Benzos Noobish questions alprazolam

[Make Drugs Not War]

This is some wisdom I've gained from living with harm reduction as my main program.

"I am an addict"
"I have an addiction"

"I relapsed I threw away a year!"
"I went a year before I used again! I didn't feel like a relapsing failure and I put it down again much quicker and I'm still alive!"

Look at those. How you look at yourself and think about things will be crucial in your journey here.

I have an addiction and I am not an addict. I'm Joey

Thanks man, I like that.

 

[mrb1956]

About that, FYI.
Plan is looking currently:

Alprazolam then,
Buprenorphine (saved up more than my current small daily dosage) then,
Kratom to quit everything for a while or for good.

Suggestions?

I can only say that I took benzos and 8mg. of buprenorphine for 10 years and had my last bupe on Xmas Eve and stopped cold and consider myself lucky that I suffered far less than expected. I initially posted on harm reduction. Found a doc and am weaning off just Xanax not going back to bupe. A 2mg. stick of Xanax gets me off the ceiling but heart pumping elevated but able handle it.
This is just an FYI and I'm no kid 67 next month.

Good Luck

 

[RC-Lover123]

The way benzos erase that thing that keeps us in check without even realizing is incredible,

This!!! Benzos erase all anxiety and many inhibitions. I don't have much anxiety but I do have the sane inhibitions that make me the normal person that I usually am. As soon as I had diazepam or alprazolam in my system, these important inhibitions evaporated. I started drinking in the morning, I started stealing stuff in shops, I started lying about everything, I started selling illegal things and thought nothing about it. In hindsight, I was and am deeply ashamed by the things I did on benzos.

And yes, it really is incredible that a substance can have that type of effect.

 

[mrb1956]

I can honestly say, with my thirty plus years of use and abuse of benzos that I never experienced this lack of inhibition of which you speak. The only drugs that did this to me, were Alcohol, opiates and the drug Halcyon ( I probably misspelled the last drug). Alcohol still has the strongest effects on me for dumping my inhibitions - Many times to my great embarrassment.

Take care,
mrb1956

 

[RC-Lover123]

I can honestly say, with my thirty plus years of use and abuse of benzos that I never experienced this lack of inhibition of which you speak. The only drugs that did this to me, were Alcohol, opiates and the drug Halcyon ( I probably misspelled the last drug). Alcohol still has the strongest effects on me for dumping my inhibitions - Many times to my great embarrassment.

Take care,
mrb1956

Halcion is the brand name for triazolam, a potent sleep benzo. I agree that alcohol is doing the same to inhibitions but it is short acting and you are acutely intoxicated and you realize that you are intoxicated. Longer acting benzos such as Valium leave me very functional, I do not feel intoxicated but I am still heavily influenced by the drug. This is far more dangerous, at least for me.

I suspect that benzos make anxious and inhibited people feel "normal" whereas they turn some non anxious, non inhibited folks into psychos that start doing whatever they want under benzo influence. I know that I routinely behave like a psycho when I am on benzos.

 

[Make Drugs Not War]

Halcion is the brand name for triazolam, a potent sleep benzo. I agree that alcohol is doing the same to inhibitions but it is short acting and you are acutely intoxicated and you realize that you are intoxicated. Longer acting benzos such as Valium leave me very functional, I do not feel intoxicated but I am still heavily influenced by the drug. This is far more dangerous, at least for me.

I suspect that benzos make anxious and inhibited people feel "normal" whereas they turn some non anxious, non inhibited folks into psychos that start doing whatever they want under benzo influence. I know that I routinely behave like a psycho when I am on benzos.

Yea man I hear, I think at least. I wrote earlier that relatively to other drugs, I have not been doing much of bensoz due to being scared of blacking out like I did drinking, but years back I bought some long acting ones by mistake, Clonazepam (Rivotril). Did not really know anything about them besides theyre benz. Half-life, isn't that a computer game kids play? At that point my only other experience from this category of drugs was some Xanax.

First and last time for sure. I lived temporarily at my moms at the time, intention was to relax as earlier experiences but I leveled the fuck up without realizing, got waaay way wasted, of course without realizing how bad it was. My mom had to remember me days later what had been going on. Among other things I pissed myself a few times - passed out in her bed. Good times for sure, soy un idiota and a bad son sometimes and she is an angel.

Dont anyone say anything else, I dare you. I will find all of you and empty both your stashes and backup stashes, and that friend you call when its really REALLY bad, his stash goes too, in the toilet while you are watching. Slowly; one bag, one flush. Then, I will get you all tattoos of my mom, prison style and also I cannot draw. Come at me yo.

 

[mrb1956]

Halcion is the brand name for triazolam, a potent sleep benzo. I agree that alcohol is doing the same to inhibitions but it is short acting and you are acutely intoxicated and you realize that you are intoxicated. Longer acting benzos such as Valium leave me very functional, I do not feel intoxicated but I am still heavily influenced by the drug. This is far more dangerous, at least for me.

I suspect that benzos make anxious and inhibited people feel "normal" whereas they turn some non anxious, non inhibited folks into psychos that start doing whatever they want under benzo influence. I know that I routinely behave like a psycho when I am on benzos.

Years ago (1980s) I took Halcion and I didn't go to sleep. The odd thing is I didn't believe I was high - thought everything was fine and I was at work but it was close to the end of the day so no bosses about.
I'm amazed that I was able to drive the short distance back to my apartment. Coming out of work I was half on the curb but didn't think anything of it.
It was similar but not as strong as barbiturates like 714s back in the late 1970s.
I haven't heard of anybody getting scripts for Halcion in decades in my part of the country at least.
Anyway, I did use the rest of the script but only at home and never did try for another one. Of course by that time I had discovered Xanax but that's a whole other story for another time.

mrb1956

 

[RC-Lover123]

Years ago (1980s) I took Halcion and I didn't go to sleep. The odd thing is I didn't believe I was high - thought everything was fine and I was at work but it was close to the end of the day so no bosses about.
I'm amazed that I was able to drive the short distance back to my apartment. Coming out of work I was half on the curb but didn't think anything of it.
It was similar but not as strong as barbiturates like 714s back in the late 1970s.
I haven't heard of anybody getting scripts for Halcion in decades in my part of the country at least.
Anyway, I did use the rest of the script but only at home and never did try for another one. Of course by that time I had discovered Xanax but that's a whole other story for another time.

mrb1956

I think that triazolam is a highly potent benzo that is quite dangerous in terms of amnesia and paradoxical reactions such as agitation and delusions. Doctors are right in not prescribing that kind of stuff any more. The same does not apply to the RC market, though. Flunitrazolam, Clonitrazolam and Flualprazolam are insanely potent benzos that are sold to everyone at almost no cost over here in Europe. Dangerous stuff!

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey everyone, sorry if this is already answered. I usually smoke weed or do stimulans but currently in a rough spot and got 115 pills of 1mg alprazolam in blisters. They do the job for sure.

Now to my question: how long and how heavy do you have to be on bensos daily for it to be dangerous to quit cold turkey, specifically the thing with seizures, I am scared of those and have had a bad one from Tramadol. Only one tho, never touched Tramadol since.

My english kinda(?) sucks currently due to me being fucked up on a mix of drugs, sorry. Its my second language. I am also searching for approval, it looks like. Peace.

Hey there.

2 weeks of 1mg-2mg Alprazolam per day or more is enough to present rebound withdrawal symptoms. I've experienced them myself. If that is two weeks, you can use your logic to understand what 3 months can be like. The biggest issue is not that you're life is totally fucked after a couple of weeks. The biggest issue is that you are now on an irreversible track. You'll have a thirst for Benzodiazepines at this point and the common trope is to "figure it out later" more on that to come in post.

This is a topic that we discuss at least once per week here at Bluelight. That doesn't mean it's not important for everyone to get the information. Don't worry about being a noob.

After discussing this ad nauseum over the years, you realize you're giving the exact same answer to every person to ask. You ask yourself, what is the most succinct and accurate way of describing addiction and dependence. I realize we are speaking about Benzodiazepines specifically here, but the same can be said for relying on anything too much in life, including drugs.

Benzodiazepines are only to be used for a maximum of 2-4 weeks. Otherwise, folks with intermittent panic attacks can hold onto a permanent prescription and use it properly, but mind that his typically means 1mg Alprazolam once every month or so. That is not what you're describing. You're comment "these really do the trick" arouses a profound level of emotion in someone like me who once said the same thing.

Benzodiazepines have been shown time and again to not be compatible with chronic usage. With any drug, there can be mitigating factors, say, severe epilepsy in which the only way a person could feasibly live a "life" as a "person" means allowing them a few minutes every day without seizures.

Benzodiazepines have never made anyone's life better when approached from the position of a "solution" to something like anxiety. Deciding to take the pills is shaking hands with the devil. Even the people who say "well, great, I'll take them for a moneth and then quit" are totally not living in reality. Any benefit that could come from taking them for that short period will inevitably be taken back from the person on the other end.

These things seem great. You have a few days without anxiety. You feel like the man. Maybe this freedom from anxiety could propel you to new heights? Maybe lack of anxiety will finally allow you to be as great as you've always known you could be. Maybe without anxiety you'll finally be able to get the girl you've always wanted. Maybe after you're married and with kids and you've "figured things out", you'll quit. This is a complete fallacy.

If you decide to take the pills and as you say, they "work great", you will only be building your propensity to take Benzodiazepines, every pill, every day. Chemical and physical changes in your body and mind will have you addicted to that "freedom from anxiety" by the end of the month. By then you'll have the hunger. The addict always says they will quit when they have "figured things out". Benzodiazepines never helped anyone "figure out" anything. They're for treating acute anxiety, panic etc. Maybe you were raped or assaulted and you're too afraid to leave your apartment. With Benzodiazepines and close work with a counselor, that person can regain their confidence.

I'm a long-time Opiate addict. I've seen what Opiates can do to people. It turns them into husks that hunger for nothing but more. Benzodiazepines will do the same thing, but will slowly drive you fully insane in the process. They are highly dangerous drugs and the fact that they are prescribed as they are and have been is every bit as serious as the Opiate Epidemic in my opinion. They are subtle, sinister. A shot of Heroin makes you immediately aware of what is at stake. Benzodiazepines just feel like a nice little helper. People are misinformed and by the time they realize what's up, it's often too late. They try to stop, can't, relapse, detox, divorce, doctor shopping and finally hitting the internet for that unlimited Benzodiazepine hit that we all know is available.

Don't be the one to think you know the secret that nobody else has ever known. If you feel this way, you know you're already fucked.

 

[sonicwhite]

My shrink has been a psychiatrist for 50 yrs. He was there when the benzo blew up. As Keif has said. I believe it should be used w extreme caution. My doctor however told me originally benzos where meant to take forever. I get 900 mg of Lyrica a month. I lower my kpin to about .5 BID because the Lyrica helps so much of the brutal impact benzos do on the brain. And who the hell knows what will happen if you reach your 70's. Dementia already runs in my family. Without telling the doc this I'm going to be stocking up on kpin so when it comes to me finding a new doc. I'll have what I need in case its once again a hassle.


The problem is when you deal w an anxiety that totally cripples you where you can't function at all then once in awhile isn't an option because the relief outweighs the danger. However I've learned through several cold turkey detoxes that they are to be respected. Lyrica helps more anyway and the withdrawals from that make benzo withdrawal like you set yourself on fire.


I'm thankful I've learned lessons that hopefully one day I can use a Xanax here and there and be fine. I'm not there yet but it's getting close. I will never trust a doctor to wean me ever period! I can do it where I'm at least somewhat comfortable. If Lyrica wasn't in the mix I don't know what I would of done.



Pregabalin doesn't cause low ambition like benzos. It gives me energy. Instead of taking 3 300 mg pills I only take two. That way I'm getting the benefit and stocking up on those too. None of us saw COVID happening even tho something in 2018 impressed me there was something big around the corner. I call it discernment. Just be safe. Cuz benzos have a way of making you think everything will be alright just to soon find out their yanking you off causing a whole aray of issues you didn't see coming.

 

[Survival0200]

^I'm also on Lyrica and it seems to get rid of most of the anxiety. My wish is that I could have a benzo to be taken as needed, when Lyrica doesn't work and there's "breakthrough anxiety".

 

[sonicwhite]

Yes breakthrough anxiety is the worst. Could you take it PRN? Why I say this is cuz so many love benzos but I hate the apathetic way they make me feel. Lyrica doesn't stop my panic attacks we're the kpin will come in handy but Lyrica doesn't cause apathy either. At one time I was so addicted to Lyrica that when I lost my doctor I lost everything and I suffered for many years. Now I just count my blessings and do as my doc says even tho without him knowing I'm stocking up because you never know what the future will hold.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^I'm also on Lyrica and it seems to get rid of most of the anxiety. My wish is that I could have a benzo to be taken as needed, when Lyrica doesn't work and there's "breakthrough anxiety".

Not trying to be a smart-ass, have you tried supplementing vitamin b6 like 100 to 200 mg a day?

Glutamic-acid decarboxylase or glutamate decarboxylase, the enzyme that creates gaba from glutamate, requires vitamin B6. If you're deficient in vitamin B6, you'll be deficient in GABA.

I've always found that the quick acting, short acting, benzodiazepines have the worst rebound anxiety, and the highest potential for tolerance & withdrawal, even taken prn.

 

[sonicwhite]

I've taken once in a awhile back in my drug using days. The only time I had an awful hangover was when I took 3 blue footballs and blackout. I couldn't believe my ex after she told me all I did. They truly are to be respected. In 08 I bought 12 1 mg klonopin and went thru all of them in two days because the Anxiety at the time was so excruciating that they melted my anxiety I had the Most profound euphoria. Never had withdrawals. It wasn't until I started to take them every day longer then three months that I had those nasty withdrawals. My hope is to strictly take Lyrica and stock up on my kpin. I could have any benzo I want but this one in my opinion is the safest. Plus I don't get high off of them. Just no anxiety w apathetic laziness. With Lyrica it gives me energy and helps me be more productive. I think Lyrica and my brain just where meant 4 each other. I do have days my anxiety is beyond what Lyrica can curb but those days are becoming less and less.