup of coffee to withdrawals.

 

Life without any pleasure may be fine for a tin robot who has no feelings, but not for people in withdrawals who do have feelings. 

 

Go ahead and have that occasional glass of wine.  And don't feel guilty, because an occasional glass of wine is not going to compromise your healing.

 

Well said PJ

 

Did you drink any alcohol while in withdrawal and if so how did it effect you ? Do you drink now and if so are you ok with it, not going off topic as this is your success story but I believe if all those who survive this hell know that they will once again be able to enjoy a nice glass of wine on the other side it will then be worth waiting for, I abstained soley based on all the fear and horror stories I read about alcohol on here. So now I often wonder if I tortured myself unnecessary by been fearful of all I read when a nice glass of wine would have many times taking the edge of so to speak.

 

Once again PJ thank you for all you do on here, your a BB Legend to all

 

Cheers 🍻

 

Woofs

 

Hi Woofs,

 

You wrote:

 

"I often wonder if I tortured myself unnecessary by being fearful of all I read when a nice glass of wine would have many times taking the edge off so to speak"

Perhaps you did torture yourself needlessly.  When in withdrawals, folks are awash in the fear of the unknown. 

 

If we read where someone ate this or that or drank this or that or took this supplement or that supplement, and it put them in a wave of biblical proportions, then fear takes over.  A person can become afraid to eat or drink even things that are good for them. 

 

If someone ate something that they knew they were not allergic to, and an hour later they were in a terrible wave, it could be just a coincidence;  perhaps they would of had that wave hit them even if they had not eaten that certain thing. 

 

It's very early in the morning here, some cobwebs are still clouding my thinking, so if I'm not making a whole lot of sense, I apologize.  I guess, all I am saying is that when a person is in withdrawals, they cannot just stop living. 

 

The road to recovery is paved with fear and self-doubt and anxiety.  If someone who has no history of alcohol abuse wants to simply have an occasional glass of wine to take the edge off of those harsh withdrawals, and it gives them the hope that someday they will return to a normal way of life, then what's the harm?

 

Listen to your body and listen to your inner- self.  No one knows you like you know you.  You have to trust yourself to do what is right for you.

 

Have a great day.

 

pj

 

Just because a person is having withdrawals that are making their life miserable, there is no reason why their life should be made even more miserable by their not doing some of the things that they enjoy doing.

 

An occasional glass of wine or a cup of coffee or even a slice of Key Lime Pie for someone who can tolerate such things, can be much more helpful to them, than it is harmful - because a person who lives their life as normally as they can during withdrawals will be more positive, and more accepting of those  withdrawals.  I mentioned Key Lime Pie, because I just had some with my lunch

 

Knowing that they can still do some of the things that gave them a little pleasure before the benzos complicated their life can be very reassuring to people in withdrawals, and can help to convince them that their life is not over, and that they will recover and they will enjoy life again.

 

I drink one cup of coffee a day, and I did that all during withdrawals.  The withdrawals temporarily took away my dignity, took away who I was, and took away my motivation.  No way was I giving up that one cup of coffee to withdrawals.

 

Life without any pleasure may be fine for a tin robot who has no feelings, but not for people in withdrawals who do have feelings. 

 

Go ahead and have that occasional glass of wine.  And don't feel guilty, because an occasional glass of wine is not going to compromise your healing.

 

Well said PJ

 

Did you drink any alcohol while in withdrawal and if so how did it effect you ? Do you drink now and if so are you ok with it, not going off topic as this is your success story but I believe if all those who survive this hell know that they will once again be able to enjoy a nice glass of wine on the other side it will then be worth waiting for, I abstained soley based on all the fear and horror stories I read about alcohol on here. So now I often wonder if I tortured myself unnecessary by been fearful of all I read when a nice glass of wine would have many times taking the edge of so to speak.

 

Once again PJ thank you for all you do on here, your a BB Legend to all

 

Cheers 🍻

 

Woofs

 

Hi Woofs,

 

You wrote:

 

"I often wonder if I tortured myself unnecessary by being fearful of all I read when a nice glass of wine would have many times taking the edge off so to speak"

Perhaps you did torture yourself needlessly.  When in withdrawals, folks are awash in the fear of the unknown. 

 

If we read where someone ate this or that or drank this or that or took this supplement or that supplement, and it put them in a wave of biblical proportions, then fear takes over.  A person can become afraid to eat or drink even things that are good for them. 

 

If someone ate something that they knew they were not allergic to, and an hour later they were in a terrible wave, it could be just a coincidence;  perhaps they would of had that wave hit them even if they had not eaten that certain thing. 

 

It's very early in the morning here, some cobwebs are still clouding my thinking, so if I'm not making a whole lot of sense, I apologize.  I guess, all I am saying is that when a person is in withdrawals, they cannot just stop living. 

 

The road to recovery is paved with fear and self-doubt and anxiety.  If someone who has no history of alcohol abuse wants to simply have an occasional glass of wine to take the edge off of those harsh withdrawals, and it gives them the hope that someday they will return to a normal way of life, then what's the harm?

 

Listen to your body and listen to your inner- self.  No one knows you like you know you.  You have to trust yourself to do what is right for you.

 

Have a great day.

 

pj

 

Ah PJ

 

No one does or could ever say it how you do. Your mind is blessed with such meaningful words..

 

I suppose the long and the short of it is I'm fearful of anything making me wirse or setting me back so I followed all advice to the book as I do not want to reside in hell any longer than I have to..

 

Everyone is different and everyone reacts differently with food and drink the same way some people can take benzos and stop no problem but us unlucky sound found out we can't !!!

 

Yes it might take the egde off temporarily but it's the fall out after that worries me and I could never again repeat one day of this hell so I think for me mind wuse it's safer to stay abseniate untill I'm fully healed, that way I won't be able to have any regrets..

 

You keep doing a might fine job on here and whether you know it or not you save lives and minds every day as so many people cling to your wirds of hope..

 

Bless You

 

Slante 🍀

 

Woofs