Presents: PROTRACTED WITHDRAWAL BY
J. RIK ROBERTS
When you are in as much agony as benzodiazepine withdrawal can create hearing that it can go on forever robs you of any shred of hope - and hope is what you need to stay the course and become well again.
After dealing with legions of benzo patients here are the truths I have observed about benzo withdrawal: 1) Some people are able to cold turkey from long term use at high doses and have no, or almost no symptoms.
2) Other people have significant & protracted symptoms after discontinuing from small doses for a short time of use.
3) Severity of symptoms does not indicate the progress of healing or the amount of time you may have left.
4) Some people have instant symptom relief and major symptoms never return again.
5) Some people heal with random windows of relief becoming more frequent and lasting longer until they are well.
6) Some people heal with slow imperceptible progress (this is the hardest and most difficult to endure as we fail to see our own progress).
7) Some people have 100% resolution and others have long term or permeant symptoms - here is a pitfall - no one has acute symptoms forever and even those who fail to heal completely regard their lasting symptoms as minor nuisances if they take care of themselves!
8) No one knows or can predict how you will heal or your time line - there are no drugs or compounds that will accelerate or dramatically alter the process - if you are lucky you may find one that provides symptom relief - if you chose incorrectly it may cause greater suffering and prolonged healing.
9) Everyone who stays the course will get better and will find freedom and health unknown on the drugs
You are unique and I know of no other medical or psychological malady that is as frustrating in it's variance as benzo illness. For this reason you do your self great disservice to look at others progress, or lack of and try to generalize it to yourself. We may share some symptoms and a common history in relation to the medications used but from that point on your adventure through benzo withdrawal is totally unique!
Finally- benzo withdrawal creates drug induced anxiety of a very high magnitutude - anxiety will lie to you and seek out the worst possible outcome belief- in your impressionable anxiety state you will may entertain it as true.
Trust those guides who have many years ahead of you and not these drug induced dysphorias - you will heal, you will improve and you will be at peace again!
To all our healing
rik
& THE DANGERS OF GENERALIZING