Benzos Responsible benzo use?

[eclips]

Hello all, my first time posting but I have lurked for years.

I've used benzos off and on for over 10 years now but recently I've started using more and I want to learn about using them responsibly in order minimize physical dependence. From online articles I've read and on Reddit, it seems the consensus is that Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin, so I was considering switching to that from Xanax, however looking at some threads here the consensus seems to be that the longer acting benzos like Klonopin actually cause more dependence because they last longer. And the research does seem to show that a longer duration causes more GABA-A downregulation, which is responsible for the nastier withdrawal effects people talk about (seizures etc.). All this is to say I'm kind of confused and don't want to put myself in a bad position with these drugs.

I guess my question is, what does responsible benzo use look like in your opinion? if I took 1mg Xanax 2 - 3 times a week how bad would the withdrawals be if I quit cold turkey? How does the dependency risk of Xanax compare to phenibut (I have more experience with that drug)?

 

[Vastness]

As far as I'm aware 1mg xanax (alprazolam) 2-3x per week would not cause withdrawals... Like 2-3x a week is not even a "habit" for a drug with a duration of action measured in hours, so you wouldn't be "quitting" if you stopped doing this. I mean I guess you would be technically but this terminology is usually reserved for substances taken daily, or almost daily, at least, such that when you wake up you're already "withdrawing" slightly...

(EDIT: I'm not a doctor, the above paragraph isn't medical advice, anyone reading this thinking I'm saying using alprazolam 2-3x a week is 100% safe, I quite explicitly am not. I'm just saying that relatively speaking - this does not sound that bad - to me! obviously... YMMV! Same goes for anything else I've said here, the dangers depend on a lot of factors, I feel like you probably realize that already but since a few people have commented that even this relatively miniscule level of usage may not be entirely safe I feel the need to add that this is also true...)

"Dependency risk" is a bit harder to quantify, alprazolam is not a benzo that's ever really appealed to me but that said I'd say the dependency risk is higher. Actually that's a lie that it's never appealed to me, I find alprazolam extremely compulsive, it just hasn't been "habit forming" for me personally because when I have taken it it's generally been SO compulsive that it makes me do enough weird shit in a short enough time to put me off taking it ever again. Not because I enjoy taking it as such, mind... actually maybe that's a lie too, I just don't remember enjoying it but I must have been getting something out of it while I was on it for it to be compulsive, it just has way too much of a sobriety delusion for me that I escalate dose way too easily.

Phenibut I think has a much lower risk of dependence just because you basically cannot take it multiple days in a row without escalating the dose ridiculously, if you're a person that thinks about that kind of thing, which it sounds like you are.

Generally speaking faster onset and shorter duration means greater addictivity and a higher dependency risk, phenibut has quite a drawn out duration, and lasts quite a long time compared to xanax which hits quickly and fades quickly as well.

I can't (or shouldn't) speak biochemically because I don't have the credentials to do so, beyond that I don't know by what metric klonopin (clonazepam) can be said to have a greater dependency risk, a lot of this depends on the person but I don't personally consider clonazepam to be particularly dangerous, or habit forming. On the other hand I've taken a lot more clonazepam than I have taken alprazolam, for that exact reason, but my usage is usually very premeditated, I'll take between 2-4mg a day for a few months at a time then taper off. I know people talk about kindling and all that shit and I'm not saying this is gonna be true for everyone but I just don't seem to have much of an issue jumping off from about 2mg/day after months of staying pretty solidly within that range, the most I've escalated up to and then jumped off cold turkey was 6mg/day which I'd say was not advisable and I don't plan to do that again but it was a stressful time and just bad planning on my part suddenly running out.

To give some context prior to ever messing with benzos I was taking phenibut, 2-2.5g / day, 2-4x week, for months at a time on and off for, quite possibly almost 10 years. I'd consider clonazepam to be definitely sketchier than phenibut for aforementioned reasons - it's just much easier to escalate your dose, and typically when I do take clonazepam now I'll take it essentially daily for a while which I did not do with phenibut, also for obvious reasons.

Generally diazepam I believe is still the benzo-of-choice for tapering from long-duration dependence because it has an extremely long duration of action, as far as I'm aware, so on that basis clonazepam should be "safer" than alprazolam. I'm not sure how to look at that pharmacologically in terms of GABA-A downregulation and whatnot but I'm not sure it really matters, in this context... Unless you have some specific reason to be thinking about this stuff or just find it interesting (which is valid) IMHO when you've already decided to take SOME kind of benzo, or other class of intoxicant, and start obsessing about receptor binding affinities and the like, it's mostly just adding an unnecessary layer of obfuscation that most of the time just serves as a kind of post-hoc rationalization of whatever subconscious decision you've already made, so you can say to yourself well of course X drug is a better decision than Y drug because of this activity at that receptor... whereas in reality the neuropharmacology is far more complicated than that and (again, in this specific context, comparing benzos) not really going to outweigh your own individual neuronal wiring.

Of course longer duration benzos cause more neurological changes, be in GABA-A downregulation or something else - very broadly speaking - but that's because you spend more time under the influence of the drug. It's not quite an apples and oranges comparison but it's also not quite apples and apples.

 

[fwh]

I have many years of experience with benzos.

Initially, I found that if I took 0.5 mg of alprazolam, I needed to wait roughly 9–10 days for it to have the same hypnotic effect. That remains true even today.

I never experienced withdrawal symptoms from taking alprazolam itself, although I never took it more than three times a week. However, as I sometimes desired the hypnotic effect rather than the anxiolytic effect, so sometimes took longer breaks on purpose.

Eventually, I switched to diazepam because people said it was less addictive. Clonazepam I don't enjoy at all.

So I took 5 mg of diazepam. Never for more than two days in a row. Never more than three times per week. Diazepam was better in every way actually, and some charts say that 5 mg of diazepam is equivalent to 0.25 mg of alprazolam. I thought this was genius.

I did this for like 2 years, the diazepam was still effective at this dose. Then I decided to try stop for 30 days and I experienced some really bad withdrawal symptoms. I really thought I was going psychotic and losing my mind. Eventually, it got better, and after staying clean for 30 days, I thought, 'Heck! That couldn't have been withdrawal. No way could my irregular use of a low dose of diazepam cause this.' So, I started using it again for 30 days, following the same rules and then tried to stop, and I'm not kidding when I say the horrible withdrawal symptoms started again. I felt like a soldier in a trench being bombed. No pun intended. It's really like torture, you are in hiding but constantly bombed. It took another 30 days or so to feel normal again.

It was so bad that I swore I would never take benzos again. However, after six months of sobriety, I started to take them again. Even when I tried to use them less consistently, I still experienced withdrawal symptoms after a month of inconsistent use (I guess it was kindling), but luckily the withdrawal symptoms were very mild this time. And I really can't even look at diazepam anymore though. So I stayed sober for a few months again.

But I still want to take benzos every now and again, I don't have to, but they make life way easier during some situations, I don't think I need to explain, so I just stick to good old alprazolam again. So far, so good. I try to avoid taking it more than three times a month (not week, month) in lowest dose possible. And if only slightly possible I prefer different medication, like hydroxizine or pregabalin. I'm just really careful after the hell I experienced.

So there's that.

My conclusion is that... Alprazolam is like a shot of liquor that's over quickly, whereas diazepam is like slowly sipping a beer all day. Can you guess which one is going to be worse to wean off? Diazepam, because the body will adjust due to its long half-life. But if you are already addicted to benzos, then yes of course Diazepam is great for tapering, because your body is adjusted to benzos anyway... But I'll never use long half-life benzos again.

Eh yeah... anyway, and if I wanna get high and enjoy myself, I just abuse the hell out of pregabalin for a few days. The good thing is I actually remember most of it, unlike benzos which give me amnesia. I also don't slur, act retarded, and it actually feels euphoric, is cheaper and probably safer. That said, you will withdraw too from Pregabalin eventually, it happens to me almost always I take more than 150mg nowadays, but it lasts like 3-5 days and is way milder.

But in the end, you really need to find what works the best for you.

 

[placebonaut]

any benzo usage has dependency risk based on frequency of use and dosage.

you need to consider how long it takes for the drug and it's metabolites to be eliminated from your system, as well as receptor and hormone impact, along with how long it takes to return to baseline.

Just because Xanax/Alprazolam is eliminated from your system quickly (1-3 days) doesn't mean that you won't have withdrawal issues if you're a long term user taking it once every 3 days, your receptors aren't recovering that fast and every time you pop another they drop down progressively lower over time. Take Xanax weekly and it's 2-6 weeks for your receptors to fully recover once you stop taking it....

some more info here, though this doesn't cover metabolites so total elimination for diazepam is likely much longer

Post in thread 'Receptor & Hormone impact and recovery for common recreational drugs'

Jul 13, 2026

AI view on receptor and hormone recovery - had to split over 2 posts as it's too much for 1 post.

Spoiler: Single Drug Use Recovery

Primary receptor / target

Drug

Exposure assumption

Drug elimination range

Elimination average days

Receptor adaptation recovery after elimination range

Receptor recovery average days after elimination

Total receptor...

• placebonaut

 

[whiteHot]

Benzo withdrawls can happen very quickly. I recently learned this the hard way. I had a couple of stressful weeks and took a long acting benzo every week over three weeks. In total, I took three pills: one 10 mg Diazepam in week one and two, and one 3 mg Bromazepam in the third. Sounds quite harmless, doesn't it? Well, it wasn't. I had some rather unpleaseant withdrawls including mild depression, thoughts of suicide, high blood pressure, irritability, loss of apetite, and more.

So, I'd strongly advise against taking any long lasting benzo more often than once a month. With some short like Xanax or Etizolam, every two weeks might be okay. Taking Xanax two to three times a week is way too often.

 

[Ki3ly]

As long as you get withdrawals. They are going to hurt when you literally suffer through them.

Benzo habits can cause a lot more damage and harm to your health in a withdrawal.

They love to cause seizures which is a part of the risk and not really good at all.

It's just a matter of if you keep it up you will eventually find out.

And I know it hurts.

Stay healthy be positive. Benzo's can be frightening haha.

Your health however .... really is a serious thing. And very helpul to focus on that.

To try to keep your health a priority. hell yeah

Try not to get a heavy habit with them or take too many. The higher up the harder

it is really going to be on the way down. It is ... it hurts even more as if the mild

withdrawal isn't bad enough. Actually all withdrawal is bad and can set you back a while.

The withdrawal alone makes me just not want to do them. the Bars. The xanax ones really.

A benzo is a benzo is a benzo though eventually. yeah.

 

[eclips]

As far as I'm aware 1mg xanax (alprazolam) 2-3x per week would not cause withdrawals... Like 2-3x a week is not even a "habit" for a drug with a duration of action measured in hours, so you wouldn't be "quitting" if you stopped doing this. I mean I guess you would be technically but this terminology is usually reserved for substances taken daily, or almost daily, at least, such that when you wake up you're already "withdrawing" slightly...

(EDIT: I'm not a doctor, the above paragraph isn't medical advice, anyone reading this thinking I'm saying using alprazolam 2-3x a week is 100% safe, I quite explicitly am not. I'm just saying that relatively speaking - this does not sound that bad - to me! obviously... YMMV! Same goes for anything else I've said here, the dangers depend on a lot of factors, I feel like you probably realize that already but since a few people have commented that even this relatively miniscule level of usage may not be entirely safe I feel the need to add that this is also true...)

"Dependency risk" is a bit harder to quantify, alprazolam is not a benzo that's ever really appealed to me but that said I'd say the dependency risk is higher. Actually that's a lie that it's never appealed to me, I find alprazolam extremely compulsive, it just hasn't been "habit forming" for me personally because when I have taken it it's generally been SO compulsive that it makes me do enough weird shit in a short enough time to put me off taking it ever again. Not because I enjoy taking it as such, mind... actually maybe that's a lie too, I just don't remember enjoying it but I must have been getting something out of it while I was on it for it to be compulsive, it just has way too much of a sobriety delusion for me that I escalate dose way too easily.

Phenibut I think has a much lower risk of dependence just because you basically cannot take it multiple days in a row without escalating the dose ridiculously, if you're a person that thinks about that kind of thing, which it sounds like you are.

Generally speaking faster onset and shorter duration means greater addictivity and a higher dependency risk, phenibut has quite a drawn out duration, and lasts quite a long time compared to xanax which hits quickly and fades quickly as well.

I can't (or shouldn't) speak biochemically because I don't have the credentials to do so, beyond that I don't know by what metric klonopin (clonazepam) can be said to have a greater dependency risk, a lot of this depends on the person but I don't personally consider clonazepam to be particularly dangerous, or habit forming. On the other hand I've taken a lot more clonazepam than I have taken alprazolam, for that exact reason, but my usage is usually very premeditated, I'll take between 2-4mg a day for a few months at a time then taper off. I know people talk about kindling and all that shit and I'm not saying this is gonna be true for everyone but I just don't seem to have much of an issue jumping off from about 2mg/day after months of staying pretty solidly within that range, the most I've escalated up to and then jumped off cold turkey was 6mg/day which I'd say was not advisable and I don't plan to do that again but it was a stressful time and just bad planning on my part suddenly running out.

To give some context prior to ever messing with benzos I was taking phenibut, 2-2.5g / day, 2-4x week, for months at a time on and off for, quite possibly almost 10 years. I'd consider clonazepam to be definitely sketchier than phenibut for aforementioned reasons - it's just much easier to escalate your dose, and typically when I do take clonazepam now I'll take it essentially daily for a while which I did not do with phenibut, also for obvious reasons.

Generally diazepam I believe is still the benzo-of-choice for tapering from long-duration dependence because it has an extremely long duration of action, as far as I'm aware, so on that basis clonazepam should be "safer" than alprazolam. I'm not sure how to look at that pharmacologically in terms of GABA-A downregulation and whatnot but I'm not sure it really matters, in this context... Unless you have some specific reason to be thinking about this stuff or just find it interesting (which is valid) IMHO when you've already decided to take SOME kind of benzo, or other class of intoxicant, and start obsessing about receptor binding affinities and the like, it's mostly just adding an unnecessary layer of obfuscation that most of the time just serves as a kind of post-hoc rationalization of whatever subconscious decision you've already made, so you can say to yourself well of course X drug is a better decision than Y drug because of this activity at that receptor... whereas in reality the neuropharmacology is far more complicated than that and (again, in this specific context, comparing benzos) not really going to outweigh your own individual neuronal wiring.

Of course longer duration benzos cause more neurological changes, be in GABA-A downregulation or something else - very broadly speaking - but that's because you spend more time under the influence of the drug. It's not quite an apples and oranges comparison but it's also not quite apples and apples.

I get why my post could read as motivated reasoning but I don't even really enjoy the "high" from Xanax (or benzos in general) that much. From a recreational standpoint, I think phenibut is better. However, it simply doesn't stop anxiety like benzos do.

Ultimately I think it's important to have these conversations because neurochemistry is complex and when taking drugs as unforgiving as benzos, you absolutely have to get it right. The reason there is so much caution from prescribers wrt benzos is because many people using these drugs don't think critically about how it's affecting them, which of course leads some to over indulge.

 

[notsmokeymcpot420]

eh linear dose curve -- very little to no risk of overdose --- ya just gotta watch the backend. They sched 4 not 2 for a reason (okay thats shitty logic, but ya get what I mean) -- most ppl dont really enjoy the high as mentioned... I think you kind of need to be stressed to get why ppl like em

 

[Yunai]

I do Xanax for 3 days every week (weekend) once a day, dosage between 3-5mg and I never have withdrawals or side effects like this and also tolerance stays the same like this. When I was 16 I was briefly in a juvenile mental hospital and back then even 0.5mg felt extremely intense. I would need to do a 2 week break for 1-2mg to be stronger. 1mg is very subtle I barely feel it 2mg is the lowest threshold for me.

 

[placebonaut]

I do Xanax for 3 days every week (weekend) once a day, dosage between 3-5mg and I never have withdrawals or side effects like this

that's because you're never in withdrawal given the elimination time of Xanax.

how long have you been using it for?

take care if you ever decide to quit or take a tolerance break if you've been doing this for any length of time, don't want to risk you having a seizure

 

[Yunai]

that's because you're never in withdrawal given the elimination time of Xanax.

how long have you been using it for?

take care if you ever decide to quit or take a tolerance break if you've been doing this for any length of time, don't want to risk you having a seizure

Yea. I been using xans for a while now. Almost 3 years but never continuously, it‘s always just 3 times a week at most.

Thanks. Sure. I am not planning on quitting my opiate substitution and xan prescription any time soon though. I already quit Weed, next thing I want to quit is vaping (nicotine) but I couldn’t live without xans and morphine HCL both benefit me immensely and I have zero (literally zero) side effects from either.
A seizure is something I really never want to have again in my life. Had it only once but that was horrible, extremely terrifying situation that gave me PTSD and trauma. If you‘re wondering, I had made a post about this story a while ago but to keep it very brief - I visited a friend in Germany, we went to the Reeperbahn to a club one night, I was spiked with MDMA, I had thrown my guts out and shake and felt absolutely terrible so me and one guy stepped out, after 2 hours I felt better so we decided to step back in to briefly tell the other group members that we are leaving and within 5 seconds on the dance floor my body jolted violently and next thing I know I wake up in an Ambulance. Friend told me I lost consciousness and had a seizure for 5-10 min. Terrible experience and it took me a full week for brain fog and super low / depressed state to go away. Note: I always reacted extremely bad to every Upper, I never got positives feelings from them only racing heart, shaking, sweating, uncomfortable feeling. Hence why I have a pretty big aversion to every Upper. I know people react very differently to different groups of substances but that is just my personal experience.

 

[placebonaut]

Yea. I been using xans for a while now. Almost 3 years but never continuously, it‘s always just 3 times a week at most.

Thanks. Sure. I am not planning on quitting my opiate substitution and xan prescription any time soon though. I already quit Weed, next thing I want to quit is vaping (nicotine) but I couldn’t live without xans and morphine HCL both benefit me immensely and I have zero (literally zero) side effects from either.

cool just checking you're safe

A seizure is something I really never want to have again in my life. Had it only once but that was horrible, extremely terrifying situation that gave me PTSD and trauma. If you‘re wondering, I had made a post about this story a while ago but to keep it very brief - I visited a friend in Germany, we went to the Reeperbahn to a club one night, I was spiked with MDMA, I had thrown my guts out and shake and felt absolutely terrible so me and one guy stepped out, after 2 hours I felt better so we decided to step back in to briefly tell the other group members that we are leaving and within 5 seconds on the dance floor my body jolted violently and next thing I know I wake up in an Ambulance. Friend told me I lost consciousness and had a seizure for 5-10 min. Terrible experience and it took me a full week for brain fog and super low / depressed state to go away. Note: I always reacted extremely bad to every Upper, I never got positives feelings from them only racing heart, shaking, sweating, uncomfortable feeling. Hence why I have a pretty big aversion to every Upper. I know people react very differently to different groups of substances but that is just my personal experience.

scary story! glad you're ok, not something to ever relive!

maybe you have amphetamine related allergy, unless you include coke in your "uppers" camp. Certainly something to avoid, sounds like a shit experience with a risk of death!

 

[Yunai]

cool just checking you're safe

scary story! glad you're ok, not something to ever relive!

maybe you have amphetamine related allergy, unless you include coke in your "uppers" camp. Certainly something to avoid, sounds like a shit experience with a risk of death!

Thank you man. I really appreciate it . Yep you are right. I never did coke, or Meth or Speed. The only Uppers I did (and just maybe a handful of times at most) is Ritalin (snorted) and an RC Upper that‘s kind of similar to Speed. Hated both, you could be very right about it. These side effects I got were really strong, despite dopamine being such a big thing I never felt any resemblance of a rush of good feeling whatsoever out of it. The only reason I did these more than once was because I had to study large amounts of subject matters within a short time span and it did keep me awake for longer (which I also hated, in hindsight I regret ever touching it, I am sure it wouldn‘t have been even necessary but during my lowest point in my life - early 2024 - I didn‘t care). All of this is almost 3 years ago and I swore to never try any Upper again.

I highly believe different people have different issues, neurotransmitter situations, live experience and conditions. Due to that everyone reacts so vastly different. I believe it‘s like this.
1) Due to pretty bad anxiety I benefit from Xanax so much, while someone who doesn‘t most likely won‘t.
2) Someone with ADHD or Parkinson’s or other dopamine related conditions do benefit from dopaminergic Uppers, I don‘t have these so I don‘t.
3) For opiates it‘s endorphins (that naturally bind to the opioid receptors) - when I was with my gf back then, before she left and I became a drug user, it felt super similar to opiates with the warmth, euphoria, etc. I completely lack endorphins afterwards which I researched and read a study of actually results in receptors changing their confirmation which results in perceived pain and depression -> this is the exact same case in other social mammals, the assumption is it was most likely evolutionary evolved this way to keep social creatures together, if a social species is left behind and is all alone their survival and reproduction chances plummet immensely that‘s why loneliness is perceived as so painful and miserable - has to do with a decrease in endorphins and following receptor changes -> when I started doing opiates that was reversed drastically, I can tell you even to this day when I can‘t really get high anymore that one change never went away. I was extremely depressed and had pretty serious suicidal thoughts but opiates completely made both go away. Despite me being objectively lonelier than ever (most of my friends, gone or dead) I don‘t suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts anymore at all - I am actually genuinely pretty happy to be alive, and to have had survived all of this. The opiate substitution is the best medication I ever got (I take Morphine HCL 24h extended release in the morning), it made me functional and I strive in life much more than I had before.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Hello all, my first time posting but I have lurked for years.

I've used benzos off and on for over 10 years now but recently I've started using more and I want to learn about using them responsibly in order minimize physical dependence. From online articles I've read and on Reddit, it seems the consensus is that Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin, so I was considering switching to that from Xanax, however looking at some threads here the consensus seems to be that the longer acting benzos like Klonopin actually cause more dependence because they last longer. And the research does seem to show that a longer duration causes more GABA-A downregulation, which is responsible for the nastier withdrawal effects people talk about (seizures etc.). All this is to say I'm kind of confused and don't want to put myself in a bad position with these drugs.

I guess my question is, what does responsible benzo use look like in your opinion? if I took 1mg Xanax 2 - 3 times a week how bad would the withdrawals be if I quit cold turkey? How does the dependency risk of Xanax compare to phenibut (I have more experience with that drug)?

The worst thing you can do is keep going on and off benzos. Either you follow the prescribed treatment at the dose intended for your condition, or you stay off them. There is no easy way out with benzodiazepines, and stopping cold turkey can come with a real physiological price. What you’re proposing, taking them two or three times a week, can create exactly that kind of roller coaster, just as the brain is adapting after one dose, you introduce another one and disrupt the process again. If they are prescribed for daily use, take them as prescribed. If not, don’t turn them into an intermittent recreational drug.
And if the goal is abuse rather than treatment, benzos are a particularly bad choice. They can produce profound neuroadaptation, dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal.

 

[Ptahtek.2.0.1 beta]

what does responsible benzo use look like in your opinion?

used as needed. easier said than done but it does keep tolerance down.

if I took 1mg Xanax 2 - 3 times a week how bad would the withdrawals be

10yrs? yeah i would expect some wds. just me, though.
knowing im late to the game and there is a lot of words i cannot see this. may have been mentioned. idk

 

[Dextro .45]

Alprazolam (Xanax) 0.5-1mg general used as a short acting Anxiolytic with antidepressant properties….rapid peak & clearance …as needed for sporadic panic/anxiety

Diazepam (Valium) 10mg X 2-4 daily is a long acting anxiolytic with several active metabolites, a smooth AUC and subtle gradual elimination. The first “Blockbuster drug” in modern pharmacology, and for many good reasons

Many people are prescribed long term benzodiazepines despite medical literature that states the opposite (few weeks to months max, with gradual taper) ….however FDA & Health Canada studies show many patients are on 10+ years, 30 years, etc of low therapeutic doses of Diazepam & Lorazepam.

Yes, there is situations were this is necessary….and it can be done relatively safely, under direct medical supervision and many, many (if not unlimited) repeats/quarterly checkups on long term treatment

Messing around with high dose short acting benzodiazepines like Xanax and then running out….Ouch!!!

Having a healthy relationship with your family doctor who knows your situation/history and is giving you the next repeat of your 30th + Diazepam twice daily, as need script is another thing….that individual would be considered a benzodiazepine dependant patient with a moderate tolerance due to long term therapy which is something to consider….one has to way the benefits I guess ….cognitive decline, dependence, tolerance, personality changes, etc….vs a genuine need for a slamming Benzo like Valium

I went through Etizolam 2-5 grams over 15-20 years ago…..Diclazepam (2-Chloro Diazepam) a long acting Benzo 1,500mg over 3 years or so of safe therapeutic dosing 1-3mg every few days, etc…..and upon cessation 2+ weeks and didn’t experience horrid withdrawal symptoms

Diclazepam is longer acting than Diazepam……a single dose is still detected in blood after 7 days, that’s how slow clearance due to 2 long acting metabolites, Delorazepam 78h & Lorazepam 12h ….accumulation can occur with daily dosing which can be dangerous…..So Diclazepam is a safe, looong acting benzodiazepine….if dosed therapeutic and every 3 days or so…..it’s such a slow gradual clearance …..tapering is done without you actually tapering kinda

I still use benzodiazepine compounds 20+ years …..but in low therapeutic doses (which still has moderate dependence, but managed through slow taper, gradual reduction periodically, and keeping dosing low enough, with some bangers in between who are we kidding lol)

I would say Yes, can be done…..with reliable medical resources and safe therapeutic dosing practices

 

[fastmetro]

Hello all, my first time posting but I have lurked for years.

I've used benzos off and on for over 10 years now but recently I've started using more and I want to learn about using them responsibly in order minimize physical dependence. From online articles I've read and on Reddit, it seems the consensus is that Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin, so I was considering switching to that from Xanax, however looking at some threads here the consensus seems to be that the longer acting benzos like Klonopin actually cause more dependence because they last longer. And the research does seem to show that a longer duration causes more GABA-A downregulation, which is responsible for the nastier withdrawal effects people talk about (seizures etc.). All this is to say I'm kind of confused and don't want to put myself in a bad position with these drugs.

I guess my question is, what does responsible benzo use look like in your opinion? if I took 1mg Xanax 2 - 3 times a week how bad would the withdrawals be if I quit cold turkey? How does the dependency risk of Xanax compare to phenibut (I have more experience with that drug)?

A personal account to share: In 2024, I began using clonazepam occasionally. In 2025, I started using bromazepam and alprazolam, sometimes in high doses. Before I knew it, I was taking 150mg of diazepam on day X, 28mg of alprazolam on day Y, and over 60mg of bromazepam on day Z.
The point is: be careful not to lose control, benzodiazepines are highly addictive. Use them with extreme caution to avoid becoming addicted and losing control. As of now, I believe I’ve gone about three months without using any benzodiazepines, and I intend to keep it that way for a few more months.

 

[paranoid android]

I used to be addicted to benzos physically but i involuntarily kicked them about 8 years ago. Now i still get a script for clonaz and bromazepam but i take breaks on both. You can use them responsibly.

The only benzo really worth abusing much is temazepam anyway imo. I actually prefer zopicllone over benzos for getting high

 

[JackARoe]

When I was 14 my friend across the street and I would smoke weed and take a red (seconal) sometimes. His grandfather was a pharmacist, he would give his daughter (my friends mother) all kinds of stuff for sleep. Seconal got moved out of the way and diazepam was starting to be used. Well the first time I took one Roach Valium. 10 mgs, didn't feel anything. Not like a red. Then my friend gave me 10 10's. I took them and he said take a few shots of whiskey. So I did but still didn't reach the seconal level. What happened was I would wake up the next day and realize I had amnesia the day before. I tried that again twice that summer. So three times, 100 mgs with a few shots of whiskey. It was a no go, I remember thinking the damn pharmaceutical companies found a way to take the kick out of downers. I was young and realized they were not for getting high. So I left and did every other drug except benzos. Qualudes also disappeard after 1985 for me. But any downer was just an occasional thing.

I went many years without a benzo touching my brain. Countless LSD or mushroom trips ridden until sleep came. Or using beer or cannabis until sleep came. There was no stinking xanax at Grateful Dead concerts. lol Looking back I realized I could have used them as a tool. But I stayed away. They just were not around.

Then when I was kicking methadone the clinics would prescribe some. And I also found a doctor that would give me 60 mg codeine pills (tylenol 4) and halcion.

I just wanted to say that I think I can remember every benzo I took. This is what I had in life.

30 10 mgs Roach Valiums
150 mgs teva 5 diazepam
50 1 mgs alprazolam (xanax)
20 .5 mgs alprazolam generic
200 triazolam (Halcion)
1 clonazopam .5 mgs (Klonopin)
4 rohypnol ?? pills
100 prazepam (Centrax)
50 quazepam ?? (Doral)
200 etizolam 1 mgs (Etizest)
and a couple of vials of RC's like fluclotizolam or flubrotizolam or bromazolam. Never had the super strong stuff.

and some of those I shared with degenerate room mates.

That is it, over the course of my life, however where I am now I keep them as a tool. My head has no tolerance. .5 of alprazolam would get rid of any anxiety. The one time I tried to get high on xanax reminded me of diazepam. Boring. So yeah, I can count the amount of alprazolam over the course of my life. Not much.

I am glad I went through life without them. I think what upsets me is the level of anxiety people have. The world shouldn't do that to people, sort of makes me mad at the world. I get it though. I also realize the list I gave someone that uses a lot could go through in a few months. I never did more than one or two days.

Yeah in my landscape benzos were not a part of growing up for me until now. But now at least I have sort of a virgin brain. As I age will make room and use them occasionally and heed all your warnings. I can't stay in a benzo state more than a day. I feel like after all I am is sleepy and crawling out a heavy blanket. Not something I want to do the next day. I also think anyone that uses them as a medicine should at the very least microdose mushrooms to keep the connections in the brain in tact. Just a hunch. The brain is a muscle to keep in shape.

@Dextro .45 , you inspired me to get graphic. It is fun.

 

[eclips]

The worst thing you can do is keep going on and off benzos. Either you follow the prescribed treatment at the dose intended for your condition, or you stay off them. There is no easy way out with benzodiazepines, and stopping cold turkey can come with a real physiological price. What you’re proposing, taking them two or three times a week, can create exactly that kind of roller coaster, just as the brain is adapting after one dose, you introduce another one and disrupt the process again. If they are prescribed for daily use, take them as prescribed. If not, don’t turn them into an intermittent recreational drug.
And if the goal is abuse rather than treatment, benzos are a particularly bad choice. They can produce profound neuroadaptation, dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal.

What if they were prescribed for PRN use?