I was prescribed klonopin from age 14 to 36, and this was worse than heroin, cocaine, and methadone combined. I felt like someone ripped off all my skin and put me in a blizzard while detonating bombs. Any noise was like a shock to my system . My hope is that anyone who was able to get off benzos knows how amazingly strong you really are. I have been drug free for almost 8 and a half years, and you can do this!!!
This is an interesting story. I've been on klonipin 25 years I'm 42. I did commercial/industrial sheet metal work 23 years. Certified in 10 states. I have a history that goes deep on my fathers side. Bive never abused it. I hate it though. I was abruptly taken off from 3.5mg 0 MG in 1 day Oct 2019m the shocks and darkest evil bizarre things happened 9ndaysbfor my father to find me. Drive me back to Nashville. A 17 hr drive. My last memory from Dec 1st was shock electro to my head. Vivid bad and good memories to the floor. Then April 2029 I realized consciousness again. But it flipped some switch. To where after 32 years of Mental Health. Sadly I'm on mental disability .my nuncle passed away last April 15th from withdrawel.. I've experienced most street drugs. Not 1 is this monster or this evil. I look up to you for this I was ripped off them again on disability since September 2022. Destroyed me again. Now I'm trying to get a prescription still fighting survival. This drug is good but it's evil and death. It's not normal. My diagnosis after is Bipolar 2 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Major depressive disorder(with psychotic symptoms) Complex PTSD (chronic) Adhd Auditory/Visual hallucinations Psychosocial personality Suicidal / homicidal ideation I'm the outcome of what the 90s did. Paxil- to the new high $ med, that's 1000 a month. 143 meds later it's all that worked. Now Dr's say I'm a dugbaddict that needs to go-to rehab. They made me this way killed my uncle and took me off again. Psychs qre evilbi hate them they took my brain and my life. In the end 549k$ later. Sanity destroyed. Care is 0 self care 0. I hate it. They murder us. I only know when I don't take it by noon. It's strong. But I get it disability/ old meds/Medicare. I'm bottom barrel. I don't make them rich. I'm just thrown on the trash pile. Its wrong murder evil. I hope you are well. My name is Greg. Thank you for sharing
We should talk hey 17 to 43 and many times felt the way you described. That depiction was the best i heard thus far ive been switched to diazepam for my taper but 2 mg 3xs a day of k pins is equal to 40 mg of valium 3 xs a day im at 10mg 2xs a day and 3 2mg 3xs a day so 26 mg and i come down 2mg a month i got 14 months to go. Been off coke and dope 3 years but reside at 170mg of methadone.
@Gregory Coleman I would love to talk. Noone understands this. Dr's won't help. I live in the woods away from this world. I can't trust it. They robbed who I was before I knew or had a chance. People think sitting at home being a loser on disability is fun. Hell no. I wake up if I sleep to. Thinking of the Dr's killing my uncle in 6 days April 15th last year. And useless worthless existence. Then I'm this benzo junky to any psych. This drug sadly is stronger than a mental cocaine/meth/ addiction, opiate addiction. It's another entity almost some silent dmt bin your brain screaming at you. Tricking you. At the same time saying to kill or kill yourself. 0 street drugs did that. I had a 6 yr cocaine addiction 2000-2006 a short lived methamphetamine addiction. Never pills. I've taken every pill psych related since age 9. I'm stuck now using Mexican klonipin from family getting it over here so I don't die. If they take me off or it's gone I will do worse than a fucking ticker on the news they'll know my face and talk terrible me after a psych gets their practice turned into pools of blood and endless death until I'm dead
@Gregory Coleman I'm the least violent person. It hurts that my life is destroyed. I did tms /ect/all the games trials nothing last over a week. There's no cure. Just leave us alone it works for some. It doesn't when they you off.
@@blackenedhateproductions Do you think that I was treading lightly upon what you were saying no Greg Im Greg too and Im scared to death Im only really playing the shrink I have now because she will write for 14 more months, giving me time to find someone new. I know none of the shit works and all I said was that your description of a life without benzos is accurate, i dont understand that you want me to leave you alone. I said we could talk anytime I even went back to make sure you were the one that described the terror to a t. Here in Ma if you get out of control its the only state besides FL that has a section 35. At the time i was sectioned with no charges to an upstate jail called bridgewater it is now shut down in FL its called being baker acted anyway the judge from one doctor saying i had no place to go from the hospital and that my benzo tolerance was crazy they sent me to an upstate jail where i was subjected to physical abuse on top of a librium taper in which clonidine brings my pressure so low i never received not one pill i had enough kpins in me to not start breaking for a week atleast which used to happen at those 2 week taper places. I would not even get sick for a week long story short 62 days they kept me locked up there with a 16mg suboxone habit and atleat 10 mg of kpin a day needless to say the only relief i ever got was when south Boston kids came with their assholes packed with k pins, Xanax and subs. I seized every other day i twitched muscles jolted the way they wanted to and monkey feet 🐾 which is when your feet muscles move around on there own causing a reaction in your foot similar to monkeys grabbing tree braches with there feet, I made it my 62 days without dying but thought death was coming for me each seizure. Im now disabled with complex PTSD, panic disorder, major depression with severe intermediate episodes, gad and more. My doctor s came to my salvation when I got out as i climbed the kpin latter. 0.5 back to 2mg 5xs a day prescribed got my subs back and i know your pain. It was art addict i was sayin hey we should talk but when i read your story only because you wrote something to me like leave you alone and i had not said shit always remember there is read more for a reason. Write me anytime. I will pray 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 for you and this whole forum tonight.
I’m 13 months off. Still not healed. Took me 7 years to get off. I shouldn’t be alive. Lost everything. But I won’t lose this battle. I will win and help others one day. I was put on this earth to help others with this. I love what you guys are doing. So much respect to you both. If I could ever share my story or help you guys in any way, just send me a reply.
@@waltersobchak7275 I have been Myself personally. Every WD symptom associated with benzo WD I unfortunately am experiencing 26 days off & 3 seizures later.
@@FactoryFugitive I was in another world hallucinating. Not like an acid trip but realistic. Scary scenarios. Four days straight woke up in the hospital typed to a bed. Only after they gave me diazepam did I come out of it. I backed out very slowly after that I bought like 700 footballs and took a year to back off very very gradually I’ll never touch it again
The worst withdrawal symptom I experienced when I ran out of Xanax and couldn’t get any more for 3 days was the auditory hallucinations. By the third day, I was taking a shower and I started hearing singing, like a church choir. I shut off the shower, no choir. Turned the water back on, the singing continued. This was also after not sleeping for three nights. I think I’m lucky I didn’t experience seizures. Maybe I did. It’s a serious drug.
Wowwww... Yeah...about 9 years ago I went off 3mg alprazolam daily (sometimes more) cold turkey after feeling like God was telling me that if I wanted to have a relationship with the woman he blessed me with (church going "normie" that had absolutely ZERO history of using any mood or mind altering drugs) and have the family that I always wanted than I had to get off ALL the pharmaceutical prescriptions I was dependent on and give up cannabis too so that I csm give her and my family the man and person they deserved and who God originally created me to be. I had a safe and in fhe safe I had a bottle of over 300+ .5 xanax tablets and I literally flushed them ALL down the toilet and watched them disentegrate into the water and flushed them along with hundreds of methadone 10mg tablets. I was so confident that God was calling me to do this and I was so proud and so was she! It wasn't till I started withdrawing that I got scared as hell...I called my doctor and told him that I did and he flipped out wanting to know why I would do such a thing. Long story short...the combination of withdrawing from both methadone and xanax hit me soo hard! I was halucinating and remember being in bed and feeling like I had to urinate so bad and I literally saw myself crawl, literally crawl on all fours out of my body in the bed into the bathroom to go and pee. Eventually I woke up and got out of bed and went to use the rest room and saw what looked like 2 rabbid dogs (German Shepard's) gnarling and growling at me and one jumped and tried to bite my face!!! After that...I was traumatized. I realized the severity of what I had done by flushing my stash of meds, and how mentally and physically dependent I was on the meds. I couldn't sleep for over a month. When I closed my eyes my eyes would move rapidly, shaking over and over and was feeling electrical zaps in my brain. I stayed up ALL night every night while my girlfriend slept so I went down stairs to try and read and or watch television while she slept in the bed. Needless to say, that made her feel alone, separated from me, gave her time to rethink what she wanted and also probably scared the crap outta her. Man...that was thee toughest thing I have ever survived and honestly...there is so much more I can go on about at length. I can also say that I would NEVER ever recommend any human being do what I did and to absolutely consult a medical professional to help guide you through that process because not everyone will end up the same as I have. It was until about month 3 to 4 where I was able to get a full night sleep (im talking a good 6 hours of solid sleep). Before that ide sleep for like 5 mins one night, 15 mins the other night, and so forth. Made everything extremely harder but thank God I had a passion for fitness and exercise. Ide go out and run and do body weight exercises to try and exert myself and secrete as much endorphines as possible. I remember being unemployed and desperately needing work and when I would dress up for an interview my dress shirt would be soaked in the armpits area, the waist area from chronic anxiety worrying about what they were thinking about. It was hell... If you don't have a relationship, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ I am telling you NOW is the time to get that! And don't put it off one more day! If I did not have that relationship, and if I had not prayed for a miraculous healing almost all day every day I don't know where I would be. I prayed for an instant healing and the humbling lesson for me with this even was that sometimes God does heal you and your ailment in an instant and other times it's a process. However Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are literally forever faithful and will deliver you from your agony. Don't give up, never quit! When you feel like giving up...your breakthrough is literally right around the corner! Amen! I pray that whomever is still reading this right now, would be radically transformed from the old person they used to be and instantly awakened to their new identity in Christ! I pray that the bondage of addiction, the spirit of heaviness, oppression, slavery, the spirit of fear would be cast out and banished back to hell where they belong and that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ would comfort the resder, deliver the reader and replace that fear with faith, hope and most of all these LOVE! I PRAY THIS IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! 🙏❤
I'm a recovering heroin addict. Clean for 2 years. But the beginning of this year a friend gave me a good quantity of xanax because I was going thru some shit. I've been taking them daily in low doses here and there. Breaking the 2 mlg bars into quarters and halfs throughout the day or at night to sleep. I know most ppl have been on this stuff A LOT longer and take much more than that......but I am absolutely terrified of when I run out. Obviously, I know a lot about withdrawl being an opiate addict for over 10 years. But the benzo horror stories are Scaring me to death.
Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings. This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.
Psychedelic’s definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression, I would like to try them again again but it’s just so hard to source out of there.
The Trips I've been having have really helped me a lot,I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
I’m a nursing student and just finish my clinical rotation.I can never imagine how hard people going through the withdrawal symptoms. I mean learning about it and talking to someone who actually going through it are two total different things. My heart aches when I’m listening to this and reading all the comments. Ladies and gentlemen out there ! please be strong, be kind and patient to yourself. You are not alone in this journey ❤
I have never seen such an understanding and empathy for addiction ever in my life. I wish I had you guys when I was going through a 3 year benzodiazepine addiction. That shit was fucking brutal. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Thank you for understanding us!
As someone who was given benzos as a teenager Bc of trauma to my dad, everyone told me it was trauma that needed to be addressed, but it wasn’t. My advice as someone who has made it to the other side of this, be careful telling someone they have to address past traumas to heal as well. A lot of times the tolerance withdrawal keeps you in the past. Once I got off I have no trauma from that. But if u asked me about it while on the meds, I’d break down like Katrina. When u come off these benzos, ur brain goes back to the age you started taking them. Not saying she doesn’t need to ever address her issues, I’m sure she does. But once she heals and her brain and health is returned, most of us are made of steel and all that stuff is like nothing. Walk through hell and you’ll come out bullet proof. That’s the blessing in this.
In all of UA-cam and watching so many videos. This us the first I've heard a Dr understand what we are going through. I'm tired of the stigma and being treated like an addict when I take the lowest dosage once a day. I have no history of abuse neither.
Yes, my initial impression of this channel was very very wrong, and I was so pleased how you handled my concern a few weeks ago with sensitivity... I'm glad you are working so hard on breaking the stigma, and actually listening to addicts experiences to be able to more compassionately effectively treat them.. treatment outcomes are pretty dismal.. but with doctors who practice like you all do, we will make some progress ❤️
I tried slow tapper and withdrawals the whole time! I thought I had everything from diabetes to cancer!! It’s the benzos giving you all those symptoms!! My wife and I cold Turkey 21 days ago and other then are mouths taisting like metal were feeling pretty good! I’m confident in another two weeks we will be feeling great! I’m sorry if our story doesn’t fit your narrative but I thank god we had the strength to quit cold Turkey because the sooner you get this poison out of your system the better you will feel and the better chance u have off staying off them the rest of your life! 21 days and I’m getting my life back not even a month and we took 1 mg each every day for 5 yrs!! You can do it! I’m not saying you should cold Turkey I’m just tell you what is working for my wife and I !!
@@ourlordisking7026 I'm glad that this technique worked for you... And glad that you didn't have any serious physical effects during withdrawal, other people are not so fortunate and actually die, which is why it is best to do it with medical guidance.. I'm not discounting your own personal experience, just saying what is generally the safest and best practice..
I love you both, I’m learning and taking notes. As a mother of a adult child who’s been addicted too adderall, benzodiazepines and drinking. Heartbreaking 💔 however on his way to recovery. Thank you so much for what you do. 😍😍😍
I love everything about this. Truth and grace! Abhays and Katrina calls hit the nail in the head. Trauma is the root of addiction. Parham and Dr B brilliant job!
We go on live every Monday at 5 pm PST. Come on and join us live next week. You can even jump on and talk to us during the stream. Thank you for the kind words and support.
@@the1minutetherapist566 can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
I began on .005 mg of ativan when I began. By the time I got off this drug, 17 years later, I was taking 4mg a day. I went to a detox and was taken off cold turkey. I was in sheer terror for 12 days. I am now 18 months clean and am doing well. No lingering side effects today and
Hey dr. B, good to see you. Just stumbled upon this video randomly. My brother and I stayed at your treatment center in like 2018. Glad to see you're doing well.
I had 116 different symptoms which couldn't be explain by modern medicine, they harmed me more. Ended up going Cold turkey because I kept having paradoxical effects everytime I tried taking my benzo dose while tapering. Doctors really have no idea what they're doing... Thank God for the wise ones like you. Doing much, much better going into a 3 years. Symptoms have gone down a bit
WOW I was prescribed Xanax for 13 years , it took me one crazy year so far but I have not gone back.. I was ready to come off so I went away to a treatment center and I have not gone back to them.... I THANK GOD , MY FAMILY , THE TREATMENT CENTER...
@@DrB360official Thank You , honestly I only have had cravings a few times but the whole experience comes rushing back to me and I THANK GOD AGAIN.. GOD BLESS YOU AND PLEASE KEEP UP ALL THE HARD WORK.
Worse withdrawal on earth 💯 the dependence & tolerance after long-term use can really mess a person's nervous system up big time.. Sleep, stress/anxiety, palps, migraines, weight loss etc. Is horrible!!!! You can't relax, there's no off switch
can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
Way worse than opiates I went off four ys ago. Except I did go into psychosis after nine months. Went cold turkey off five meds. Had no idea what the shrink was getting me into with the benzodiazepines. I made it clear I didn’t want to be addicted to anything! Now I want tramadol to ease the withdrawals, but looks like no one is suggesting that. Kind of a no brainer. God bless everyone going through this and helping.❤
I’m senior, went cold turkey, off Valium and Ambien, June 1, ‘21, after 30 years, all rx’d. No doctor now. First week close to death, seizures. Then, very slow improvement BUT better! By far the worst symptom for me is insomnia, from 90” false sleep to now 2 - 4’ sub sleep (week 10). I’m functioning but with major nervous, raw gut, twitching, cognitive, systemic + eye pain etc. Best news is feeling better than nightmare first week - clinical depression gone. Easy walking, light exercise. 👍
@@Holidaygirl7 I hope you did not go cold turkey. If you did, like me, this update may help. As a follow up I am in month 16 and doing so much better, with most of the above troublesome symptoms gone. Sleep has finally arrived (at ~ 12 months) and it feels great, which makes everything better! I am experiencing intangible insights which have been long suppressed. It’s like a cloud has been lifted. My main residual is anxiety which I am able to work on daily. In retrospect, I think there were noticeable improvements, weekly and monthly. I urge you to stay the course by taking one day at a time; feeling better will fall into place… . Absolutely, positively it does get better AND it’s worth the effort. Please take care.✌️
@@traceylakes3695 Thanks for asking. At 16months most symptoms have devolved into residuals, certainly less than I reported above. Sleep is approaching ‘normal,’ actually a new experience for me, likely suppressed by all the years using benzos! Some symptoms remain or have exacerbated, like eye pain. In all candor I don’t know if the increased eye pain is from benzo w/d or needing an update in vision rx? Another major complication has been my gut. It has blown into full blown IBD in conjunction with anxiety disorder. The good news is that these symptoms, whatever the cause are now compartmentalized and I’m functioning around them rather than being consumed with them. Again, I think this is a new stage stage and fairly recent. I’m hoping the end of the year is another resolution stage. 🤷♂️I hope this update helps. How about you?
@@donnabittner69 Thanks, Donna for the nice thoughts. You responded to @All In, here. FWIW, that’s me,simply an oversight in keeping up with more than one account. FWIW, at month’s end at 18 months, I’m curious how much the withdrawal dynamics from benzos are still in play? I’ve read and seen others ‘getting better’ after years off, but I wonder how much of ‘better’ is affected by w/d versus otherwise personal growth… ? FWIW, Insomnia and Anxiety are tough beasts to control; right now, they are pulling ahead as COVIDS has slowed me down (even after the 2 inoculations)🤷♂️
10 year lorazepam addiction… have been benzo free since October 24, 2021 - the day life changed for me… It’s been very hard, and I’ve had several ups downs and “replacements”. I never learned how to deal with the withdrawals. Thank you, for this video.. so much of this resonated with me.
can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
Day 10 free from Valium, this particular journey started last year and after 20 years of use by way of prescription. I am done with it. Never again, this stuff is toxic. Dr. B, I would like to catch up with you guys. Will keep an eye on the topics 👌
I was on klonopin for seventeen years. One milligrams at night to help me sleep. Then my doctor would not refill my prescription. Told me she could not because she could lose her job. I was so ignorant on the side effects and knew nothing about withdrawal. It’s been hard . Didn’t know what was going on she offered no advice or sympathy. I’m still not feeling well. Don’t sleep much at all. I can’t believe she just cut me off and left me trying to deal with this. Glad I found your videos. They have helped me realize what the hell is going on with my mind and body. Thank you
@@BuffaloBarber24 poor sleep is the minor one. Air hunger is the worst.. Many other symptoms have improved over the last 6 months .. Hope you doing well bro…
Did you hallucinate?? Why am I the only one who went completely crazy? No history of mental illness in my family or myself. Way passed the age of that happening
My benzo withdrawal is all brain related. I have brain damage like Neuron damage in my brain for the past 23 months that’s causing severe pressure on my brain and pulsating non stop 23 months straight, dry eyes and burning eyes, vision loss and damage.
I missed a good one, I sure do have.some questions too. It’s been just over a year since i stopped getting my thyroid medicine and benzodiazepine, klonipin, either 3 or 2 times a day, which took as prescribed for 10-15+ years. I came off both of these abruptly and simultaneously. The hell I was in last year- it’s beyond words but I didn’t make it, God got me through it.
Do you have a support group? I'm a month OFF Klonopin after taking it for 8 years. The post accute withdrawal symptoms are so bad, specially the depression that I now have and I can't seem to control my emotions. But I'm still proud of myself for being a month off Klonopin and I would never go back to it.
How long it take you to get off? I been using 6 months but heavy usage I think not even sure anymore since this drug all of a sodden in the last month made me start doing more and more and more. Doesn’t effect me at all like driving sleeping getting high nothing just blocks all the stress I was going through only reason I started to use it at first I don’t know what it was Etizolam now I know. From what I hear it’s the only benzo type drug that does not effect you the same way as a full benzo. I do tend to froget no after 6 months I wanna be off so I am now going to experiment go into withdrwal again and see what my mg dosage is at I have 1200 1 mg pills and if I can some how do a quick 1-2 month taper and be done I’ll be very happy. I just want my life back, I use to love games, building my cars and now I’m just a dudd lazy still working but don’t know how and what gonna happen I don’t want to switch to diazepam for longer acting cause I don’t wanna touch that way I wanna try to taper off short acting if possible
Help me i am taking librium 10 mg twice a day and 1 mg ativan once before brd time from last 5 weeks for alcohol withdrawal now i am 5 days cold turkey ....and feels like i am gonna die ...i loose myself.... anxiety , fear,body pain , I can't even go outside from my house..... I don't know why physician prescribe me these deadly medicine called benzodiazepines....
I have been on Klonopin for 34 years for panic attacks. I have tried to get off since the first 6 months. I take 1 mg a day and have weaned to .5 but I can not get off those pills without severe withdrawal. I do not even feel that relaxed feeling I use too. It honestly is making me sicker now. I am 70 years old and it's destroyed my life.😢
I'm also down to .5mg. I was on 2mg a day (as needed so they say) I'm 62 and have been on since I was 24. I've recently been splitting the .5mg in half and take 1/2 in morning the 1/2 about 5 hours later. it sucks and I just want to go back to where I was, but I'm getting very forgetful and going for alzheimers tests. they said klonpin could have something to do with it. this has ruined my life and my doctor hands it out like candy.
They ABSOLUTELY need a black box warning for benzos. My doctor gave me klonopin and I didn’t do much research about it and within 3 days I could tell I had developed a dependency
This guy is a genius. I am going through major suffering right now and only getting pointed in the wrong directions. I had anxiety since I was young, but as a result I've been on benzo's for to long, and the doctor's I've been with do not know how to regulate it nor taper me off correctly, which has resulted in me coming close to having seizures every day or two.
Benzo Belly ...awful stomach pains after cutting - and like a massive cramp...at its worst if I cut too high, or even change the times I were taking my dose - - it feels to me like my stomach actually stops working altogether. It just cramps up and I live on smoothies , cannot eat without taking Motillium/Domperidone !! When I stop cutting for a while, my stomach will come right after a few weeks. It is def a side effect. I do not get loose stools, but really constipated cos I can't eat properly. It is s terrible cycle. I am two years in wdl ...maybe two years to go !!! Un frikken real. Hope to God I come out with lot more ways of coping with my emotions and mental health
I am so grateful to have found this site,You have no idea how the beautiful community here is key to allow us all to know there is hope❤️I am in the beginning stages of tapering and It’s terrifying yet I have so much gratitude to hear all you ,Your loved and I am truly blessed to be here today.Remember Faith in yourself jumps over Hope.Dr. Param and Nicole angels is what you all are
Hi Dr B. I just happened across you today.....I have been placed in a precarious position 2 weeks ago. After 12 yrs of being prescribed. I recently moved back to my home state. I was placed on my med due to DV...I felt I would have a nervous breakdown....when I finally accepted the med. I immediately felt better and if I began to shake so uncontrollably....the med stopped it. I so WISH I had never ever seen this med, now!! I did not know it was SO BAD. :/ I HAVE FOUGHT FOR MY LIFE....quite literally! To ever undo it. I am an Army Vet.....had an 18 mo old son...and suffered my 1st Grand Mall Seizure. I fought to live nearly a normal life for my sons. I am the 1st in my home state, to be implanted w/VNS in 1999. It was life-changing quite literally! And then the SEVERE anxiety attacks hit....due to verbal/mental abuse. And escalated at the worst level possibly imaginable! I am here still tho....my life nearly 3 yrs later....is LIGHTYEARS different now. Something I never saw happening....Being cut 75% on my med and only 2 mos to take care of this. I was on 1mg 3xz a day. I suffered 2 different type seizures....where I literally dropped. I have begun the Counsling process....she evaluated me to have High Level of PTSD but thank God....low depression now. The trouble w/ this Mental Health, they do NOT write these meds. Same w/ my GP practice. I am SO completely LOST at what to do! I am terrified that I made it out ALIVE...3 yrs ago. To slowly get as healthy as possible upon my own! Living a life now, I could only dream about!! To now......scared to death at 61 almost....it all flipped upside down!! I will continue w/ Trauma Counsling and such....as I'm doing. Despite they won't write any type of script. I have been taking even LESS and have one script left. I am mostly shakey at times. Nervous, lack of sleep*not good for Epilepsy*, feel weird...unlike myself...and its very confusing to me....I freak out wondering if it is a seizure! And I AM SAD......Heartbroken I survived just to wonder will THIS be what finally steals my life!
So glad I found yous. Ive been self medicating with lorazepam and zopiclone prescribed for someone else and am finally tapered myself off but am only now beginning to understand that recovery only starts with stopping using. The long term withdrawal symptoms are terrible. I have just joined an NA group and invested in the book. Thank God for this type of support and education.
I'm 41 days off benzos got taken off cold turkey. It was hell. I was on 12 mg Xanax for 8 months. Then got put on .5 mg clonazapam 2 times a day. That was horrible. I ended up buying other ppls. So I was taking 6 to 7 mg a day. I told my Dr she cut me off cold turkey. Ended up in a mental hospital for 10 days after being up for 9 days straight. Day 35 I drink 3 beers. All my symptoms came back like I just stopped the benzos. Feeling alittle better today.
Love you Katrina,I am here for you ,Takes incredible courage to reach out❤️I totally understand how you feel,I am going through this journey with you,Thank all of you who courageously spoke out🇨🇦❤️💛🇨🇦
Attitude of gratitude ,being a sober woman is so much easier than waking up in a state of terror ,I hate that ,it happed today ,to me ,I took a nap ,I never take naps ! My phone rang and I jumped out of my skin with gripping fear ,ohh how I hate being startled awake !
You guys are working on great stuff. I can't believe that you know it had to go this long before somebody realized that needed to be stopped I know I've been on benzos and opiates for 20 years prescribed back when I was 24 from one of the pill Mills I didn't have any education. So much respect and admiration for getting this out there because some of the I did not know
Wow, Dr. B and Parham, you really are great people. I wish I had people like you around when I was going through the worst of my shit years ago. Honestly, the whole World needs experts like you in the Substance Abuse system. I think people would get off stuff a lot easier and sooner if they were helped by understanding people like you, I really do. "God" (!!) bless you both. Thankyou for your work. 🌞
This is two years later but I hope Zak (well, EVERYONE really!) is doing better, I had similar problems to him, location, lack of transport and some more obvious things, so his story struck a chord with me, I hope hé got the help hé needed and is on the right road now. I wish all the people suffering with substance abuse strength and courage and freedom however long it takes. Best wishes to you all. And a massive thankyou to Dr.B and Parham, you are both very good people. Diamonds.🌞 Big Love to Katrina too, I just wanna give her a Big Hug.❤️
Wow I’ve been on 2 mlg for 9 years I am getting taped off my Dr said it’s a very slow process I heard benzodiazepines withdraw is a night mere I just lost a 22 year old son February 11th 2021 it been so hard I was on methadone 4 years to long I’ve been clean 3 years now praiseGod the Struggle is real but so is Jesus
I’m tapering Xanax I’ve been on 17 years. When I move my head or eyes I hear like a zap or swooshing sound. Anyone else experience anything like this? None of my drs know what is causing it. Maybe hallucinations? Any response would be so appreciated. Anxiety is off the charts. I’ve never felt so bad in my life. It’s like going down a garbage disposal. Everything makes me cry. I’m terrified of everything. It’s pure hell and it’s only been 6 weeks.
Hello Dr. B my most fear is that my dr. cut me off of benzo, I pray to my heavenly father that never happen my faith is with God grace that i get a chance to wean off only God knows i wish i had you as my doctor may God blessed you for caring about us who are so scare about withdrawal.
Hope you have a good doctor to help you slowly taper down. My dear friend just went through a taper that was done too quickly, at a detox treatment center. She left after her insurance ended, and had to move in with her parents, while suffering withdrawals. I hope you take care of yourself, and get the help you need.
Way to go! I’m not sure about depersonalization. I’m pretty focused and raw, trying to maintain sobriety. Still in such a fog due to insomnia waxing and waning. It is a daily struggle to avoid re-instating. I wish I had tapered more.🤷🏼♂️
@@syntholshoulders1842 Brain fog = different levels of confusion, function mentally slowed, maybe using wrong words due to fatigue with information overload, e.g. kicks in when being in public (crowds), noise, too much movement in field of vision, even conversation. Try Google for different perspectives. FWIW, still in same withdrawal, ugh.😊.
Lamictal is an anti-seizure medication and seizures are a primary concern of benzo withdrawal. That's why Lamictal makes sense and not to mention it's used for bipolar because it can create a more stable baseline throughout the day. My personal anecdotal experience for what it's worth.
@@joshmutti574 Sorry for the slow response Josh. You are exactly right, Lamictal has not been shown or expected to interact with GABA. While GABA is the brakes on the brain, glutamate is the acceleration to use the car metaphor. So both play a role in brain in terms of the the rate of nerve signalling. Lamictal's mechanism of action is on the glutamate/acceleration side by putting a max limit for release on how much glutamate/accelerant(seemingly via sodium-gated channels) a ceiling on how much excitatory glutamate is released. The nice thing about this is it allows GABA receptors to gradually move back to equilibrium while preventing the likelihood of a glutamate storm. Just advice from a tech nerd , who reads a lot of pharmacological research.
@@denisepleines1513 I have done the exact same thing. This is a tough challenge along with just managing everyday life, but I have a feeling we will come through stronger😊.
Just had a seizure today from klonopin withdrawals, wouldn’t wish this shit on anyone. Been on them 5-6 years got meds stolen about a week ago and the acute withdrawals are kicking my ass
Aww thats terrible. I have just started weining slightly and have been having withdrawals.. I am terrified of doing this and experiencing the scary stuff you are going through. And yes. I want to live my life too... just had to postpone my acceptance into my Masters of Psychology... best of luck to you 🤗
When I went to the doctor i was anxious and he prescribed klonopin but never told me that it's meant for a short term. Now after quitting it after 3 years i am having 100 different issues. It's crazy. Doctors don't even believe that the symptoms are from benzos.
Yes Ruchi Same here , I too was for 6 yrs on it , an Idiot doc gave it to me for simple Insomnia and later I got addicted and now after leaving them for years I am Have set of withdrawals symptoms and almost life is gone very bad !!
THANK YOU , gentlemen, for speaking about all those very contentious issues. How come, that our MD's simply prescribe without truly monitoring afterwards? Very VERY important and interesting.
My god I think I may not make it. I never sleep and my mind is leaving me. The doctors here don’t believe benzo withdrawals are real. Please do a video targeting doctors let them know to long taper patients. Can I go back on? I can’t get any doctor to reinstate me. I’ve got 2 kids
@@talksick508 hi no I’m now homeless and have no family. I couldn’t work or meet my spouses expectations. He’s truly evil now I know why I was put on them to begin with. He’s got my kids though and I’m scared they’re going to be drugged with antidepressant or mood stabilizers because of him and everything that’s happened. I barely sleep and have severe akathisia. I’m sorry to give bad news but my divorce just started Friday 1st hearing and yesterday he tried to get me arrested and make me leave my house. This totally sucks.
@@Filthycoffin damn I’m really sorry to hear this :( Life’s so hard and stressful Really sorry you’re dealing with someone that’s like that ESP.. when you’re battling a lot as it is Wish I could help Please keep me informed I’m really sorry you’re going thru all this 🙏🏻
I am on opiods and benzo.s from the doctor. For CRPS (painsydrome) Dystony and Spasm 10 years now. Now I am in withdraw from opiods I am on 1/2 now. Then the Bezo directly after it... I am Dutch my doctor thinks this is easy. It is absolutely madness. If Benzo is wurse.. Help me God.. Stay strong
Reading these as I'm dealing with pain pill withdrawals and PAWS. I feel like it's a walk in the park (not easy by any means) compared to benzos. These comments are like reading a book about what monsters who live in hell are like.
Your videos are powerful, wow! Thank you dr B and Parham Ive been watching all day today since I found you today. This is gold dr B enlightening and great this is. Thank you so much. Hope you read this . I would love to communicate with you even if I have to pay , pls 🙏 i could use you dr B and or Parham. Anyone of you, how do I reach any of you.? your advice and suggestions either dr B or Parham would be amazing. Many blessings to you dr B and Parham and all in here . Be well peace n respect 🙏
Dude I was on zanax and Valium for 17 years I wasted the best years of my life on that stuff persevering through this is key for helping us all and it is achievable
I’m 20 years on prescription Xanax for severe anxiety and panic… was just given a “curtesy” and last refill… so I’m paranoid of going to a detox clinic “ medically supervised “ facility my insurance covers , it is my Only choice ,,, I have no Help… what do you feel about this detox last choice … they say I’m off approximately 14 days… please help me by addressing this Thank You Karen
I was forced by crappy doctors to stop after 15 years on Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin (among others). It's been a year and 7 seizures.......and I still rarely sleep and never comfortably.
I've been on benzos for 20 years following the death of my son. Currently I am taking .75 mg Klonopin down .25 two months ago when I was on 1 mg. My doctor wants me to taper way to fast. I've been on for so long what's another year to 2 to come off the remainder. Physicians really are clueless as to what people , especially those long term users, go through coming off and protracted. I'm going to have to be a bit pushy because Dr's are in short supply and I need him to understand!
I’ve been taking .5 mg klonopin daily for about 4 years now and every 3 or 4 days or so I’ll take 1mg. I was using it as needed before that and it has given me my life back. Is tolerance inevitable? And if I were to stop cold turkey at this dose is that safe? I never want this medicine to stop working and want to use it on an as needed basis like before.
I took .5mg of kolonipin for approx 7-8 years and became tolerant so I'm sorry to say tolerance is inevitable but there is no time line all I know is that the longer you stay on the worse and harder the withdraw will be. This is one drug that the benefits are not worth what your going to go through when the time comes. I cannot tell you if its safe for you to stop cold turkey everyone is different. I went to rehab which was a waste but I only went there because there is a medical staff incase I had issues. They stopped the kolonipin immediately then give you a different Benzo in its place, they also gave me and anti seizure drug and something else I cannot remember. I believe this was a poor method but I chose this over weanning off for months or years to me quicker the better. They give you this cocktail for 12 days then stop everything cold turkey. Once the insane side effects kicked in I signed myself out and had to go home you simply cannot be around people its a complete loss of reality. all 5 senses in overdrive, anxiety times 1000 and I was slightly catatonic just to name a few. All are to the extreme.I went to see a specialist and he told me its all in my head which it wasn't. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Long story short it took 3 full months before I could leave my house and 1 year until I felt normal again. Thank goodness my Father helped me with food and money to pay bills other wise who knows what would have happened. Many get suicidal because they feel like they are going to stay like this forever. I know this is all over the place but my advise is if you have family you can lean on I would find a place that specializes in getting people off Benzos if you can find a place but its up to you if you want to long road of cold turkey or the longer road of weaning off. Check with a good doctor if you can find one most don't know how to treat this.
0.5mg for about 4 years before I realized I was in tolerance. It has been about 8 years now total on clonaz. I spent years trying to figure out what was happening to my health. MS? Lyme? Heart condition? Rheumatoid arthritis? Vestibular problems? So many lost years. Was benzo all along. Been tapering for 2.5 years.
I am currently on a Soviet benzo in order to cut down on the Suboxone. If I wanted to, I could use this to get off the Suboxone but I would rather feel really good on Suboxone.
I take 100 mgz of Zoloft twice daily and my doctor has me taking 2 mgs of Xanax 3 times daily. Instead I take 4 mgs at bedtime. I've been using especially the 2 medications for 24 years. The Xanax puts me to sleep but I have a number of negative physiological issues. Help me out and please tell me if I'm taking the right medications. Please
Honestly I'm a bit upset with my psychiatrist it was my first and only visit which lasted all of 10 minutes. I had massive sleep issues due to habitual Z-drug use but NEVER any anxiety. I got put on Mirtazepine and Duloxetine (SSRI like your Zoloft) this put me into several panic attacks which I had to terminate with larger than my usual doses of Zopiclone which increased my tolerance further. I was advised to take the mirtazapine further cause the first 5-6 weeks side effects are expected... and Now I don't think I can easly get off the mirtazepine gained 2 kg in a month (the sedation I wanted and fortunately the zomboid state passed) but I'm not any better I'm using double the Z drug I was used to and also need to take the mirtazepine. So it's a net loss on all fronts. I have a medical background but I'd read up on Clonazepam if I were you. The theory is that drugs with exremely long half-lives are better as it gives you a steady state concentration with no peaks or valleys. Then very slowly titrate the dose downwards try 10% a month I can't help but wonder if SSRI caused your anxiety
Benzo's are overprescribed. Many doctors don't realize how addictive they are. Even when the manufacturers state clearly, it's habit forming and should only be prescribed short term (1-2 weeks). This doctor really knows what he is talking about. Heroin is easier to kick than benzo's.
I was on benzos for 4 1/2 years. The doctors took me off of it. Cold turkey almost died didn’t work for over six years seven years almost 9 1/2 years late. I still have symptoms but I’m working again and getting better. There’s no explanation of this crap is dangerous and it’s awful. I feel bad for everybody that’s gone through just like me.
I have been struggling with benzo on and off it’s a taboo here in Mexico and they wanna put you cold turkey … they are highly ignorant . I was put on them for anxiety depression then I went through something rough where I found myself taking more than I should 2/3 a day …. I was 5 days with out it I slept 3 forever but they were nightmares and cold sweats , I would think the worst of me , I was super cold and I thought everyone hated me. I couldn’t eat and felt insane nausea.
I realize this video is a year old. I wanted to comment about what Octavian said. I recently started tapering my night time dose of 1.5 mil (I have been off of all daytime doses for at least a year now). I went down 1/8 milligram every six weeks twice before I had an adverse severe pobrem. I have cardiomyopathy thus heart problems. I over did it helping my child move (big stressor) 10 hour days for 3 straight days. Anyhow my Blood Pressure started going up to over 200/98 in the evenings before my only dose of Lorazepam. I ended up in the hospital in Cardiac ICU for 3 days. They pushed the Lorazepam back up to 1.5 mil but I continue to have large spikes in BP of over 200 in the evening hours. I have a cardiac rescue med that I have been having to take. I don't know where to go from here as I don't want to have a stroke or heart attack. I have never heard anyone speak of severe blood pressure problems with cardiac patients. Is this very common????? I hear about many other problems but not BP/cardiac. Was just wondering about this. Thank you.
I also went to detox for Benzodiazepines. While inpatient my blood pressure spiked multiple times. I didn’t have problems with my heart before detoxing. Hope your Dr can figure out how to help you
CBD worked for me. 17 years on 2 mg Clonazepam for myoclonus following back surgery. Withdrawal symptoms were severe. Weaned myself down to 1/8th of a pill but could not stop without severe anxiety and other symptoms. I tried CBD and was able to quit immediately after starting the CBD. This was in 2018 and the only residual effect i have is tinnitus.
She's right....we no longer trust our Dr's due to xanax addiction and withdrawal. 3 weeks off xanax cold turkey and I'm sick as a dog....and I'm pissed
Last year, I was forced to taper from 1mg 3x daily from Klonipin (Rivotril - international name). The taper was awful, so fast. They never spoke to me or answered my questions. It was like ripping a band aide off and being told to stop whining. I was living in a hellish home as my brother would show up coked up saying awful things to me. Very stressful. Once the hellish taper was done, I was worse off than ever. I felt like I had to relearn society norms, I didn’t know who I was; anxious and very stressed. A few weeks passed and I woke up with tinnitus in both ears. For 10 weeks, the tinnitus has been persistent and loud much of the time. It’s vicious, made me anxious, stressed and moody. I was not able to get anything done. I struggled getting out of bed because of the persistent beeping in my head. Last week, I went to an excellent addiction psychiatrist and he put me on a low dose on klonipin. After a few days of taking this low dose, the tinnitus was gone.
I am from Malaysia....I had tinnitus in 2020 may n was put on Xanax 0.25 to sleep but eventually developed anxiety n was increased to 1 mg but I tried to avoid n brought it down to 0.25 in January 2021...the Dr put me on various anti depressant but it made my anxiety worse and changed to Klonopin for 4 months n after that to valium.....I got fed up for being a guinea pig... September 2021 decided to taper 25 mg valium to 1.25 mg now but having severe physical inability to walk or restlessness.... I couldn't sit still or stand still or lay down long ...can't watch tv or read books....I couldn't work last 2 years n having so much phobia n anxiety n sometimes I can't even shave or brush my teeth because I don't have energy.....the Dr asking me to come back to clinic n put me on other medicine...please help me n advise me ...
Sounds like laziness, i have an autoimmune disease, extreme fatigue, fused spine, rotted joints, use a crutch to get around and still got up to move around, eat, shower, shave, brush teeth, ect in the middle of withdrawal, no excuses.
from what im aware of the seemingly obvious way (based on their halflife) is to switch onto Diazepam (Valium) because it's long acting then slowly reduce. Like the Heather Ashton method. Im from UK and i often see people being prescribed much higher doses in USA and of high potency benzos like Xanax and Klonopin ond Halcion Alprazolam, Clonazepam and Triazolam and these are the high potency benzos.
@@waynegrow I would say if you have a steady supply of it and can carry on getting hold of it then try to only take the same dose every day at the same time then slowly begin to taper down your dose by 1 mg per week and you won't notice the withdrawal effects as much. Diazepam is the longest acting of the benzos so you're off to a head start
I was prescribed klonopin from age 14 to 36, and this was worse than heroin, cocaine, and methadone combined. I felt like someone ripped off all my skin and put me in a blizzard while detonating bombs. Any noise was like a shock to my system . My hope is that anyone who was able to get off benzos knows how amazingly strong you really are. I have been drug free for almost 8 and a half years, and you can do this!!!
This is an interesting story. I've been on klonipin 25 years I'm 42. I did commercial/industrial sheet metal work 23 years. Certified in 10 states. I have a history that goes deep on my fathers side. Bive never abused it. I hate it though. I was abruptly taken off from 3.5mg 0 MG in 1 day Oct 2019m the shocks and darkest evil bizarre things happened 9ndaysbfor my father to find me. Drive me back to Nashville. A 17 hr drive. My last memory from Dec 1st was shock electro to my head. Vivid bad and good memories to the floor. Then April 2029 I realized consciousness again. But it flipped some switch. To where after 32 years of Mental Health. Sadly I'm on mental disability .my nuncle passed away last April 15th from withdrawel.. I've experienced most street drugs. Not 1 is this monster or this evil. I look up to you for this I was ripped off them again on disability since September 2022. Destroyed me again. Now I'm trying to get a prescription still fighting survival. This drug is good but it's evil and death. It's not normal. My diagnosis after is
Bipolar 2
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Major depressive disorder(with psychotic symptoms)
Complex PTSD (chronic)
Adhd
Auditory/Visual hallucinations
Psychosocial personality
Suicidal / homicidal ideation
I'm the outcome of what the 90s did. Paxil- to the new high $ med, that's 1000 a month. 143 meds later it's all that worked. Now Dr's say I'm a dugbaddict that needs to go-to rehab. They made me this way killed my uncle and took me off again. Psychs qre evilbi hate them they took my brain and my life. In the end 549k$ later. Sanity destroyed. Care is 0 self care 0. I hate it. They murder us. I only know when I don't take it by noon. It's strong. But I get it disability/ old meds/Medicare. I'm bottom barrel. I don't make them rich. I'm just thrown on the trash pile. Its wrong murder evil. I hope you are well. My name is Greg. Thank you for sharing
We should talk hey 17 to 43 and many times felt the way you described. That depiction was the best i heard thus far ive been switched to diazepam for my taper but 2 mg 3xs a day of k pins is equal to 40 mg of valium 3 xs a day im at 10mg 2xs a day and 3 2mg 3xs a day so 26 mg and i come down 2mg a month i got 14 months to go. Been off coke and dope 3 years but reside at 170mg of methadone.
@Gregory Coleman I would love to talk. Noone understands this. Dr's won't help. I live in the woods away from this world. I can't trust it. They robbed who I was before I knew or had a chance. People think sitting at home being a loser on disability is fun. Hell no. I wake up if I sleep to. Thinking of the Dr's killing my uncle in 6 days April 15th last year. And useless worthless existence. Then I'm this benzo junky to any psych. This drug sadly is stronger than a mental cocaine/meth/ addiction, opiate addiction. It's another entity almost some silent dmt bin your brain screaming at you. Tricking you. At the same time saying to kill or kill yourself. 0 street drugs did that. I had a 6 yr cocaine addiction 2000-2006 a short lived methamphetamine addiction. Never pills. I've taken every pill psych related since age 9. I'm stuck now using Mexican klonipin from family getting it over here so I don't die. If they take me off or it's gone I will do worse than a fucking ticker on the news they'll know my face and talk terrible me after a psych gets their practice turned into pools of blood and endless death until I'm dead
@Gregory Coleman I'm the least violent person. It hurts that my life is destroyed. I did tms /ect/all the games trials nothing last over a week. There's no cure. Just leave us alone it works for some. It doesn't when they you off.
@@blackenedhateproductions Do you think that I was treading lightly upon what you were saying no Greg Im Greg too and Im scared to death Im only really playing the shrink I have now because she will write for 14 more months, giving me time to find someone new. I know none of the shit works and all I said was that your description of a life without benzos is accurate, i dont understand that you want me to leave you alone. I said we could talk anytime I even went back to make sure you were the one that described the terror to a t. Here in Ma if you get out of control its the only state besides FL that has a section 35. At the time i was sectioned with no charges to an upstate jail called bridgewater it is now shut down in FL its called being baker acted anyway the judge from one doctor saying i had no place to go from the hospital and that my benzo tolerance was crazy they sent me to an upstate jail where i was subjected to physical abuse on top of a librium taper in which clonidine brings my pressure so low i never received not one pill i had enough kpins in me to not start breaking for a week atleast which used to happen at those 2 week taper places. I would not even get sick for a week long story short 62 days they kept me locked up there with a 16mg suboxone habit and atleat 10 mg of kpin a day needless to say the only relief i ever got was when south Boston kids came with their assholes packed with k pins, Xanax and subs. I seized every other day i twitched muscles jolted the way they wanted to and monkey feet 🐾 which is when your feet muscles move around on there own causing a reaction in your foot similar to monkeys grabbing tree braches with there feet, I made it my 62 days without dying but thought death was coming for me each seizure. Im now disabled with complex PTSD, panic disorder, major depression with severe intermediate episodes, gad and more. My doctor s came to my salvation when I got out as i climbed the kpin latter. 0.5 back to 2mg 5xs a day prescribed got my subs back and i know your pain. It was art addict i was sayin hey we should talk but when i read your story only because you wrote something to me like leave you alone and i had not said shit always remember there is read more for a reason. Write me anytime. I will pray 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 for you and this whole forum tonight.
I’m 13 months off. Still not healed. Took me 7 years to get off. I shouldn’t be alive. Lost everything. But I won’t lose this battle. I will win and help others one day. I was put on this earth to help others with this. I love what you guys are doing. So much respect to you both. If I could ever share my story or help you guys in any way, just send me a reply.
This is worst ever. Would rather do a ten stretch. My head is saying ride it out my body is crying for sleep
@@waynegrow are you hallucinating?
@@waynegrow I'm in the same exact boat. 26 days, 3 seizures later. I would not wish this on My worst enemy.
@@waltersobchak7275 I have been Myself personally. Every WD symptom associated with benzo WD I unfortunately am experiencing 26 days off & 3 seizures later.
@@FactoryFugitive I was in another world hallucinating. Not like an acid trip but realistic. Scary scenarios. Four days straight woke up in the hospital typed to a bed. Only after they gave me diazepam did I come out of it. I backed out very slowly after that I bought like 700 footballs and took a year to back off very very gradually I’ll never touch it again
The worst withdrawal symptom I experienced when I ran out of Xanax and couldn’t get any more for 3 days was the auditory hallucinations. By the third day, I was taking a shower and I started hearing singing, like a church choir. I shut off the shower, no choir. Turned the water back on, the singing continued. This was also after not sleeping for three nights. I think I’m lucky I didn’t experience seizures. Maybe I did. It’s a serious drug.
Wowwww...
Yeah...about 9 years ago I went off 3mg alprazolam daily (sometimes more) cold turkey after feeling like God was telling me that if I wanted to have a relationship with the woman he blessed me with (church going "normie" that had absolutely ZERO history of using any mood or mind altering drugs) and have the family that I always wanted than I had to get off ALL the pharmaceutical prescriptions I was dependent on and give up cannabis too so that I csm give her and my family the man and person they deserved and who God originally created me to be. I had a safe and in fhe safe I had a bottle of over 300+ .5 xanax tablets and I literally flushed them ALL down the toilet and watched them disentegrate into the water and flushed them along with hundreds of methadone 10mg tablets. I was so confident that God was calling me to do this and I was so proud and so was she!
It wasn't till I started withdrawing that I got scared as hell...I called my doctor and told him that I did and he flipped out wanting to know why I would do such a thing.
Long story short...the combination of withdrawing from both methadone and xanax hit me soo hard! I was halucinating and remember being in bed and feeling like I had to urinate so bad and I literally saw myself crawl, literally crawl on all fours out of my body in the bed into the bathroom to go and pee. Eventually I woke up and got out of bed and went to use the rest room and saw what looked like 2 rabbid dogs (German Shepard's) gnarling and growling at me and one jumped and tried to bite my face!!!
After that...I was traumatized. I realized the severity of what I had done by flushing my stash of meds, and how mentally and physically dependent I was on the meds.
I couldn't sleep for over a month. When I closed my eyes my eyes would move rapidly, shaking over and over and was feeling electrical zaps in my brain. I stayed up ALL night every night while my girlfriend slept so I went down stairs to try and read and or watch television while she slept in the bed.
Needless to say, that made her feel alone, separated from me, gave her time to rethink what she wanted and also probably scared the crap outta her.
Man...that was thee toughest thing I have ever survived and honestly...there is so much more I can go on about at length.
I can also say that I would NEVER ever recommend any human being do what I did and to absolutely consult a medical professional to help guide you through that process because not everyone will end up the same as I have.
It was until about month 3 to 4 where I was able to get a full night sleep (im talking a good 6 hours of solid sleep). Before that ide sleep for like 5 mins one night, 15 mins the other night, and so forth. Made everything extremely harder but thank God I had a passion for fitness and exercise. Ide go out and run and do body weight exercises to try and exert myself and secrete as much endorphines as possible. I remember being unemployed and desperately needing work and when I would dress up for an interview my dress shirt would be soaked in the armpits area, the waist area from chronic anxiety worrying about what they were thinking about.
It was hell...
If you don't have a relationship, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ I am telling you NOW is the time to get that! And don't put it off one more day!
If I did not have that relationship, and if I had not prayed for a miraculous healing almost all day every day I don't know where I would be.
I prayed for an instant healing and the humbling lesson for me with this even was that sometimes God does heal you and your ailment in an instant and other times it's a process. However Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are literally forever faithful and will deliver you from your agony.
Don't give up, never quit!
When you feel like giving up...your breakthrough is literally right around the corner! Amen!
I pray that whomever is still reading this right now, would be radically transformed from the old person they used to be and instantly awakened to their new identity in Christ!
I pray that the bondage of addiction, the spirit of heaviness, oppression, slavery, the spirit of fear would be cast out and banished back to hell where they belong and that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ would comfort the resder, deliver the reader and replace that fear with faith, hope and most of all these LOVE!
I PRAY THIS IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! 🙏❤
I heard music too. It was constant for month's. I learnt to ignore it or I'd have gone insane.
How nuch your daily dose and how many time you use
@@tarshbhinder Before this experience, I was taking 6 to 8 mil per day. I was at this dose for about 6 months.
I'm a recovering heroin addict. Clean for 2 years. But the beginning of this year a friend gave me a good quantity of xanax because I was going thru some shit. I've been taking them daily in low doses here and there. Breaking the 2 mlg bars into quarters and halfs throughout the day or at night to sleep. I know most ppl have been on this stuff A LOT longer and take much more than that......but I am absolutely terrified of when I run out. Obviously, I know a lot about withdrawl being an opiate addict for over 10 years. But the benzo horror stories are Scaring me to death.
Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings.
This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.
Psychedelic’s definitely have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression, I would like to try them again again but it’s just so hard to source out of there.
Yes, bergwilly11_
The Trips I've been having have really helped me a lot,I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
@@zarkos2313Is he on instagram?
Shrooms was the best trip I had. It was an amazing experience.
I’m a nursing student and just finish my clinical rotation.I can never imagine how hard people going through the withdrawal symptoms. I mean learning about it and talking to someone who actually going through it are two total different things. My heart aches when I’m listening to this and reading all the comments. Ladies and gentlemen out there ! please be strong, be kind and patient to yourself. You are not alone in this journey ❤
I have never seen such an understanding and empathy for addiction ever in my life. I wish I had you guys when I was going through a 3 year benzodiazepine addiction. That shit was fucking brutal. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Thank you for understanding us!
Thank you so much for your kind words. Your comment meant a lot to me and I know it does to doctor B also. Appreciate you 🙏🏼
I'm going through now :/
As someone who was given benzos as a teenager Bc of trauma to my dad, everyone told me it was trauma that needed to be addressed, but it wasn’t. My advice as someone who has made it to the other side of this, be careful telling someone they have to address past traumas to heal as well. A lot of times the tolerance withdrawal keeps you in the past. Once I got off I have no trauma from that. But if u asked me about it while on the meds, I’d break down like Katrina. When u come off these benzos, ur brain goes back to the age you started taking them. Not saying she doesn’t need to ever address her issues, I’m sure she does. But once she heals and her brain and health is returned, most of us are made of steel and all that stuff is like nothing. Walk through hell and you’ll come out bullet proof. That’s the blessing in this.
Seems it is more of a gut injury than a brain injury.
I am on 0.5 mg on klonopin for one month, can i cold turkey or going tapper, please ur help needed. 🙏
@@khajababu1403 always cold turkey it bro
I have Asperger's Disorder and ADD, ADHD, OCD and a few neurological mannerisms problems so I have to take them
@@khajababu1403 don't cold turkey benzos as there's a life threatening risk of seizures etc. Taper if u have the option.
In all of UA-cam and watching so many videos. This us the first I've heard a Dr understand what we are going through. I'm tired of the stigma and being treated like an addict when I take the lowest dosage once a day. I have no history of abuse neither.
I no wat you mean got thrown at me so many times
He doesn’t know , he looked at some stories on UA-cam and now thinks he can talk about it. No faith in doctors
71 years old world traveler been on klonopin for 36 years finally clean for 61 days had a panic attack last week only fear is driving
Wow that’s great kudos for coming Ning off after that many years !
Have you had imsomnia?
I'm so grateful to have never had these drugs ever. I'm just going to stay natural and avoid all recreational drugs
Poison awful to come off
These are prescribed and those who suffer injury most often are those who take them 'as prescribed'.
Jerk! We were prescribed!
@@THXx1138 did you not listen to these people?
@@davidkruse4030 I'm one of them.
Hey guys, thank you for joining us. It was a great show.
Yes, my initial impression of this channel was very very wrong, and I was so pleased how you handled my concern a few weeks ago with sensitivity... I'm glad you are working so hard on breaking the stigma, and actually listening to addicts experiences to be able to more compassionately effectively treat them.. treatment outcomes are pretty dismal.. but with doctors who practice like you all do, we will make some progress ❤️
Hi Dr.B can you do a show about Ambein addiction and withdrawal. Thanks
Thank you for helping us
I tried slow tapper and withdrawals the whole time! I thought I had everything from diabetes to cancer!! It’s the benzos giving you all those symptoms!! My wife and I cold Turkey 21 days ago and other then are mouths taisting like metal were feeling pretty good! I’m confident in another two weeks we will be feeling great! I’m sorry if our story doesn’t fit your narrative but I thank god we had the strength to quit cold Turkey because the sooner you get this poison out of your system the better you will feel and the better chance u have off staying off them the rest of your life! 21 days and I’m getting my life back not even a month and we took 1 mg each every day for 5 yrs!! You can do it! I’m not saying you should cold Turkey I’m just tell you what is working for my wife and I !!
@@ourlordisking7026 I'm glad that this technique worked for you... And glad that you didn't have any serious physical effects during withdrawal, other people are not so fortunate and actually die, which is why it is best to do it with medical guidance.. I'm not discounting your own personal experience, just saying what is generally the safest and best practice..
I didn't realize you guys did this for no monetary gain.. much much respect..
Yes. Neither one of us.
More doctors like you are needed.. thank you for your service..
I love you both, I’m learning and taking notes. As a mother of a adult child who’s been addicted too adderall, benzodiazepines and drinking. Heartbreaking 💔 however on his way to recovery. Thank you so much for what you do. 😍😍😍
I love everything about this. Truth and grace! Abhays and Katrina calls hit the nail in the head. Trauma is the root of addiction. Parham and Dr B brilliant job!
We go on live every Monday at 5 pm PST. Come on and join us live next week. You can even jump on and talk to us during the stream. Thank you for the kind words and support.
@@the1minutetherapist566 can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
Some of us have not experienced trauma, but are still having the same issues you are discussing. Thank you .
I began on .005 mg of ativan when I began. By the time I got off this drug, 17 years later, I was taking 4mg a day. I went to a detox and was taken off cold turkey. I was in sheer terror for 12 days. I am now 18 months clean and am doing well. No lingering side effects today and
Hey dr. B, good to see you. Just stumbled upon this video randomly. My brother and I stayed at your treatment center in like 2018. Glad to see you're doing well.
I had 116 different symptoms which couldn't be explain by modern medicine, they harmed me more. Ended up going Cold turkey because I kept having paradoxical effects everytime I tried taking my benzo dose while tapering. Doctors really have no idea what they're doing... Thank God for the wise ones like you. Doing much, much better going into a 3 years. Symptoms have gone down a bit
Gct filter did u feel fatigue like no spirit in body in ur withdrawals andd stomach cramps please answer. I m 79 days sober
Hi. Do y have memories problems?
@@gmc202 yes sever memory problems
@@michelebergman4336 just it?
@@gmc202 I haven’t been taking diazepam for two weeks now and my memory is getting Better.
WOW I was prescribed Xanax for 13 years , it took me one crazy year so far but I have not gone back.. I was ready to come off so I went away to a treatment center and I have not gone back to them.... I THANK GOD , MY FAMILY , THE TREATMENT CENTER...
💪
@@DrB360official Thank You , honestly I only have had cravings a few times but the whole experience comes rushing back to me and I THANK GOD AGAIN..
GOD BLESS YOU AND PLEASE KEEP UP ALL THE HARD WORK.
Worse withdrawal on earth 💯 the dependence & tolerance after long-term use can really mess a person's nervous system up big time.. Sleep, stress/anxiety, palps, migraines, weight loss etc. Is horrible!!!! You can't relax, there's no off switch
I feel the same way!
Yes it's horrible.
can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
Way worse than opiates I went off four ys ago. Except I did go into psychosis after nine months. Went cold turkey off five meds. Had no idea what the shrink was getting me into with the benzodiazepines. I made it clear I didn’t want to be addicted to anything! Now I want tramadol to ease the withdrawals, but looks like no one is suggesting that. Kind of a no brainer. God bless everyone going through this and helping.❤
My heart goes out to these people. Getting through the struggles of post trauma and addiction. I too deal with these things. Thank you.
Most who suffer injury from benzos take them as prescribed. Physical dependency is not the same as addiction.
@@THXx1138 . It's not the same ??! What ? In what way is physical dependency not an addiction ?
I’m senior, went cold turkey, off Valium and Ambien, June 1, ‘21, after 30 years, all rx’d. No doctor now. First week close to death, seizures. Then, very slow improvement BUT better! By far the worst symptom for me is insomnia, from 90” false sleep to now 2 - 4’ sub sleep (week 10). I’m functioning but with major nervous, raw gut, twitching, cognitive, systemic + eye pain etc. Best news is feeling better than nightmare first week - clinical depression gone. Easy walking, light exercise. 👍
I feel so sick now day 3-4
@@Holidaygirl7 I hope you did not go cold turkey. If you did, like me, this update may help. As a follow up I am in month 16 and doing so much better, with most of the above troublesome symptoms gone. Sleep has finally arrived (at ~ 12 months) and it feels great, which makes everything better! I am experiencing intangible insights which have been long suppressed. It’s like a cloud has been lifted. My main residual is anxiety which I am able to work on daily. In retrospect, I think there were noticeable improvements, weekly and monthly. I urge you to stay the course by taking one day at a time; feeling better will fall into place… . Absolutely, positively it does get better AND it’s worth the effort. Please take care.✌️
@@traceylakes3695 Thanks for asking. At 16months most symptoms have devolved into residuals, certainly less than I reported above. Sleep is approaching ‘normal,’ actually a new experience for me, likely suppressed by all the years using benzos! Some symptoms remain or have exacerbated, like eye pain. In all candor I don’t know if the increased eye pain is from benzo w/d or needing an update in vision rx? Another major complication has been my gut. It has blown into full blown IBD in conjunction with anxiety disorder. The good news is that these symptoms, whatever the cause are now compartmentalized and I’m functioning around them rather than being consumed with them. Again, I think this is a new stage stage and fairly recent. I’m hoping the end of the year is another resolution stage. 🤷♂️I hope this update helps. How about you?
Excellent post. Glad you are doing well.....especially sleeping!!
@@donnabittner69 Thanks, Donna for the nice thoughts. You responded to @All In, here. FWIW, that’s me,simply an oversight in keeping up with more than one account. FWIW, at month’s end at 18 months, I’m curious how much the withdrawal dynamics from benzos are still in play? I’ve read and seen others
‘getting better’ after years off, but I wonder how much of ‘better’ is affected by w/d versus otherwise personal growth… ? FWIW, Insomnia and Anxiety are tough beasts to control; right now, they are pulling ahead as COVIDS has slowed me down (even after the 2 inoculations)🤷♂️
10 year lorazepam addiction… have been benzo free since October 24, 2021 - the day life changed for me…
It’s been very hard, and I’ve had several ups downs and “replacements”. I never learned how to deal with the withdrawals. Thank you, for this video.. so much of this resonated with me.
You two are the best on this issues on UA-cam! Well done!
Thank you for your kind words and support
It's the truth !
These 2 guys rock…. Thanks for all the info.
Absolutely! First time here from Canada. Truly Appreciate the Helpful Info! Thank You, Kindly!
Meditation, therapy, NA,and working a program keeps me present, feeling grateful, and clean!!!!
Meditation help it?
can i tapper of both clonazepam (0.5 mg) & vortioxetin (10mg) have been using for 3 weeks only.. I don't want to stay on these pills which cannot give me relef rather more I'll feeling.. Please advice me n ur support needed 🙏 I dont wanna regret in future
@@khajababu1403 3 weeks is nothing dude
Day 10 free from Valium, this particular journey started last year and after 20 years of use by way of prescription. I am done with it. Never again, this stuff is toxic. Dr. B, I would like to catch up with you guys. Will keep an eye on the topics 👌
I truely appreciate what you guys are doing here.
I was on klonopin for seventeen years.
One milligrams at night to help me sleep.
Then my doctor would not refill my prescription.
Told me she could not because she could lose her job.
I was so ignorant on the side effects and knew nothing about withdrawal.
It’s been hard .
Didn’t know what was going on she offered no advice or sympathy.
I’m still not feeling well.
Don’t sleep much at all.
I can’t believe she just cut me off and left me trying to deal with this.
Glad I found your videos.
They have helped me realize what the hell is going on with my mind and body.
Thank you
Get cbd gummies or oil and L theannin pills it will be day and night better
hw are u doing
26 months off Xanax. What a nightmare. It is slowly improving finally. Thank you Jesus..
Did you taper or ct?
@@BuffaloBarber24 very short taper…. My doctors had no idea how to help me. Wanted to cut me off. Ugh..
@@whatistrue0293 sorry to hear that. What are your symptoms?
@@BuffaloBarber24 poor sleep is the minor one. Air hunger is the worst.. Many other symptoms have improved over the last 6 months .. Hope you doing well bro…
Did you hallucinate?? Why am I the only one who went completely crazy? No history of mental illness in my family or myself. Way passed the age of that happening
Thank you so much for your work on this channel.
My benzo withdrawal is all brain related. I have brain damage like
Neuron damage in my brain for the past 23 months that’s causing severe pressure on my brain and pulsating non stop 23 months straight, dry eyes and burning eyes, vision loss and damage.
I missed a good one, I sure do have.some questions too. It’s been just over a year since i stopped getting my thyroid medicine and benzodiazepine, klonipin, either 3 or 2 times a day, which took as prescribed for 10-15+ years. I came off both of these abruptly and simultaneously.
The hell I was in last year- it’s beyond words but I didn’t make it, God got me through it.
More like brain damage and not withdrawal. Thanks for shining a light on this.
Sorry Dr. B you are saving my life. Tapering on Diazepam gives a lot of Psychosis Symptoms. Thank you for saving my life!
Do you have a support group? I'm a month OFF Klonopin after taking it for 8 years. The post accute withdrawal symptoms are so bad, specially the depression that I now have and I can't seem to control my emotions. But I'm still proud of myself for being a month off Klonopin and I would never go back to it.
Nicole has one on fb, tiktok and youtube: Real_Talk_Recovery
How long it take you to get off? I been using 6 months but heavy usage I think not even sure anymore since this drug all of a sodden in the last month made me start doing more and more and more. Doesn’t effect me at all like driving sleeping getting high nothing just blocks all the stress I was going through only reason I started to use it at first I don’t know what it was Etizolam now I know. From what I hear it’s the only benzo type drug that does not effect you the same way as a full benzo. I do tend to froget no after 6 months I wanna be off so I am now going to experiment go into withdrwal again and see what my mg dosage is at I have 1200 1 mg pills and if I can some how do a quick 1-2 month taper and be done I’ll be very happy. I just want my life back, I use to love games, building my cars and now I’m just a dudd lazy still working but don’t know how and what gonna happen I don’t want to switch to diazepam for longer acting cause I don’t wanna touch that way I wanna try to taper off short acting if possible
Help me i am taking librium 10 mg twice a day and 1 mg ativan once before brd time from last 5 weeks for alcohol withdrawal now i am 5 days cold turkey ....and feels like i am gonna die ...i loose myself.... anxiety , fear,body pain , I can't even go outside from my house..... I don't know why physician prescribe me these deadly medicine called benzodiazepines....
Hi. Do y have memories problems?
It will get better I promise just breath and stay blessed
I have been on Klonopin for 34 years for panic attacks. I have tried to get off since the first 6 months. I take 1 mg a day and have weaned to .5 but I can not get off those pills without severe withdrawal. I do not even feel that relaxed feeling I use too. It honestly is making me sicker now. I am 70 years old and it's destroyed my life.😢
❤ HUGSS, SAME HERE😢
I'm also down to .5mg. I was on 2mg a day (as needed so they say) I'm 62 and have been on since I was 24. I've recently been splitting the .5mg in half and take 1/2 in morning the 1/2 about 5 hours later. it sucks and I just want to go back to where I was, but I'm getting very forgetful and going for alzheimers tests. they said klonpin could have something to do with it. this has ruined my life and my doctor hands it out like candy.
Much respect to you both, Thank You.
Our pleasure!
Appreciate you 🙏🏼
They ABSOLUTELY need a black box warning for benzos. My doctor gave me klonopin and I didn’t do much research about it and within 3 days I could tell I had developed a dependency
This guy is a genius. I am going through major suffering right now and only getting pointed in the wrong directions. I had anxiety since I was young, but as a result I've been on benzo's for to long, and the doctor's I've been with do not know how to regulate it nor taper me off correctly, which has resulted in me coming close to having seizures every day or two.
I had to go into an inpatient detox to successfully get off benzodiazepines after being prescribed 3mg a day for over 10 years
@@denisefenwick How is it going?
I do hope you have had some success.
Its scary because I'm in the grips of it now.
Anyway, best wishes X
Benzo Belly ...awful stomach pains after cutting - and like a massive cramp...at its worst if I cut too high, or even change the times I were taking my dose - - it feels to me like my stomach actually stops working altogether. It just cramps up and I live on smoothies , cannot eat without taking Motillium/Domperidone !! When I stop cutting for a while, my stomach will come right after a few weeks. It is def a side effect. I do not get loose stools, but really constipated cos I can't eat properly. It is s terrible cycle. I am two years in wdl ...maybe two years to go !!! Un frikken real. Hope to God I come out with lot more ways of coping with my emotions and mental health
I am so grateful to have found this site,You have no idea how the beautiful community here is key to allow us all to know there is hope❤️I am in the beginning stages of tapering and It’s terrifying yet I have so much gratitude to hear all you ,Your loved and I am truly blessed to be here today.Remember Faith in yourself jumps over Hope.Dr. Param and Nicole angels is what you all are
Hi Dr B.
I just happened across you today.....I have been placed in a precarious position 2 weeks ago. After 12 yrs of being prescribed. I recently moved back to my home state. I was placed on my med due to DV...I felt I would have a nervous breakdown....when I finally accepted the med. I immediately felt better and if I began to shake so uncontrollably....the med stopped it.
I so WISH I had never ever seen this med, now!! I did not know it was SO BAD. :/
I HAVE FOUGHT FOR MY LIFE....quite literally! To ever undo it. I am an Army Vet.....had an 18 mo old son...and suffered my 1st Grand Mall Seizure.
I fought to live nearly a normal life for my sons.
I am the 1st in my home state, to be implanted w/VNS in 1999. It was life-changing quite literally!
And then the SEVERE anxiety attacks hit....due to verbal/mental abuse.
And escalated at the worst level possibly imaginable! I am here still tho....my life nearly 3 yrs later....is LIGHTYEARS different now.
Something I never saw happening....Being cut 75% on my med and only 2 mos to take care of this. I was on 1mg 3xz a day. I suffered 2 different type seizures....where I literally dropped.
I have begun the Counsling process....she evaluated me to have High Level of PTSD but thank God....low depression now.
The trouble w/ this Mental Health, they do NOT write these meds. Same w/ my GP practice.
I am SO completely LOST at what to do!
I am terrified that I made it out ALIVE...3 yrs ago. To slowly get as healthy as possible upon my own! Living a life now, I could only dream about!!
To now......scared to death at 61 almost....it all flipped upside down!! I will continue w/ Trauma Counsling and such....as I'm doing. Despite they won't write any type of script.
I have been taking even LESS and have one script left.
I am mostly shakey at times. Nervous, lack of sleep*not good for Epilepsy*, feel weird...unlike myself...and its very confusing to me....I freak out wondering if it is a seizure!
And I AM SAD......Heartbroken I survived just to wonder will THIS be what finally steals my life!
Thank you both, for all your insightful information! Much much different than all I have read this last week, educating myself!
Dr B Is definatley an earth angel... He really has a genuine heart of gold... I wish to god u could help me DR B... thank you for being you..
I've called and left a message. Lake County CA. I need a protocol that will help me. I will keep calling.
949-347-8721
@@DrB360official thank you so much!
So glad I found yous. Ive been self medicating with lorazepam and zopiclone prescribed for someone else and am finally tapered myself off but am only now beginning to understand that recovery only
starts with stopping using. The long term withdrawal symptoms are terrible. I have just joined an NA group and invested in the book. Thank God for this type of support and education.
hi are u still on lorazepam?
How are you doing now?
That's exactly what I'm doing. Can't get anything from a Dr because I bought the Loraz and zopiclone. I'm afraid I'm going to die.
@@judithwilliams3147 I'm praying for you.
I'm 41 days off benzos got taken off cold turkey. It was hell. I was on 12 mg Xanax for 8 months. Then got put on .5 mg clonazapam 2 times a day. That was horrible. I ended up buying other ppls. So I was taking 6 to 7 mg a day. I told my Dr she cut me off cold turkey. Ended up in a mental hospital for 10 days after being up for 9 days straight. Day 35 I drink 3 beers. All my symptoms came back like I just stopped the benzos. Feeling alittle better today.
Love you Katrina,I am here for you ,Takes incredible courage to reach out❤️I totally understand how you feel,I am going through this journey with you,Thank all of you who courageously spoke out🇨🇦❤️💛🇨🇦
Very interesting show and can relate to many of the stories! 🙏🏽
Attitude of gratitude ,being a sober woman is so much easier than waking up in a state of terror ,I hate that ,it happed today ,to me ,I took a nap ,I never take naps ! My phone rang and I jumped out of my skin with gripping fear ,ohh how I hate being startled awake !
You guys are working on great stuff. I can't believe that you know it had to go this long before somebody realized that needed to be stopped I know I've been on benzos and opiates for 20 years prescribed back when I was 24 from one of the pill Mills I didn't have any education. So much respect and admiration for getting this out there because some of the I did not know
Wow, Dr. B and Parham, you really are great people. I wish I had people like you around when I was going through the worst of my shit years ago. Honestly, the whole World needs experts like you in the Substance Abuse system. I think people would get off stuff a lot easier and sooner if they were helped by understanding people like you, I really do. "God" (!!) bless you both. Thankyou for your work. 🌞
This is two years later but I hope Zak (well, EVERYONE really!) is doing better, I had similar problems to him, location, lack of transport and some more obvious things, so his story struck a chord with me, I hope hé got the help hé needed and is on the right road now.
I wish all the people suffering with substance abuse strength and courage and freedom however long it takes. Best wishes to you all. And a massive thankyou to Dr.B and Parham, you are both very good people. Diamonds.🌞
Big Love to Katrina too, I just wanna give her a Big Hug.❤️
Wow I’ve been on 2 mlg for 9 years I am getting taped off my Dr said it’s a very slow process I heard benzodiazepines withdraw is a night mere I just lost a 22 year old son February 11th 2021 it been so hard I was on methadone 4 years to long I’ve been clean 3 years now praiseGod the Struggle is real but so is Jesus
Thank you so much for making this video.
You are welcome and thank you for watching this video 🙏🏼
I’m tapering Xanax I’ve been on 17 years. When I move my head or eyes I hear like a zap or swooshing sound. Anyone else experience anything like this? None of my drs know what is causing it. Maybe hallucinations? Any response would be so appreciated. Anxiety is off the charts. I’ve never felt so bad in my life. It’s like going down a garbage disposal. Everything makes me cry. I’m terrified of everything. It’s pure hell and it’s only been 6 weeks.
Did you make it through the withdrawal phase? How are you now?
Hello Dr. B my most fear is that my dr. cut me off of benzo, I pray to my heavenly father that never happen my faith is with God grace that i get a chance to wean off only God knows i wish i had you as my doctor may God blessed you for caring about us who are so scare about withdrawal.
In our thoughts🙏
Always keep you dose below what the Doctor prescribes.
Octavian, thank you for coming on this. You really helped me by the amount of Clonazepam you were on and for how long. So it was fate in a way 😊
On Xanax 17 years. Need to come off but terrified of withdrawal symptoms.
Wow I wish you the best of luck. Im in the same boat but it is klonopin
@@denisepleines1513 thanks! Good luck to you as well!
Hope you have a good doctor to help you slowly taper down. My dear friend just went through a taper that was done too quickly, at a detox treatment center. She left after her insurance ended, and had to move in with her parents, while suffering withdrawals. I hope you take care of yourself, and get the help you need.
@@amyhenningsgard8618 thank you!!! I’m getting help tapering off with the help of a good dr. Gonna be a long road ahead but I gotta do it. Thank you.
Same, very scared but going to try to do it myself...
Way to go! I’m not sure about depersonalization. I’m pretty focused and raw, trying to maintain sobriety. Still in such a fog due to insomnia waxing and waning. It is a daily struggle to avoid re-instating. I wish I had tapered more.🤷🏼♂️
Brain fog?
@@syntholshoulders1842 Brain fog = different levels of confusion, function mentally slowed, maybe using wrong words due to fatigue with information overload, e.g. kicks in when being in public (crowds), noise, too much movement in field of vision, even conversation. Try Google for different perspectives. FWIW, still in same withdrawal, ugh.😊.
@@Qiman thanks lol
@@Qiman how ya feeling now
@@Qiman going through PAWS,,, IT IS HELL AS YA KNOW
Lamictal is an anti-seizure medication and seizures are a primary concern of benzo withdrawal. That's why Lamictal makes sense and not to mention it's used for bipolar because it can create a more stable baseline throughout the day. My personal anecdotal experience for what it's worth.
I've heard alot of good about Lamictal ❤
But Lamictal doesn't touch gaba receptors
I am prescribed lamictal for bipolar 2 I have some stockpiled just in case I am yanked off from my klonopin due to this stupid war.
@@joshmutti574 Sorry for the slow response Josh. You are exactly right, Lamictal has not been shown or expected to interact with GABA. While GABA is the brakes on the brain, glutamate is the acceleration to use the car metaphor. So both play a role in brain in terms of the the rate of nerve signalling. Lamictal's mechanism of action is on the glutamate/acceleration side by putting a max limit for release on how much glutamate/accelerant(seemingly via sodium-gated channels) a ceiling on how much excitatory glutamate is released. The nice thing about this is it allows GABA receptors to gradually move back to equilibrium while preventing the likelihood of a glutamate storm. Just advice from a tech nerd , who reads a lot of pharmacological research.
@@denisepleines1513 I have done the exact same thing. This is a tough challenge along with just managing everyday life, but I have a feeling we will come through stronger😊.
Just had a seizure today from klonopin withdrawals, wouldn’t wish this shit on anyone. Been on them 5-6 years got meds stolen about a week ago and the acute withdrawals are kicking my ass
It gets soooooo bad that I can't move, throw up, have trouble even speaking
Here I am wanting to go to law school and LIVE!!! THIS IS PURE EVIL
Aww thats terrible. I have just started weining slightly and have been having withdrawals.. I am terrified of doing this and experiencing the scary stuff you are going through. And yes. I want to live my life too... just had to postpone my acceptance into my Masters of Psychology... best of luck to you 🤗
When I went to the doctor i was anxious and he prescribed klonopin but never told me that it's meant for a short term. Now after quitting it after 3 years i am having 100 different issues. It's crazy. Doctors don't even believe that the symptoms are from benzos.
Yes Ruchi
Same here , I too was for 6 yrs on it , an
Idiot doc gave it to me for simple
Insomnia and later I got addicted and now after leaving them for years I am
Have set of withdrawals symptoms and almost life is gone very bad !!
Almost 2 years off and still suffering badly at times
THANK YOU , gentlemen, for speaking about all those very contentious issues. How come, that our MD's simply prescribe without truly monitoring afterwards? Very VERY important and interesting.
My god I think I may not make it. I never sleep and my mind is leaving me. The doctors here don’t believe benzo withdrawals are real. Please do a video targeting doctors let them know to long taper patients. Can I go back on? I can’t get any doctor to reinstate me. I’ve got 2 kids
@@talksick508 hi no I’m now homeless and have no family. I couldn’t work or meet my spouses expectations. He’s truly evil now I know why I was put on them to begin with. He’s got my kids though and I’m scared they’re going to be drugged with antidepressant or mood stabilizers because of him and everything that’s happened. I barely sleep and have severe akathisia. I’m sorry to give bad news but my divorce just started Friday 1st hearing and yesterday he tried to get me arrested and make me leave my house. This totally sucks.
@@Filthycoffin damn I’m really sorry to hear this :(
Life’s so hard and stressful
Really sorry you’re dealing with someone that’s like that
ESP.. when you’re battling a lot as it is
Wish I could help
Please keep me informed
I’m really sorry you’re going thru all this
🙏🏻
I am on opiods and benzo.s from the doctor. For CRPS (painsydrome) Dystony and Spasm 10 years now. Now I am in withdraw from opiods I am on 1/2 now. Then the Bezo directly after it... I am Dutch my doctor thinks this is easy. It is absolutely madness. If Benzo is wurse.. Help me God.. Stay strong
People have different reaction everyone is unique some difficult some easy....just observe and listen to your body...
Reading these as I'm dealing with pain pill withdrawals and PAWS. I feel like it's a walk in the park (not easy by any means) compared to benzos. These comments are like reading a book about what monsters who live in hell are like.
Your videos are powerful, wow! Thank you dr B and Parham
Ive been watching all day today since I found you today.
This is gold dr B enlightening and great this is. Thank you so much. Hope you read this . I would love to communicate with you even if I have to pay , pls 🙏 i could use you dr B and or Parham. Anyone of you, how do I reach any of you.?
your advice and suggestions either dr B or Parham would be amazing.
Many blessings to you dr B and Parham and all in here . Be well peace n respect 🙏
How to find an online free group for taking and self support for opioids withdrawls PLS?
This is good stuff!
Dude I was on zanax and Valium for 17 years I wasted the best years of my life on that stuff persevering through this is key for helping us all and it is achievable
I’m 20 years on prescription Xanax for severe anxiety and panic… was just given a “curtesy” and last refill… so I’m paranoid of going to a detox clinic “ medically supervised “ facility my insurance covers , it is my
Only choice ,,, I have no
Help… what do you feel about this detox last choice … they say I’m off approximately 14 days… please help me by addressing this
Thank
You
Karen
I was forced by crappy doctors to stop after 15 years on Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin (among others). It's been a year and 7 seizures.......and I still rarely sleep and never comfortably.
Katrina, we all can feel your pain. I am sorry to see you feeling so lousy. That really sucks. Hang in there and reach out for help.
I've been on benzos for 20 years following the death of my son. Currently I am taking .75 mg Klonopin down .25 two months ago when I was on 1 mg. My doctor wants me to taper way to fast. I've been on for so long what's another year to 2 to come off the remainder. Physicians really are clueless as to what people , especially those long term users, go through coming off and protracted. I'm going to have to be a bit pushy because Dr's are in short supply and I need him to understand!
I do not know how to contact you or to talk to you on this program
I’ve been taking .5 mg klonopin daily for about 4 years now and every 3 or 4 days or so I’ll take 1mg. I was using it as needed before that and it has given me my life back. Is tolerance inevitable? And if I were to stop cold turkey at this dose is that safe? I never want this medicine to stop working and want to use it on an as needed basis like before.
I took .5mg of kolonipin for approx 7-8 years and became tolerant so I'm sorry to say tolerance is inevitable but there is no time line all I know is that the longer you stay on the worse and harder the withdraw will be. This is one drug that the benefits are not worth what your going to go through when the time comes. I cannot tell you if its safe for you to stop cold turkey everyone is different. I went to rehab which was a waste but I only went there because there is a medical staff incase I had issues. They stopped the kolonipin immediately then give you a different Benzo in its place, they also gave me and anti seizure drug and something else I cannot remember. I believe this was a poor method but I chose this over weanning off for months or years to me quicker the better. They give you this cocktail for 12 days then stop everything cold turkey. Once the insane side effects kicked in I signed myself out and had to go home you simply cannot be around people its a complete loss of reality. all 5 senses in overdrive, anxiety times 1000 and I was slightly catatonic just to name a few. All are to the extreme.I went to see a specialist and he told me its all in my head which it wasn't. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Long story short it took 3 full months before I could leave my house and 1 year until I felt normal again. Thank goodness my Father helped me with food and money to pay bills other wise who knows what would have happened. Many get suicidal because they feel like they are going to stay like this forever.
I know this is all over the place but my advise is if you have family you can lean on I would find a place that specializes in getting people off Benzos if you can find a place but its up to you if you want to long road of cold turkey or the longer road of weaning off. Check with a good doctor if you can find one most don't know how to treat this.
@@juujuubees379 ok
0.5mg for about 4 years before I realized I was in tolerance. It has been about 8 years now total on clonaz. I spent years trying to figure out what was happening to my health. MS? Lyme? Heart condition? Rheumatoid arthritis? Vestibular problems? So many lost years. Was benzo all along. Been tapering for 2.5 years.
I have no idea how you can address past trauma during this
It’s a constant state of trauma with the symptoms alone and the losses
I am currently on a Soviet benzo in order to cut down on the Suboxone. If I wanted to, I could use this to get off the Suboxone but I would rather feel really good on Suboxone.
Same here I'm on suboxone and would rather stay on it than take benzo
I take 100 mgz of Zoloft twice daily and my doctor has me taking 2 mgs of Xanax 3 times daily. Instead I take 4 mgs at bedtime. I've been using especially the 2 medications for 24 years. The Xanax puts me to sleep but I have a number of negative physiological issues. Help me out and please tell me if I'm taking the right medications. Please
Honestly I'm a bit upset with my psychiatrist it was my first and only visit which lasted all of 10 minutes. I had massive sleep issues due to habitual Z-drug use but NEVER any anxiety. I got put on Mirtazepine and Duloxetine (SSRI like your Zoloft) this put me into several panic attacks which I had to terminate with larger than my usual doses of Zopiclone which increased my tolerance further.
I was advised to take the mirtazapine further cause the first 5-6 weeks side effects are expected... and Now I don't think I can easly get off the mirtazepine gained 2 kg in a month (the sedation I wanted and fortunately the zomboid state passed) but I'm not any better I'm using double the Z drug I was used to and also need to take the mirtazepine. So it's a net loss on all fronts.
I have a medical background but I'd read up on Clonazepam if I were you. The theory is that drugs with exremely long half-lives are better as it gives you a steady state concentration with no peaks or valleys. Then very slowly titrate the dose downwards try 10% a month
I can't help but wonder if SSRI caused your anxiety
Hi I’ve been taking benzodiazepines off and on for about 10 yr , after suffering from PTSD. I really want to stop taking this medication.
Benzo's are overprescribed. Many doctors don't realize how addictive they are. Even when the manufacturers state clearly, it's habit forming and should only be prescribed short term (1-2 weeks). This doctor really knows what he is talking about. Heroin is easier to kick than benzo's.
NO ONE should be on ANY OF THESE DRUGS..... PERIOD.
I was on benzos for 4 1/2 years. The doctors took me off of it. Cold turkey almost died didn’t work for over six years seven years almost 9 1/2 years late. I still have symptoms but I’m working again and getting better. There’s no explanation of this crap is dangerous and it’s awful. I feel bad for everybody that’s gone through just like me.
I have been struggling with benzo on and off it’s a taboo here in Mexico and they wanna put you cold turkey … they are highly ignorant . I was put on them for anxiety depression then I went through something rough where I found myself taking more than I should 2/3 a day …. I was 5 days with out it I slept 3 forever but they were nightmares and cold sweats , I would think the worst of me , I was super cold and I thought everyone hated me. I couldn’t eat and felt insane nausea.
I realize this video is a year old. I wanted to comment about what Octavian said. I recently started tapering my night time dose of 1.5 mil (I have been off of all daytime doses for at least a year now). I went down 1/8 milligram every six weeks twice before I had an adverse severe pobrem. I have cardiomyopathy thus heart problems. I over did it helping my child move (big stressor) 10 hour days for 3 straight days. Anyhow my Blood Pressure started going up to over 200/98 in the evenings before my only dose of Lorazepam. I ended up in the hospital in Cardiac ICU for 3 days. They pushed the Lorazepam back up to 1.5 mil but I continue to have large spikes in BP of over 200 in the evening hours. I have a cardiac rescue med that I have been having to take. I don't know where to go from here as I don't want to have a stroke or heart attack. I have never heard anyone speak of severe blood pressure problems with cardiac patients. Is this very common????? I hear about many other problems but not BP/cardiac. Was just wondering about this. Thank you.
I also went to detox for Benzodiazepines. While inpatient my blood pressure spiked multiple times. I didn’t have problems with my heart before detoxing. Hope your Dr can figure out how to help you
@@denisefenwick thank you for your feedback to my comment. It is good to know that this has happened to others as well.
My mother developed a swelling heart… and seizures she died from a seizure in her sleep
@@KarmaProsperity8 I am so sorry for your loss.
anyone out there get asthma after getting off clonazepam 0.5 for 20 years... I tapered for 20 months . 9 months off now
CBD worked for me. 17 years on 2 mg Clonazepam for myoclonus following back surgery. Withdrawal symptoms were severe. Weaned myself down to 1/8th of a pill but could not stop without severe anxiety and other symptoms. I tried CBD and was able to quit immediately after starting the CBD. This was in 2018 and the only residual effect i have is tinnitus.
She's right....we no longer trust our Dr's due to xanax addiction and withdrawal. 3 weeks off xanax cold turkey and I'm sick as a dog....and I'm pissed
I hope i'l get out of benzos
Very informative for folks who are not on Benzo's now. Will avoid like the Black Plaque!
Last year, I was forced to taper from 1mg 3x daily from Klonipin (Rivotril - international name). The taper was awful, so fast. They never spoke to me or answered my questions. It was like ripping a band aide off and being told to stop whining. I was living in a hellish home as my brother would show up coked up saying awful things to me. Very stressful. Once the hellish taper was done, I was worse off than ever. I felt like I had to relearn society norms, I didn’t know who I was; anxious and very stressed. A few weeks passed and I woke up with tinnitus in both ears. For 10 weeks, the tinnitus has been persistent and loud much of the time. It’s vicious, made me anxious, stressed and moody. I was not able to get anything done. I struggled getting out of bed because of the persistent beeping in my head.
Last week, I went to an excellent addiction psychiatrist and he put me on a low dose on klonipin. After a few days of taking this low dose, the tinnitus was gone.
You tapered way too fast.....there is no rush to tapering off the drug. It should be as painless as possible. Best of luck to you.
Thank you
I am from Malaysia....I had tinnitus in 2020 may n was put on Xanax 0.25 to sleep but eventually developed anxiety n was increased to 1 mg but I tried to avoid n brought it down to 0.25 in January 2021...the Dr put me on various anti depressant but it made my anxiety worse and changed to Klonopin for 4 months n after that to valium.....I got fed up for being a guinea pig... September 2021 decided to taper 25 mg valium to 1.25 mg now but having severe physical inability to walk or restlessness.... I couldn't sit still or stand still or lay down long ...can't watch tv or read books....I couldn't work last 2 years n having so much phobia n anxiety n sometimes I can't even shave or brush my teeth because I don't have energy.....the Dr asking me to come back to clinic n put me on other medicine...please help me n advise me ...
Buy cbd and L theanin pills
how are you now ?
Sounds like laziness, i have an autoimmune disease, extreme fatigue, fused spine, rotted joints, use a crutch to get around and still got up to move around, eat, shower, shave, brush teeth, ect in the middle of withdrawal, no excuses.
I've got 16 days and I wonder when my heart will stop pounding hard
from what im aware of the seemingly obvious way (based on their halflife) is to switch onto Diazepam (Valium) because it's long acting then slowly reduce. Like the Heather Ashton method. Im from UK and i often see people being prescribed much higher doses in USA and of high potency benzos like Xanax and Klonopin ond Halcion Alprazolam, Clonazepam and Triazolam and these are the high potency benzos.
I realise after I wrote this you went onto talk about that anyway. I love these videos they are so helpful.
@@waynegrow I would say if you have a steady supply of it and can carry on getting hold of it then try to only take the same dose every day at the same time then slowly begin to taper down your dose by 1 mg per week and you won't notice the withdrawal effects as much. Diazepam is the longest acting of the benzos so you're off to a head start
Dude you can do this you look healthy enough
I live in Dallas Texas Just wondering if you could refer me to some help or give me some advice I'm all alone in this