I'd like to see the report, could you link it? I wish we could get some more insight into how these are prescribed in other countries.
Agreed at first the w/ds for etizolam aren't too bad- after 6 months-8 months of stopping and starting use, inbetween dosages and on weeks I couldn't get any, I was just getting bad anxiety and insomnia. Annoying but bearable. I noticed the uncontrollable eye twitches and slight muscle spasms around then. I thought it wouldn't get any worse than that. Like you said, I'd never read any reports other than mild benzo like symptoms. They did get worse over time though, especially the insomnia and anxiety, making me too scared to go out if I couldn't get ahold of any.
It wasn't till about 9 months of using them and stopping them, I tried to slowly taper, but after getting about 4 hours sleep in a week the mild seizure/ convulsion thing happened, which I still find really hard to explain.
It started with pins and needles, then losing sensation in my hands/ arm/ side of the body, then tunnel vision and feeling really disorientated. I've had panic attacks many times before, but felt rationally calm inside as I knew something was physically going wrong, so I lied down and tried to monitor my heart rate, which was incredibly difficult! I kept getting over 200 beats per minute. I tried to focus on stopping the hyperventilating but then all the muscles from the waist down went rigid and start spasming uncontrollably, then I was okay for about a minute, and it happened again. I wish I sought medical attention, I just wasn't in a capable state.
It's of course my fault for using them too often and becoming physically dependent on them. In small dosages, not taken daily, I'm sure most people will not encounter much other than anxiety/ insomnia. Long term use really does mess with you though. I've never been so low.
I'm on a val taper at the moment, and rapid tapering of that has been both physically and mentally brutal, but no insane uncontrollable muscle convulsions.