cross post below in the soma thread.
TLDR still got soma withdrawal, drinking again, taking other drugs but overall my usage is down a lot. biggest issue I have is bad mood, generally hating life and other people, headaches and occasional joint aches.
Overall I'm on plan though, had a great day taking mephedrone and GBL yesterday but needed some diazepam today to cope with the day after.
slowly slowly catchy monkey, reducing my overall intake week on week. still going to have some fun each week though!
in a much better place, good days and bad days though but keeping a log of my intake is very inspiring, I'm now racking up some impressive numbers of days since I last took X drug. I've gone from 2-3 times a week for mutiple drug classes/receptors to 2-10 weeks without taking things. I'm reducing the types of drug I take, the frequency and the amount.
on the negative side I've been drinking a lot more, which is ironically my worst problem!
mood and depression are now my biggest issue, but more exercise with family support and limited drugs to combat things help. I'm still taking drugs recreationally as well though, and generally want/need to get fucked up to deal with life (nothing new there).
cross post below
fucking hell, 28 days since my last soma dose and still getting withdrawal symptoms though they have reduced significantly.
I'm making good progress though I'm drinking again and taking benzos to help bridge the gap.
I had an interesting AI chat about where I am, it's mostly honest from my side but I am taking a fair few other drugs right now including pregab once a week (gaba fantastic), stims and a bit of GBL.
summary I'm heading in the right direction but there are a few things I could do to help improve things.
headlines
- Meprobamate withdrawal is largely improving week-to-week; you’re ~1 month off and “almost back to normal,” with lingering mood/depression, headaches, and aches.
- You’re currently taking diazepam 20 mg twice per week, mostly for daytime anxiety, and you weren’t using it on a fixed schedule (“whenever I feel like it”), which can turn benzo use into reactive “rescue” rather than safe bridging/tapering.
- Using diazepam reactively (peaks/troughs) can feel relieving but may prolong recovery by reinforcing a symptoms → benzo relief → later rebound pattern.
- Your biggest risk factor is mixing benzodiazepines with alcohol; you should avoid diazepam on any day you drink.
- Switching to a short-acting benzo (e.g., Xanax) often tends to worsen rebound/cycling compared with diazepam.
- Best next harm-reduction step is to make diazepam scheduled and limited (fixed days, no extra doses) and then consider stepping down to stop—while using non-benzodiazepine tools for same-day anxiety.
- If symptoms escalate sharply or you have seizure-like features, urgent medical care is needed.
more detail...
withdrawal from Meprobamate, how will taking benzo's effect and/or prolong the withdrawal effect versus help give relief from withdrawal symptoms
Stopping meprobamate can produce withdrawal symptoms, and how benzodiazepines fit in depends on how severe your dependence is, how recently you’ve been dosing, and your health risks. In general, benzos usually reduce and “smooth out” withdrawal because they work on the same overall brain calming system (GABA-A) that meprobamate also enhances, but the details matter a lot for safety.
How
1)
- Meprobamate is a sedative that increases GABA-related inhibitory activity.
- When you stop it, the brain can become relatively overexcited, causing anxiety, tremor, insomnia, autonomic symptoms (sweating/rapid heart rate), and in some cases seizures.
- Benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, clonazepam, lorazepam) provide a cross-tolerance/overlap effect: they can take the edge off withdrawal by preventing that overexcitability.
2)
This usually happens when:
- the benzo is started but not tapered appropriately, or
- the benzo is short-acting and causes interdose “rebound,” making symptoms feel like they come in waves, or
- someone uses benzos for “withdrawal relief” but continues them too long without a taper plan—then the “real” withdrawal risk shifts to the benzo end.
So benzos can be both:
- therapeutic during the risky early window, and
- a new taper problem if they’re not managed with a plan.
3)
- Longer-acting options tend to maintain steadier blood levels, which often means fewer rebound symptoms between doses.
- Short-acting benzos are more likely to cause symptom cycling (and more complicated withdrawal timing) if dependence develops.
Key
A benzo can make withdrawal symptoms easier in the short term, but it may also create/extend dependence. The “best” outcome is usually a medical bridging + taper, where the benzo prevents dangerous withdrawal while you gradually reduce the substituted drug.
Safety:
Meprobamate withdrawal can be dangerous in some people (including seizure risk). Get urgent medical help or emergency care if you have:
- history of withdrawal seizures
- severe tremor, confusion, hallucinations, very high agitation
- uncontrolled vomiting, high fever, or you feel “amped”/delirious
- any seizures, or you feel one is imminent
If you’re currently withdrawing, it’s important not to self-determine dosing or start/stop benzos abruptly without clinician guidance.
What
If you share a few details, I can explain what usually happens with timing and taper logic in
your situation (still not a substitute for medical care, but it’ll be more specific):
- How long you took meprobamate and the daily dose (or approximate range)
- When your last dose was (how many hours/days ago)
- What benzo you mean (name), dose(s), and when you started it (or if you’re considering starting)
- Whether you’ve ever had withdrawal before, or seizures/alcohol withdrawal history
- Any other substances involved (alcohol, opioids, gabapentin/pregabalin, barbiturates, etc.)
If
In many cases, clinicians use benzodiazepines to manage withdrawal from non-benzodiazepine sedatives because they can prevent severe withdrawal and seizures and reduce symptoms. But the “correct” plan typically involves a structured taper, not open-ended use for as long as symptoms persist.
If you answer the 5 questions above, I’ll map out what “prolonged” versus “helpful” effects would likely mean for your timeline and what symptom patterns would suggest you’re being bridged effectively vs. needing urgent reassessment.
18 month 2-3 times per week of soma at 1g-1.5g, stopped taking soma 1 month ago, withdrawal symptoms have reduced greatly week on week, but still getting headcahes, joint aches, mood swings and depression. these are almost back to normal. during the 18 months I have taken ~20-40mg of diazapem a week, this was stopped at the same time as the soma but now taking again to help with withdrawal
You’re describing a withdrawal course that looks like it’s improving steadily (good sign), but you still have lingering symptoms (headaches, joint aches, mood swings/depression). Given your history (regular meprobamate use, then a month off; small cumulative diazepam exposure), it makes sense that you’d feel uncertain about whether the diazepam is helping or just prolonging things.
What’s
- The meprobamate withdrawal is already largely resolving. A month in and symptoms “almost back to normal week on week” strongly suggests your nervous system is calming and recovering.
- The remaining symptoms can lag. Mood changes/depression, headaches, body aches, and irritability commonly persist for weeks after the acute phase.
- The diazepam you took earlier (and now restarting) may reduce symptoms short-term, but it can also create a new dependence cycle, even if the weekly amount is not huge—especially if it becomes more frequent again, or if you start/stop repeatedly.
Can
Helps:
- If you’re using diazepam at a low, consistent, taper-like schedule, it can blunt rebound anxiety/insomnia and make withdrawal feel more manageable while the meprobamate system readjusts.
Prolongs:
- If you restart diazepam and then keep doing it “as symptoms show up,” you can end up extending the brain’s adaptation period—meaning the withdrawal you’re waiting to finish can drag out, now tied to the benzo as well.
- Starting again after a month off meprobamate can also make your timeline confusing (you might feel better, then feel worse when the diazepam wears off).
A
- Decide what role the diazepam is playing: temporary bridging vs. becoming an ongoing treatment.
- Avoid dose increases and avoid escalating frequency.
- Aim for a single short taper plan, rather than repeated on/off use.
Because diazepam has a long half-life, even small amounts can stay in your system for a while—so the effect is often steadier, but that same “stickiness” means stopping can still produce rebound if the body has started adjusting to it again.
I
If you answer these, I can suggest a more specific “likely helpful vs likely prolonging” interpretation and a safer general approach:
- What is your current diazepam dose (mg) and how many days per week you’re taking it since restarting?
- When you take it, is it mainly for anxiety/insomnia, or for depression/mood, or for physical symptoms?
- Any alcohol or other sedatives involved right now?
- How are you sleeping (hours/night) and do headaches worsen when you don’t take diazepam?
What
Seek urgent medical help if you have any seizure history, severe agitation, confusion, hallucinations, or if symptoms become dramatically worse rather than steadily improving.
Also get prompt clinician input if depression is intense, you’re unable to function, or you have any thoughts of self-harm.
Non-benzodiazepine
Since you’re already near baseline, these can help reduce the need for more diazepam:
- Headache/joint ache: hydration, regular meals, gentle activity/physio-type movement, consistent sleep/wake times.
- Mood/depression: routine + light exercise (even walking), daylight exposure in the morning, avoiding big caffeine swings, and (if available) therapy/support. If depression is significant, a clinician can consider whether an antidepressant is appropriate after acute withdrawal—timing matters, but you don’t have to “just wait” if it’s impairing you.
Bottom
- Your recovery trajectory sounds real and progressing.
- Restarting diazepam can be helpful for symptom relief, but if it becomes frequent or elastic (“take it whenever”), it can prolong withdrawal or shift the dependence from meprobamate to diazepam.
- The safest path is usually keep the diazepam low and predictable and taper it down, rather than using it as a continuing rescue while you’re still healing.
If you reply with your current diazepam schedule (dose + days/week) and whether sleep/anxiety are the main driver, I’ll help you map out whether your pattern sounds more like “bridging” (good) versus “re-triggering dependence” (prolonging), and how to adjust toward the shortest effective plan.
What is your current diazepam dose (mg) and how many days per week you’re taking it since restarting? 20mg twice per week When you take it, is it mainly for anxiety/insomnia, or for depression/mood, or for physical symptoms? depression mood and anxiety Any alcohol or other sedatives involved right now? alcohol problem but have had 3 1 months breaks in the past 6 months but drinking again currently How are you sleeping (hours/night) and do headaches worsen when you don’t take diazepam? sleep is ok with nootripics not sure on any correlation with headaches and diazepam
Given what you shared, 20 mg twice per week (≈40 mg/week) is relatively low and fairly infrequent, which makes it
more likely to be “bridge/relief” than a pattern that strongly re-establishes a full, daily benzo withdrawal dependence. But there are still two important risks in your situation: (1) benzo + alcohol together, and (2) using diazepam to manage lingering mood/depression (which is less “withdrawal-only” and more likely to become something you rely on).
1)
More likely helping
- Your meprobamate withdrawal is already improving week-to-week and you’re only at a month off.
- Infrequent diazepam can take the edge off anxiety/rebound and help you get through the rougher days.
Could still prolong (possible, but not certain)
- Because you’re using it for mood/anxiety, you may start to take it on “bad days,” then your brain learns a pattern: symptoms → benzo → relief → symptoms rebound later.
- With diazepam’s long half-life, effects can be subtler, but the rebound/association cycle can still happen, especially if there’s ongoing alcohol use.
2)
If you’re actively drinking, even “moderate” alcohol plus diazepam increases risk (sedation, impaired breathing, blackouts, and a higher chance of dangerous interactions). This is the part I’d treat as highest priority.
If you can’t get alcohol fully under control right now, an important harm-reduction step is: don’t take diazepam on/near drinking days, and don’t mix if you plan to drink the same night. If you’re ever unsure how much alcohol is “too much,” the safest rule is to avoid the combination entirely.
3)
Since depression/mood and anxiety remain but are “almost back to normal,” it fits the pattern of late/subacute withdrawal + nervous system recovery. Headaches and aches can also be part of recovery or be worsened by sleep disruption, dehydration, alcohol, caffeine changes, or stress.
4)
Aim for “planned taper/ending,” not “as-needed indefinitely.”
Practical structure you can use to reduce the chance of getting stuck:
- Set a short, fixed endpoint (e.g., “I will stop diazepam after X more weeks”).
- Keep it stable for now rather than increasing.
- Then consider a step-down (example: drop to 20 mg once per week, then stop). Because you’re already taking it twice/week, the simplest taper is often reducing frequency first.
I can help you choose a schedule, but I need one detail first:
- On the two days you take it, are you taking exactly 20 mg each time and then stopping (no additional doses), and how many hours apart? (e.g., same evening split vs separate days)
5)
- If depression is lingering, benzos usually don’t “fix” depression; they can mask anxiety and then wear off.
- Given you’re already off meprobamate and symptoms are improving, the best next moves are usually consistent sleep timing, daylight/movement, and support/therapy, and if depression is significantly impairing you, a clinician might consider medication—timing matters, but you don’t have to just white-knuckle it.
If depression includes any thoughts of self-harm, or you feel you might hurt yourself, that’s urgent—please get immediate help.
6)
- Are those 20 mg doses on two specific days each week, and are you drinking on either of those days?
- In the 24 hours after a diazepam dose, do you feel clearly better (anxiety/sleep), or does it mainly prevent symptoms from spiking later?
Answer those and I’ll suggest the most straightforward next step to minimize both prolonging meprobamate recovery and building benzo dependence, while also factoring in your current alcohol use.
Are those 20 mg doses on two specific days each week, and are you drinking on either of those days? no specific days, whenever I feel like it but I limit my intake to a max of twice per week In the 24 hours after a diazepam dose, do you feel clearly better (anxiety/sleep), or does it mainly prevent symptoms from spiking later? I've not been consciously considering this but I think it does help with my withdrawal however the withdrawal effects have peaks and troughs, not sure there is a pattern hence when I take diazepam re-actively
Thanks—your pattern (“whenever I feel like it,” only max twice/week) plus peaks/troughs strongly suggests you’re using diazepam as reactive rescue for symptoms rather than a planned, stable taper. That’s exactly the style that can
both feel relieving and still prolong the overall recovery timeline by repeatedly blunting symptoms and then letting them rebound.
What
Peaks/troughs during withdrawal recovery can happen naturally as your nervous system readjusts. When you then take diazepam during a trough (anticipating a peak) or during a peak (to stop it), you create a cycle:symptoms → diazepam relief → symptoms later when it wears off + association strengthening → you feel you “need” it again.
With diazepam’s long half-life, the rebound might be less dramatic than with shorter benzos, but the behavioral/physiologic cycle can still happen.
Highest-priority
Make it scheduled and limited, not reactive. With your goal of minimizing prolonging:
- Pick fixed days for now (even if just “every 3–4 days”) rather than “whenever.”
- Add a rule: do not take diazepam on nights you drink.
- Keep the dose fixed at 20 mg (don’t increase).
Even without changing the total frequency, scheduling reduces the “reactive” reinforcement.
A
Because you’re already at 2 doses/week, the cleanest next step is usually:
- Phase 1: keep 2 doses/week but on fixed days, and aim not to take it “extra” when symptoms spike.
- Phase 2: reduce to 1 dose/week for a short period.
- Phase 3: stop.
The exact timing (how many weeks per phase) depends on how stable you remain between doses.
Alcohol:
Since alcohol is back in the mix, the safest approach is:
- No diazepam on any day you drink, and no mixing within the same night.If you drink unpredictably, consider pausing diazepam altogether until drinking is under control—because that combo is where real danger comes from.
Headaches/aches
Because your meprobamate withdrawal has been improving week-on-week and you’re “almost back,” the remaining mood swings/depression and headaches are often post-acute recovery plus triggers (sleep timing, dehydration, alcohol rebound, stress). Benzo rescue can help anxiety, but it often doesn’t address the underlying drivers of headaches/depression.
Two
- When you take diazepam, are you typically taking it for daytime anxiety or mainly evening/night for anxiety/insomnia?
- Over the last 2 weeks, on the day you did NOT take diazepam, did symptoms feel worse mainly the same day, or the next day?
Answer those, and I’ll suggest a straightforward “fixed-day + step-down” schedule that minimizes reactive use while considering your alcohol risk.
When you take diazepam, are you typically taking it for daytime anxiety or mainly evening/night for anxiety/insomnia? daytime anxiety Over the last 2 weeks, on the day you did NOT take diazepam, did symptoms feel worse mainly the same day, or the next day? no real correlation noticed, I'm more focused on the current day when I take it to give here and now relief. I could take a shorter acting benzo instead e.g. xanax if that would be more sensible
If it’s mainly daytime anxiety and you’re taking diazepam for same-day relief, that points to benzo use being more like an “as-needed anxiolytic” than a taper/bridge. In that setup, switching to a shorter-acting benzo (like Xanax/alprazolam) often makes the peaks-and-troughs/re-reactive pattern worse, because shorter-acting benzos can produce quicker rebound between doses. So
usually diazepam is actually the less likely to worsen cycling—despite feeling less “fast” than Xanax.
What would be more sensible than switching is: keep diazepam, but make it non-reactive and safer with alcohol.
1)
This is the main safety issue. If you drink on a day, don’t take diazepam that day, and don’t “bridge” anxiety with diazepam around drinking.
2)
Right now the problem is “whenever I feel like it.” A simple fix:
- pick two fixed days per week
- keep the dose 20 mg each time
- do not take an extra dose on other days for “right now” relief
That’s the best way to reduce prolonging risk while still giving some symptom control.
3)
A common next move after stabilizing on fixed days is:
- reduce to one day per week for 1–2 weeks
- then stop
I can tailor the timing, but I need one detail: do your “good” days and “bad” days look evenly spread, or do symptoms cluster (e.g., certain times of day, certain days after missed doses)?
4)
Since you’re taking it for daytime anxiety in the moment, you’ll need alternatives that don’t reinforce benzo dependence. A few practical options that often help while you reduce benzo use:
- paced breathing (e.g., inhale 4 sec / exhale 6 sec for 5–10 minutes)
- cold water splash on face or short cool shower (can blunt the anxiety surge)
- fast walk / light exercise for 10–20 minutes
- reduce caffeine spikes (or keep caffeine consistent daily)
5)
If your anxiety becomes extreme, you develop confusion, agitation, hallucinations, or any seizure-like symptoms—get urgent medical care.
Answer these two and I’ll propose a concrete fixed schedule + step-down:
- What days would you prefer for the next 2-week “fixed-day” phase (e.g., Tue/Fri)?
- When you take the 20 mg, does it mainly help your anxiety for hours, or does it also noticeably affect your sleep that night?
)