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Why don't people stay on benzos for life?

DaDankyDank

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I know you can build tolerance and they may become less effective over time, but if it's working than why do people stop taking it? I have social anxiety and go on a few different forums and the majority of people that take benzos want to taper down and get off them. There's also a handful of people who have been on valium for 20+ years and have been on the same dosage for 10+ years and it's still working for them.

I've been trying CBT along with my meds, but I feel like it doesn't work for me and staying on my meds is the only option. If I become/ have became dependent on them, than so be it because they improve my quality of life and that's all that I want. I don't abuse them, I don't drink on them, and in the past year I haven't increased my dose. Do most people decide to come off them because they're harmful on the body in the long term? Too expensive? People don't like being dependent on drugs? I'm curious to hear your guys thoughts.
 
most people will tell you that benzo's should be used short term because
a) its an addiction to a drug, one which is hell to kick
b) it has long term effects on your mind and body if you start relying on it to live
c) it inhibits to a certain extent the development of your ability to overcome social anxiety naturally

also CBT is something you have to work at applying into your daily life, so if your expecting that just seeing the psychologist once a week and conversing (which helps) will solve your problems, well its not that easy.

maybe all those things are what you want but its not the way I would want to live my life, every second is sooooo precious that I believe its better to experience life without safety blankets and veils
 
In many cases I think that the only reason that some people want to get off of it is because they hate being dependent on a pill that if they don't have it, it may cause seizures and will definitely cause horrible withdrawals. I have to worry about making my doctors appointment every month to get my valium, and if I miss it then I have to go to the ER to get an emergency script.

If I lose my insurance then I have to worry about coming up with a few hundred dollars each month between the cost of the appointment and prescription. So that's why I don't want to be on benzos for life, and that's without getting into anything about how my mind might be a little more clear without it.

most people will tell you that benzo's should be used short term because
a) its an addiction to a drug, one which is hell to kick
b) it has long term effects on your mind and body if you start relying on it to live
c) it inhibits to a certain extent the development of your ability to overcome social anxiety naturally

also CBT is something you have to work at applying into your daily life, so if your expecting that just seeing the psychologist once a week and conversing (which helps) will solve your problems, well its not that easy.

maybe all those things are what you want but its not the way I would want to live my life, every second is sooooo precious that I believe its better to experience life without safety blankets and veils

For 'a' did you mean dependent or addicted. I would say that benzos are the biggest drug when it comes to people mixing up those two terms. I am not addicted to benzos, but my body is psychically dependent on them, and thousands of people are in the same boat as me. Just because you need to take the drug doesn't mean you are addicted.
 
I kinda have to agree in some ways with the op

If benzos are improving your quality of life, especially when your youngish (50 and below :P) and you are expected to socialise otherwise your a freaky outcast....then why stop? ive only been taking them for 2 weeks, and still not sure if I think their THAT amazing or if their just OK.

I also agree that a problem is that after years of use it effects your ability to learn .......that's what my therapist said.

I guess what the main problems are for me, is not being able to social drink while on them (well maybe ill start trying a pint here and there) and tolerance. Its going to be interesting to see how much yolerance builds up if I don't abuse the drug and stick to 10mg a day.........and how effective 10mg is still in 2 months as now it still only seems to be really effective when im not in that much of an anxious situation anyway.

But I said to my girlfriend last night I would rather live for another 15 years anxiety free and expolore the world and not get the de-realization and sense of doom and passing out all the time.........then live for another 40-50 years with it.....im 27 by the way :P
 
For 'a' did you mean dependent or addicted. I would say that benzos are the biggest drug when it comes to people mixing up those two terms. I am not addicted to benzos, but my body is psychically dependent on them, and thousands of people are in the same boat as me. Just because you need to take the drug doesn't mean you are addicted.

Definition of addiction
noun
[mass noun]
the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity

thats the oxford definition, I can see what you are getting at because taking a pill everyday which is prescribed is not necessarily a compulsive behaviour

are you trying to say that its not an addiction because you don't experience withdrawals unless something unforeseen occurs? At the end of the day, if someone separates someone who is dependent on benzo's from their medication for 3 days shit is still going to hit the fan, thats all I see as addiction really.
 
For 'a' did you mean dependent or addicted. I would say that benzos are the biggest drug when it comes to people mixing up those two terms. I am not addicted to benzos, but my body is psychically dependent on them, and thousands of people are in the same boat as me. Just because you need to take the drug doesn't mean you are addicted.

I don't follow you here.

How do you differentiate addiction and dependency?
 
I've tried most medications and therapies under the sun, and nothing works close to a relatively small dose of clonazepam, and, oddly enough, amphetamine for anxiety/depression.

I've been on the same dose of amp for four months and never abuse it and it continues to help. I've been on benzos about two weeks and they've allowed me to get out of the house, quit weed, reduce alcohol drastically, be more sociable, reduce depression, reduce tobacco, and give me a greater reason to live. No, I will not be stopping them.
 
^ Your going to stay on benzos and amphetamines for life because its improved your life in the past 4 months?

I thought you of all people would have recognised the importance of (getting out of the house, quitting weed, reducing alcohol drastically, be more sociable, reduce depression, reduce tobacco, and give me a greater reason to live) learning how to do all those things<, through your own volition and without help from substances.

I would kind of understand using them to see what it's like on the greener side of the grass, and then hopefully seeing how those patterns of behaviour are changing your life for the better and then tapering slowly off meds.

how can everyone be so blase about having chemical dependencies to drugs with known long term side effects?
 
i agree if it helps alot more not 2 go off them its better 2 stay on them stay on them.theres nothing wrong with getting alot of help from medicine even if its continuous.if u need 2 take a medication every day eventually if u go off it u may get withdrawls,that really shouldnt be considred drug addiction.people drink coffee every day and act like they cant go without the help that gives so if instead of coffee its stuff that cauzes relaxation its really not diffrent.instead of doing it with staying on perscription drugs though,it may be easier and help more 2 try 2 get daily medicine that help cauze relaxation as supplements like mainly kava root,but maybe also phenibut,valerian root ect.
 
^ Your going to stay on benzos and amphetamines for life because its improved your life in the past 4 months?

I thought you of all people would have recognised the importance of (getting out of the house, quitting weed, reducing alcohol drastically, be more sociable, reduce depression, reduce tobacco, and give me a greater reason to live) learning how to do all those things<, through your own volition and without help from substances.

I would kind of understand using them to see what it's like on the greener side of the grass, and then hopefully seeing how those patterns of behaviour are changing your life for the better and then tapering slowly off meds.

how can everyone be so blase about having chemical dependencies to drugs with known long term side effects?


No, I'm staying on them because they will continue to improve my life. I tried for more than a year, mate, to live without drugs, eating right, exercising, meditating. What I don't understand is your implicit ethic of being off drugs. There is nothing wrong with being on prescriptions, and i now consider myself clean. I love them. They give me reason.

I have one life to live. Cite studies if you must, with such claims.
 
I have anxiety disorder and panic attacks. Im prescribed a hefty dose a clonazepam/klonopin. I plan to stay on it for the rest of my life. Im a bit of a special case as doctors have recommended it and I also feel its best for me. Ive had panic attacks since childhood and often vomited or passed out from anxiety. Benzos changed my life and allowed me to work around more people, go to college, and date. I rarely dated much before I got on benzos around 19. Ive been on the same medication.

My grandmother has been a lifelong benzo user as well. She has anxiety and sleep problems and has been receiving prescriptions since her early 20s. She has been on everything from diazepam to dalmane to alazropam. She is in excellent health and is WWII old. My grandfather was in WWII and married her when she was 18 upon returning.

Some people need them and some people get very habituated to them. Personally the benzos have changed my life for the better. Its the same deal with my grandmother and my mother as well.

Im sure it would be hell to detox off benzos. Ive got special protection in my file so even if I was incarcerated I would not be taken off them. Im not sure what section its called off the top off my head. My dose is locked above the normal amount as well and will likely increase if I choose to. Ive been on the same dose for a long time now and Im doing just fine.

Ive been told my every doctor I know that if I miss my meds Ill most likely have a seizure and could die. Its not like Im going to forget to take the medicine though as my body reminds me when I need it. Its the only type of drug I haven't really been able to abuse very much. Ive made attempts at abuse for intoxication but it doesn't work.
 
I think there is a big difference between taking it everyday for the rest of your life as opposed to taking it on an as needed basis. I have went years without needing/taking benzos, while I've had months where I needed them everyday. I know there will be certain times that I will always have to take my benzos, like when I have to fly (just thinking about getting on a plane makes me physically ill) etc. I believe it also depends on the person, obviously. Some people are able to work through their anxiety problems with CBT and or/other medications. Others, like me, have a chemical imbalance of some sort or a physical problem that causes their anxiety. I have been told by numerous doctors that I will probably be on benzos for life, due to a lot of different factors. I refuse to take them everyday. I deal with my anxiety as much as I can, it's the panic attacks that are so disabling with me. I have developed Agoraphobia from them and while the benzos do help with these problems, they do not cure them and if used too frequently make it even worse, IME.
 
Thank you everyone for your input. It seems like a lot of you guys I can really relate to and know the pain of trying to deal with anxiety head on. I tried to deal with it for several years without any assistance thinking it would eventually get better if I exposed myself in public more, but it really wouldn't budge. When I went out with friends it even made me feel worse because of how little I talked and probably came off as extremely strange. It's honestly a living hell to deal with. I used to dread doing the simplest things like going to the gas station, going to the store, leaving my apartment when I heard people outside, not going to class/not being able to use public transportation, going out to dinner, ordering take out, answering my phone, the list goes on. Whenever I had to do these things I'd have to write out what I was going to say word for word even if I was doing something as simple as calling in to order a order a pizza. I used to have to run my basic errands between midnight and 3am because hardly anyone was out. That's no way to live ones life and if I continued down that road I honestly believe I would have no chance finishing college and may have taken my own life. I'm finally happy again. I never want to go back to being a complete hermit, and it's SUCH a relief to feel normal. I'm still going to continue with my CBT and maybe down the road I won't need any drug assistance, but for now I'm completely satisfied sticking to them as long as I can control it and they're giving me benefits that outweigh the negatives.
 
No drug can be used forever without side effects.
As well if a time comes when you need to quit but you've been dependent on benzos for 30 years, those would be some hellish withdrawals, ones which would undoubtedly need to be medically supervised in cases of seizures other terrible WD symptoms
 
What I don't understand is your implicit ethic of being off drugs.

I have one life to live.

second phrase is my reasoning, I know I can sound condescending and holier than thou in a lot of my posts and I'm trying to work on that in the future

just from an observational standpoint I dont know many long term benzo users who's minds havent started falling to pieces, I know its not a study but thats just my 2 cents
 
No, I'm staying on them because they will continue to improve my life. I tried for more than a year, mate, to live without drugs, eating right, exercising, meditating. What I don't understand is your implicit ethic of being off drugs. There is nothing wrong with being on prescriptions, and i now consider myself clean. I love them. They give me reason.

HR ?

So if I bought an M.D. title in China and dispatch drugs from big ass pharma-companies that I persuade you to take every day, you would still consider yourself clean ? For you, being dependent on amphetamines and benzodiazepines equals being clean ? I'm worried I should have attended more logic classes ... IMHO GABA A/B agonists are emergency backup medication to treat psychological traumata but not a fix to fit better into (the occasionally obscure) society.
 
My grandmother has beent taking benzos everyday since she was around 20 and is quite healthy and almost 80. Her mind is completely intact. She still has some anxiety but she would be so much worse without the medicine. I dont think benzos have hurt her at all and have probly prolonged her life if anything because Im sure the stress she has without them would have killed her by now.
 
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