Ashton Manual

[[Buddie]]

In the protracted section:

"Many of these people have taken benzodiazepines for 20 years or more and/or have had bad experiences in withdrawal. The incidence of protracted symptoms in those who have undergone a slow taper under their own control is almost certainly very much lower."

[[Buddie]]

[...] I've taken benzos for forty years and have it straight from the horse's mouth (Prof. Ashton) that I will heal but it's going to take time. I expect everything to clear with time so hang in there and don't worry as it's counterproductive. It's better not to read too much as our nervousness systems exaggerate everything out of proportion. One day we will be completely free, look at Bliss Johns.

[[Buddie]]

Since I went cold turkey am I still going to recover?  I did not know I should of tapered.  I am having a horrible time right now.  Really do not know what to do!

[[Buddie]]

Since I went cold turkey am I still going to recover?  I did not know I should of tapered.  I am having a horrible time right now.  Really do not know what to do!

Hi, people who cold turkeyed off benzos do recover.  I did a c/t about 4 years ago (hospital 4-day detox, same thing) and though I reinstated several months later due to an unrelated health scare, I tapered off early last year and am now 20 months off.  I feel better than I did before or on Xanax, which actually worked quite well for my anxiety.  I've had anxiety issues all my life, though.  But now, my anxiety level is lower than it's ever been before.

Don't worry about what you "should have" done.  That never does any good.  Just keep living day to day, distract yourself from obsessing about your symptoms, and you will eventually heal!

 

[[Buddie]]

If she did say that, I am very confident that it was pure supposition and not an empirically based conclusion.

Strike that thought from your mind.

[[Buddie]]

Sometimes reading horror stories or technical data can really mess you up.  I'm doing that today.  Fears, hopeless, catastrophising.....making my symptoms of anxiety far worse.  We all do this...remember, it's not your brain....it's the drugs.  I know it's hard to control, but we have to try.  This is not forever.  Bliss speaks of over 5,000 of her contacts and all have healed.  Time is the
Healer. Try reading only success stories for awhile.  Wishing you well.

[[Buddie]]

Who is Bliss?

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...] and all bb:


I've been on this site for over three years.  When I found the Ashton Manual in 2010, I not only found out what was happening to my husband, I found out what happened to me in the 80's from Valium.  I was validated from what I went through.  I healed from it all, that was 28 years ago... my husband is almost healed 100%...  This is what I wanted to share with you:

http://benzowithdrawalhelp.com/2012/09/07/bliss-answers-our-questions/

Read and re-read this.  You will heal, you do totally heal..  I know first hand with myself, as well as my husband. 

Hugs to you, [...]

[[Buddie]]

It is interesting how different people reading the same thing have opposite reactions. I actually read the Ashton Manual when I need encouragement and inspiration. It uplifts me even more than success stories for some odd reason. Everyone is different. I'm sorry that you found it upsetting.