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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Opiate WD vs. Benzo WD

Taking 2 mg of xanax (a TRIbenzo) for 17 years.
One Doctor, dx PTSD,anxiety. Took as prescribed
Ended up in ER with a seizure .All from Tapering to fast. Got off 17 months later. Absolute worst
WD. Benzos are Evil.
 
I've recently tried to quit tramadol. And because of its snri (sp) properties i hear it's a double whammy. I couldn't do it. After day three i went back. It felt like my brain was melting on day one. Day two to three i had the flu like symptoms coupled with the brain buzzing and burning. If i could choose to have only the flu symptoms and not the brain melting, i would.
 
In short benzo withdrawl (as long as you havent been on it for years or have severe anxiety/panic attacks(swim took it to sleep after a day of speedballs) is a lot easier to handle imo simply because although some of the physical symptoms mimic that of opiates (swims currently coming off .5g heroin/fent and 6mg xanax) it is mostly a mental experience, as long as you taper over at least a month, using valium. With opiates the physical aspect is just over the top; the only way ive ever been able to "cold turkey" (not rly, but at least feel similar, was when taking bupe and getting thrown into precipitated withdrawal, honestly think I might take a seizure over that shit, which lasted 3 full days, Ive seen them happen and you are very unlikely to die unless you fall awkwardly). Either way Id say benzos are more of a mental withdrawal that can be controlled/pushed through with pot/valerian root and exercise, opiate withdrawal on the other hand is practically impossible to just "accept", the physycal aspects quickly take over my mind forcing it in the direction of a speedball and overall, makes opiates a lot more painful and difficult for me personally to quit. I do however see how people who need the benzos for an underlying condition or plain old anxiety could have a harder time with them, their is indeed a lot of overlap in the symptoms. Im coming off both now and sometimes its hard to figure out what kinda withdrawl im feeling, or if its both (currently on 1-2mg sub and 10mg valium(Low enough doses for me to be in withdrawl most of the time)) hope this helps someone,
Nick
 
I have only ever been addicted to the weak opiate tramadol, but at quite a high dose and I found withdrawal difficult, mostly because the cravings made it impossible for me to taper so I had to just flush them all down the toilet and endure 4 days or so of sleeplessness, pain, intense depression, feeling hot and cold at the same time and a total inability to feel comfortable in any position.

I have withdrawn from benzos a couple of times. In some ways it is easier, because I don't get cravings and I am able to taper EXTREMELY slowly. But it takes many months and trying to come off and going too fast results in absolute terror and insanity. Tapering slowly gives me disrupted sleep and anxiety but it is manageable.

I am currently tapering diazepam and am down to 2.5 mg a day and it will take a few weeks for me to come off. I'm also taking around 300mg tramadol daily and want to come off it once I'm done with the diazepam but don't know if I will be able to taper due to the cravings.

I found with both, avoiding alcohol and any other drugs makes it so much easier.
 
An obvious factor that I think we might be glossing over is that the withdrawal syndrome is generally proportionate to the amount of drugs used and the frequency of said use. I've withdrawn from Opioids many times; different Opioids, different dosages etc. Sometimes it's not so bad (20mg Methadone PO/day) with some restless legs and minor insomnia. Withdrawing from high-dose Heroin is much more intense and includes frequent stomach cramps, full liquid diarrhea at least ten times per day (no exaggeration), inability to stop crying and thoughts of suicide. I don't mean to be dramatic here. It's really how I felt.

Sedative/Hypnotics are a different animal in my opinion. I think someone who maybe, drinks a full bottle of wine a night for a while is going to stop and have some shakes, discomfort, anxiety etc. but they most likely will be able to function. When I was in college, I had cleaned up for a period of time and was thus, isolated from everyone I knew in town, so took up a different vice in the form of Alcohol. Within about a month, I was drinking 750ml/1/5th and then some of liquor per day.

I thought I knew what it was like to be sick, pathetic and hopeless-feeling. Alcohol, by comparison was a nightmare hell, the likes of which I couldn't have possibly comprehended without enduring it. Every noise, light, movement is out to kill you. Your body is vibrating and your fight or flight response is in full swing. There's really no feeling I've ever encountered like the fear when you wake up in full withdrawal with nothing to drink.

I'm 26 years old and have probably spent a total of 4 years of my life actively drinking Alcohol. I now drink once or twice a year, on dates, for New Year's etc. My point is, it is mind-blowing to me that there are folks out there who drink like that and worse for decades. My body and health were so utterly wrecked by ~3 months of excessive drinking that I can't understand how people do it for years. Alcohol is seriously a scourge. It's cheap, easily accessible and of the most devastating substances available to mankind.
 
Benzo and alcohol withdrawal can kill you where opiate withdrawal can not. Benzo and alcohol withdrawal causes rise in the CNS (central nervous system) causing over stimulation of the heart and body. This can cause hallucinations, heart issues, seizures, and death. This is caused by the lack of GABA in the brain which counteracts Glutamate (an excitatory nuerotransmitter), because the alcohol/benzos replaced it. Thus, your brain I have been through this. It is extremely unsafe to do alone.
 
I know this response is late from the original poster, but I would like to share my withdrawal story. I was a major benzo addict for two years, the first year was manageable but the second year, when I moved 2000 miles away from home for the first time, I began taking 1-4mg a day for a few months. It developed into 10-20mg a day for another few months until the three weeks prior to stopping, I was taking 20-40 xanax bars, 40-80mg a day. My first night of withdrawals after going CT I had a bad seizure and had to be carried out of my apartment to the ER and spent the first 6 hours trying to bring me out of the seizures and intense muscle spasms, and the other 8 calming into a manageable anxiety level. For the next 10 days I was having daily severe muscle spasms. During the night I had mentally scarring night terrors in which I'd wake up but still be stuck in my nightmare and I would think there were people trying to kill me and my life was on the line and I couldn't wake out of my night terrors during the day and would lock myself in my room to ensure my safety, and I still never felt entirely safe. My anxiety was at the point that I didn't leave my apartment for 10 full days, except to run outside to get free food from my aunt because I was too scared to leave the safety of my room and go to the store. Also during my withdrawals I had intense cravings to the point I would case my entire room peeling apart every nook and crannie of the place searching for possibly hidden drugs. I didn't eat for 6 days if withdrawals because my body was in such strong anxiety that I couldn't keep my food down since my stomach would have spasms and the muscles would push my food back up.

When I told my best friend who is an ex-hardcore heroin addict about my symptoms she said she would choose opiate withdrawal over mine. I don't know if a lot of benzo addicts take near the doses I did but that WD was so miserable that now when I take drugs I only do it once a month and I'm terrified of addiction because of how bad the WDs were. It was truly a living nightmare. I still have nightmares about withdrawing. I also want to add that I began to taper before my 11 days of hell but after 5 days I couldn't let myself take one more pill and I went cold turkey.
 
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Keep this in mind. You can lose your mind from benzodiazepine withdrawal and never get it back.
 
@Hateswater - I have to agree with that. Although I feel I have returned to normal in just about all aspects physically/emotionally/psychologically, and I don't have any general anxiety anymore, I still have nightmares about my WDs and wake up in panic and sweats. It's only happened about 7 times since then so it's not frequent, but it's been 9 months since my WDs and my last wake up panic was 4-5 weeks ago.
 
I've gone cold turkey from benzos and opiates before. In my opinion benzo is worse.

Opiate WD- coming cold turkey off a three month binge taking roughly 100-140mg oxy daily. I had nausea, diarrhea, restlessness, headache, depression, loss of appetite, anxiety, suicidal ideation, muscle aches.
Nothing I couldnt handle though

Benzo WD- came off low dose xanax after taking daily for a little over a year (1-2mg as perscribed) I experienced nausea, restlessness, loss of appetite, derealization, depersonalization, racing heart, palpitations, hot/cold flashes, inability to sleep, hyperawareness, increased anxiety, panic attacks (worst I've ever had), depression, sense of overall doom, nightmares, chest pain, migraines, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, suicidal actions, unstable moods, bodywide weakness, blurred vision, dizziness...
With benzo WD I ended up in hospital dehydrated with a sky high heart rate and blood pressure as well as extremely low blood sugar.
I would go through opiate WD again any day of the week before benzos, much like I'd go through labor ten more times before dealing with another kidney stone ? I got lucky and had no seizures but there's a good two days that I was so out of it that I don't remember next to anything.
 
They both suck so bad.. but benzo WD is way worse imo.. fucking pure hell... opiate WD is hell.. Benzo WD is hell x10.
 
I've commented on here a while back.. I still stick with what I said.

Opiate WD = More painful

Benzo WD = More dangerous
 
yes, if you are tapered and have long acting benzos and CLONODINE which both are Benzo's so of course it was easier. What about when you stopped Clonodine (another benzo( and valium or long acting benzo? I was cut off cold turkey and i can't tell you how bad. after a week of being sick all day and night, hot cold chills could not cool down and when I did the cold hurt my fibromyalgia so much i had to wrap my legs and shoulders. My legs restless, nausea vomiting. Luckily I did have zofran which helped some with the nausea so at least i could eat. A nurse at the md clinic told me to go to ER my lips were turning blue. The er doc is the one who figured out why I was so sick. Thank God for him!!! I was so lucky he gave me 12 ativan, to taper with. I went to half, then 1/4 to 1/8 pill every seven days when the wdrawals started again. It took a long time. I did it though i will NEVER take another benzo. IF YOU JUST GOT PRESCRIBED A BENZO OR ARE NOW ON ONE GET OFF SOON!! I took them for a couple of years. I think that is why I got so sick. However, I have heard one can get sick after time even a couple of weeks. Just remember, it isn't any easier to wait. Ask now, before they cut you off saying they got a letter from the Surgeon General about mixing benzo with other drugs, especially narcotics. While you can still taper. My psychiatrist had absolutely no empathy.
 
I could type and type (repeat) but instead I'll sum it up.
Opiates , a shower will offer some relief and you might even feel good for a second.
Benzos , the water from the shower head sounded like metal hitting the bath tub. Like needles... Piercing my ears... but less maddening than the TV "sending secret government messages into my brain "... and I knew it wasn't real but could not shake the thought. Benzo w/d is so hardcore that your only real relief is more benzos, whereas benzos are used to treat opiate w/d as standard practice. I use opiates every day with little fear of consequence even if detox is imminent. Benzos? I use em maybe once every few months and every time I consume them I get a little worry in the back of my mind. "What if IT happens again"?
 
Idk, he mentioned a very well known medication and also spelled it perfectly..and just put it in the wrong class of drugs.
 
I'm new here and looking for answers as I had to cold turkey w/d from Ativan in July of last year. Just starting to feel normal again. I am wanting to w/d from an opiate that I have been on daily for about 6 months, but am terrified due to the benzo withdrawal. I have never experienced anything like it (and I was a previous meth user, clean for 14 years now). The benzo w/d started with typical w/d symptoms, restless leg, insomnia, body pain, etc. that was the easiest part of it. I was scared to leave my house for a few months, rarely even left my bedroom, felt like I was tripping acid, random shakes and ticks and all over pain, I had to change my sheets daily for weeks because I would sweat so bad it was like someone poured water over me. I did wear dry fit clothing to sleep and it helped slightly, at least wicked the sweat. Had a fever for about a month, two antibiotics bc the toxins just made me sick, and again, I'm just NOW (7 months later) feeling normal again. Scared to death to redo any of that with an opiate w/d, mainly bc of how long all of it lasted. I can handle 3-4 days, even a week, but there is no way I could do another benzo or similar withdrawal!!
 
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