New benzo thread :)

It seems as though some forums on benzo withdrawal are a pit of despair and neverending, looping tales of non-recovery and permanent brain damage.

I experienced a massive, code red trauma involving murder of a loved one two years ago and was put on clonazepam. Throughout this time, I have abused alcohol, zopiclone and clonazepam.

This is Day 1 of realizing I can never binge drink again if I want to successfully come off clonazepam. From what I have read, clonazepam is the worst drug on earth. Great. I cannot find a success story other than Stevie Nicks taking massive amounts for a decade and getting back to her old self after two years.

I'm ready to start tapering. I want my life back-- joy and pain, the full gamut of emotions. My natural reward system back.

Does anyone have any insight/experience.... positive, and ok, negative too? I need some hopeful energy here.

For sure check out the Ashton Manual for your taper.

That was an unfathomable crisis to endure and I do not doubt that you felt the need to medicate to survive it.

Quitting everything that helped you keep the emotions endurable will take courage and strength but it sounds like you can draw on your past fullness as a motivation. Believe me, that is a way better position to start from than someone traumatized so early in life that they do not even know the joy of living with a full spectrum of emotions. Use all the non-drug therapies you can find to help with the rebound anxiety and even to continue to process the tragedy allowing yourself to grieve fully and on your own schedule.

What a compassionate answer. Thank you so much. I will remember this.

I have a benzo question, maybe someone can help with an answer:

Let's say I take .5 or 1 mg xanax one time per day, at night before bed. No use at all during the day. Can this amount of usage cause physical dependency and then WD when stopping. (When I run out)

That dose never gave me physical withdrawals, just a hard time sleeping and some added anxiety.

I came out of a medium addiction relatively unscathed. I didn't even have PAWS really. The key is a good taper