i know my benzo intake is large, but i have had worse addictions that benzos actually helped me with.
in high school i was perscribed phentobarbital and later secobarbital to treat severe insomnia, which was likely a result of my cocaine use. i was also a heavy user of methaqualone and a heavy drinker. in 11th grade i started to experiment with smoking heroin.
after high school, i was completely addicted to barbiturates. i had a doc that perscribed me secobarbital and a doc that perscribed me phentobarbital. plus i was severely addicted to cocaine, physicaly addicted on black tar heroin, and a full blown alcoholic.
this went on for a few years until i got treatment for cocaine, heroin, and alcohol dependence. even though i stopped drinking, i still took barbs to treat insomnia. however i soon found out about benzos, and even though the barbs were working well i knew they were dangerous and made the choice to switch to valium and librium.
benzos and barbs are cross tolerant but the "switch" was not smooth. however after a few months i was on benzos instead of the more dangerous barbs. from there i switched to stronger benzos that worked a bit better, a combo of triazolam and flurazepam was perscrbed and they were effective (almost)like the barbs were. anyway i've gone through many benzo and benzo combos- alprazolam, lorazepam, (back to)diazepam, a combo of clonazepam and ambien(not a benzo), a combo of diazepam and lorazepam, a combo of clonazepam and trazodone(not a benzo), and other benzos and combos.
and now i'm perscribed temazepam and clonazepam, and buy xanax bars, diazepam, and extra temazepam from my dealer.
anyway: benzos got me off a long dependence of two powerful barbiturates and alcohol. yes i'm now addicted to benzos, but i could be in a much worse place without them. i know i will have to get off them at some point, and when that time comes i'll slowly taper(i know how) and remember that if i was on barbs that i'd truly be fucked.