Benzos why benzos dependency seems understimated?

[sogno]

I'm currently withdrawing from benzos and on the internet while I was looking for infos on detoxing from benzos I saw that basically benzos dependency is very understimated.
I saw some sites basically saying quitting smoking cigarettes is harder than quitting benzos. As I said I'm withdrawing from benzos and I'm a little bit in discomfort and my parents think I'm exaggerating, "can't be bad like quitting smoking",etc. I'm a little pissed honestly.
Maybe I'm conditioning myself I don't know.
Again, maybe is just an impression of mine, but why benzos dependency seems understimated?

 

[TAVOR]

Depends what dosages you've taken and for how long. Benzos are extremely safe on the short term, they aren't though on the long run. Generally doctors don't prescribe them for more than 3 weeks, unless you have serious anxiety, but even if you have anxiety issues doctors will be quite wary to prescribe them. I'm speaking for both Italy and the UK(much stricter and controlled), don't know in other countries but I presume its similar.

If you've taken 2mg Xanax a day for months then the situation is quite serious and definitely requires a taper.
However, if you've used them for 3-4 weeks at low dosages you'll only experience minor rebound anxiety and possibly some insomnia.

 

[sogno]

Depends what dosages you've taken and for how long. Benzos are extremely safe on the short term, they aren't though on the long run. Generally doctors don't prescribe them for more than 3 weeks, unless you have serious anxiety, but even if you have anxiety issues doctors will be quite wary to prescribe them. I'm speaking for both Italy and the UK(much stricter and controlled), don't know in other countries but I presume its similar.

If you've taken 2mg Xanax a day for months then the situation is quite serious and definitely requires a taper.
However, if you've used them for 3-4 weeks at low dosages you'll only experience minor rebound anxiety and possibly some insomnia.

I have used lorazepam 2mg and olanzapine 5mg daily for three years

 

[TAVOR]

Well...the dosage is quite low, however thats quite a long time you've taken the medication, have you spoken to your doctor?
I actually didn't even know Olanzapine existed and I'm quite surprised that an anti-psychotic is classified as a Benzo, but I presume it works as an SSRI. If I were you, I would talk with your parents about benzo withdrawal, its definitely not a joke, then I would consult a doctor.

Doctors are actually required to taper you with Diazepam or any other long acting benzo if you've taken it for years.

 

[blue comet]

Doctor's general lack of knowledge about benzo withdrawal makes a shitty situation shittier. Benzo withdrawal is scary and painful enough without a doctor looking at you like you are completely insane when you explain your issues.

I've had major issues from gabapentin withdrawal and that is even worse, at least doctors are at least aware that benzo withdrawal is feasible.

Both those issues have made withdrawal so frustrating, especially since doctors were the ones who put me on these medications, that it makes my blood boil.

Either way, you know your body better than your doctor, so use these forums and others for other's experiences as guidance. Good luck!

 

[Straightserver]

As being a person who has dealt with both (Tobacco and benzo's) I can say that quitting Tobacco was the worst. I'm very lucky my relationship survived it because I was on edge for 2-3 months following. Pot can become your best friend when quitting benzo's. Since now you can buy almost any kind of potency to streamline your needs. Buying a weak indica strain will be low in THC so to not blow your mind and make you have a anxiety attack yet contains the cannabaniods to help you sleep. Since it has already been proved that pot has no physical addiction then you can use it as the means to ease your withdrawal symptoms.

 

[Moreaux]

OP - it's not in your head. Benzo withdrawal is quite real and very serious. Acute withdrawal isn't too bad, but PAWS can be terrible and long lasting. I was on Xanax for 10 years, and when o stopped I had horrible PAWS for 2 years after. Axiety was through the roof, I felt as though I had electric current constantly running under my skin, my moods were all over the place, and my short term memory was not existent. I got on Indural (propranolol) to help with the anxiety, which you may want to explore to help get you through. It's not addictive and not abusable. It's a beta blocker that is used primarily to treat high blood pressure, but it blocks the adrenaline reaction that causes anxiety attacks. I also found that getting on a normal sleep schedule helped, along with eating super healthy. I learned breathing techniques and meditation that also helped to get me through that time. Just know that it will get better, even if it gets a little worse first. Google benzo withdrawal and you will find some horror stories, but you will also find many people posting that what you are going through is normal, and it takes time to recover. Have your parents read that material, and just ask them to be tolerant and patient. I had to do that with my parents as at first they didn't understand. It sucks but it will get better. Feel free to pm me with questions or issues. Good luck!

 

[burn out]

has your memoy comeback x_benzo_girl? i was on xanax for 2 years i had horrible withdrawal lasting for years. i am much better now, but still can't rely on my memory at all. I will mean to do something and forget 2 seconds later.

it makes it really hard at work because my bosses can never understand why i cant remember anything and they are super tired of hearing me saay "i forgot". But i dont really want to explain to them that i was benzos and have no short term memory. and i work a job where writing stuff down isnt that practical, i mean i usually think i am going to remember so i dont need to write it down and then i dont even remember there was something i was supposed to remember, let alone what it was. and i walk into rooms forgetting why i even went there.

 

[loosesealb]

Before I knew much of anything about any drug I got my hands on a bunch of zanex not the bars but the little pink guys anyways I would snort them stupid I know and smoke weed till I passed out I never checked dosages thought about dependacy anything like that I was homeless at the time and lucky to be alive because I was abusing the shit out of these pills and because the High isn't that intense I assumed they where harmless the only reason I would stop is because I would pass out and not remember anything they next morning I'm so lucky to be alive but I do not remember ever having withdrawls maybe because I did so much in short periods and never sustained use although recently iv come off of feyntanyl and started taking 1mg ativan daily to start then began using codiene from cwe to overcome my addiction but recently it's been 3 weeks or more almost mow I have ran out of the benzo's and find myself experiencing serious rebound anxiety and a lack of mental clarity I'm not sure if it's the benzo's or the feyntanyl I just got off but damn not feeling the best right now axiety wise

So I have to agree benzo's are no joke do your research before you decide to start using something like this to cope with anxiety

 

[Moreaux]

has your memoy comeback x_benzo_girl? i was on xanax for 2 years i had horrible withdrawal lasting for years. i am much better now, but still can't rely on my memory at all. I will mean to do something and forget 2 seconds later.

it makes it really hard at work because my bosses can never understand why i cant remember anything and they are super tired of hearing me saay "i forgot". But i dont really want to explain to them that i was benzos and have no short term memory. and i work a job where writing stuff down isnt that practical, i mean i usually think i am going to remember so i dont need to write it down and then i dont even remember there was something i was supposed to remember, let alone what it was. and i walk into rooms forgetting why i even went there.

I think like 75% has come back. I've been off them for around 6 years, took my last benzo right before checking into rehab in Feb 2010. I still take notes and set reminders in my calendar to be safe lol. Though to be fair, I did fall of the wagon and start drinking again from 2012 - 2014 so I'm certain that had a negative impact on healing and recovery, as benzos and booze are closely related. I've been totally sober for two years now and have notice that healing and recovery has resumed at a much quicker rate.

 

[Znegative]

I don't really think its underestimated, at least not on drug forums where people know what they're talking about. I've been hooked on heroin and benzos for years, if I had to now drop my suboxone or my klonopin, I'd drop the suboxone cause I know I can kick opiates, but benzo's I've never lasted more than a month, the withdrawals (for me at least) were never ending seeming (I usually took large dosages of clonazepam and alprazolam). This isn't to discourage anyone, I used the drugs incredibly irresponsibly, had a pretty huge tolerance for a long time, so my situation might be different than others. A few years back I could handle CT benzo withdrawals and go for about a week 'ignoring' it, but I'd usually start having small seizures. This drug should not be underestimated, one can die from withdrawals.

Also, benzodiazepine dependent people should not expect good results from going to a short term in patient detox. I have tried this many times, a 7 day, or 14 day taper, is not enough. You need to do that shit outpatient, and titrate down at a rate that you're comfortable with. I think Diazepam is an easier benzo to taper with than clonazepam for some reason, Librium is actually not that bad either (mostly because it's one of the most ineffective benzodiazepines in terms of anxiolytic properties and euphoria so its abuse potential is low, but at the right dose it will get you well).

sorry for the rant.

AND one more thing, about the memory, benzodiazepines definitely fuck with it. It got so bad for me at one point that I seemed only able to remember things when I was loaded on benzo's, now I'm somewhat stable at 2mg clonazepam, and most of my life feels like a blur, though as I'm cleaning out, my memory is improving (in terms of what's happened since I stopped shooting dope and crystal, and stopped abusing klonopin)