Benzos Etiz - Do I need to taper?

[Dawglaw]

I have found myself into using Etiz every night/almost every night for fun/to knock me out. Been using for about a month/month and a half - anywhere from 2mg-6mg a night. I have no "cravings" nor have I experienced any difference in my physical well being that I could attribute to withdrawal. I have noticed my tolerance creep up a little but nothing else. I also only use late at night and during the day I am fine.

I have read the horror stories of Benzo abuse and withdrawal and have figured that I might as well quit while I am ahead and save the rest for when I actually need them.

I have probably done 150-200mg total in the past 6 weeks.

Do I need to taper? I have not experienced any withdrawal or "craving." I just habitually pop them about an hour before I want to go to bed. I would rather be safe than sorry but I think I could go CT no problem... I just don't want to give myself a seizure.

 

[purplehaze147]

If you feel like you don't need to taper than you probably don't. Have you even tried not taking it for a night? I bet you'll feel really anxious & have insomnia if you don't unless you didn't take it for a night & felt fine. If you do feel really anxious than by all means taper you wanna feel the least discomfort possible. Most likely you won't have a seizure from discontinuation on that amount for just 1-1.5 months unless you've had a seizure before. You'll feel really uncomfortable from withdrawal before you sez out it doesn't just happen out of the blue.

 

[Dawglaw]

Ok cool. I have taken nights and even up to 4 days off with no noticeable problems whatsoever. I guess I am just being paranoid. If I start feeling like shit, I'll taper.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I guess I am just being paranoid. If I start feeling like shit, I'll taper.

I don't think that you're being paranoid about this, I would be worried too. Taking 2-6 mg of Etizolam every day (or close to it) can only end badly. While you might not be in too deep yet, you most likely will be some time down the road. Postponing your taper untill you actually start feeling like shit while not being on Etizolam is a bad idea IMO. Why would you want to wait untill it's too late?

One thing is that the withdrawals are going to suck, another is that once your tolerance has ramped up high enough to be associated with WDs, then it will be very hard to get it down again even a long ass break might not do it.

If I were you, I would taper or CT now, depending on how you feel, followed by a long break, say 3 months or so. After that, you can start using again but stick to the lowest possible dose for effective sleep (surely you don't need 6 mg for that huh?) and only use a few times a week.

That way, you just might be able to use Etizolam for a long time without developing a huge ass tolerance and the horrible WD symptoms.
The way you are going at it for the time being can only end bad, I'm sorry but it's the truth. I wish I could use this stuff more often too, but it's just isn't a good idea.


EDIT: just read your post again and I completely missed the fact that you are already going to quit, but don't know whether to quit CT or taper. Sorry, quess Bluelight and my sleepy mind doesn't mix. Anyway, good luck with quitting

 

[Dawglaw]

Definitely noticed some rebound anxiety and some nasty insomnia last night. I feel ok, but damn I was naive about the hole I was digging myself in, I am definitely never touching benzos again.

I am also a bit of a hypochondriac and reading about the withdrawal symptoms gave me a little anxiety of the anxiety... Stupid I know...

I ended up popping 1mg to get myself to sleep at about 1230 last night (I normally fall asleep at 11). I do have about 20 kpins from an ex girlfriend, I was reading that kpin is a better choice for self taper?

Should I continue with 1mg etzo each night for a week then cut down to .5mg each night next week? Or should I continue trying to CT? I am very close to flushing my entire stash (save enough to taper for a week or two).

I am normally not anxious at all and I have a lot of other shit going on in my life that could be causing my general malease; either way this is a great wakeup call for me that benzos are absolute poison and the time to gtfo is now.

 

[pinpoint]

I've been where you are. Better off to jump off now rather than prolong that shit with a self-prescribed 'taper'. You won't die and you can always use comfort meds the first week off.. i.e. melatonin, doxylamine, etc.

 

[Dawglaw]

Ahh yah, I will do my absolute best to continue on my plan to CT.

I think I have overcome all psychological "need" for them. This shit sucks and I kick myself for not doing more due diligence and realizing that even a relatively tiny period of "abuse" could cause WDs... I figured that since they are super easy to get and they are even prescribed in some places, they cant be that bad for you. Nope, fucking poison.

I will def get some good cardio, eat as well as I can and load up on safe supplements over the next few days. I'll be sure to report back if things start going sideways.

 

[Dawglaw]

Just for the record, I am now withdrawal free. The only taper I did was the first night when I took 1mg to knock me out because I could not sleep.

The first day of no etiz was not fun at all. I am sure reading about benzo withdrawl and thinking about the symptoms added to my anxiety but man I felt like shit. Benzos are terrible. If you have just started your habit, get the fuck out while you can. I cannot imagine dealing with serious benzo withdrawl.

I am saving one blister pack for emergencies (long flights or if my buddies stumble home after taking some random psych and are having a bad time). Never again will I touch these things recreationally.