Insomnia. What seems to help?

I take 1 mg Clonazepam, but difficulty of withdrawal is not dose dependent. I think it is, however, time dependent, the longer you take them the more time they have to do damage in the brain/CNS, such as causing gaba receptors to become fewer in number. So while there may be plenty of gaba supplied by the benzo, it has forced the brain to seek homeostasis by becoming far less receptive to it. I've taken it for almost 20 years. By the time a doctor got around to telling me about risks for neurological harm and dependence, tolerance, withdrawal I was several YEARS into being prescribed this "safe and effective" drug (big fat lie), so already physically dependent. I've been told by some it was my responsibility to do my homework and that, even though there was no informed consent and no Dr Google, I should have done the research to make myself aware of the danger. I was under the impression I could trust my doctor when she said this was
the safest and most effective thing to help me sleep after insomnia became chronic pursuant to my father's death. And yes, I've done an extremely slow taper, an agonizing two years that ultimately I had to abandon because I felt I was in danger of losing my will to live, such was the agony of withdrawal. But I'm in tolerance, no amount of the drug gives relief, so it feels like "withdrawal lite" - all the same symptoms, just a little milder. My doctor has said the drug has changed the architecture in my brain to the extent I'll have to take it for life. At first I accepted that, but I am so miserable so many days of the week, I just can't imagine living like this for the remainder of my life. So I'm trying to do everything I can to prepare my nervous system for another taper. Not sure I can survive it, but I feel I have no choice, I am like a trapped animal. I want everyone who takes a benzo or is considering it to read this and be warned. This could be you. It is no way to live. I understand the relief benzos give from anxiety and insomnia, but ultimately the drug makes both of those conditions far worse. It's hard to convince someone experiencing the miracle of relief when they start on benzos that they are headed for trouble. I think it's my mission. Thank you

What you’ve said is so true! Doctors should either stop prescribing or not allow refills. Took me two tries to get off lorazepam and so glad I’ve been successful.

I take 1 mg Clonazepam, but difficulty of withdrawal is not dose dependent. I think it is, however, time dependent, the longer you take them the more time they have to do damage in the brain/CNS, such as causing gaba receptors to become fewer in number. So while there may be plenty of gaba supplied by the benzo, it has forced the brain to seek homeostasis by becoming far less receptive to it. I've taken it for almost 20 years. By the time a doctor got around to telling me about risks for neurological harm and dependence, tolerance, withdrawal I was several YEARS into being prescribed this "safe and effective" drug (big fat lie), so already physically dependent. I've been told by some it was my responsibility to do my homework and that, even though there was no informed consent and no Dr Google, I should have done the research to make myself aware of the danger. I was under the impression I could trust my doctor when she said this was
the safest and most effective thing to help me sleep after insomnia became chronic pursuant to my father's death. And yes, I've done an extremely slow taper, an agonizing two years that ultimately I had to abandon because I felt I was in danger of losing my will to live, such was the agony of withdrawal. But I'm in tolerance, no amount of the drug gives relief, so it feels like "withdrawal lite" - all the same symptoms, just a little milder. My doctor has said the drug has changed the architecture in my brain to the extent I'll have to take it for life. At first I accepted that, but I am so miserable so many days of the week, I just can't imagine living like this for the remainder of my life. So I'm trying to do everything I can to prepare my nervous system for another taper. Not sure I can survive it, but I feel I have no choice, I am like a trapped animal. I want everyone who takes a benzo or is considering it to read this and be warned. This could be you. It is no way to live. I understand the relief benzos give from anxiety and insomnia, but ultimately the drug makes both of those conditions far worse. It's hard to convince someone experiencing the miracle of relief when they start on benzos that they are headed for trouble. I think it's my mission. Thank you

Benzos work so great to calm anxiety and facilitate sleep, but they are intended for very short term use, once off, or very occasional use. Otherwise they become less effective (tolerance) at the same time you are becoming physically dependent. One in 5 or 6 people who take them have a really wretched withdrawal, so it turns out people (like me) have stayed on them even though they are harmful to the brain in the long run, because they cannot tolerate the withdrawal. It's a really awful place to be. I agree that sleep is important, but these drugs will turn on you and actually WORSEN your sleep as they change your brain architecture. How long have you taken them? Do they still knock you out? My message to professionals would be a little different. I would encourage them to get their heads out of their butts and stop prescribing harmful drugs that will hook patients but won't help patients past the very short term.

I was able to taper off Klonopin - 1 mg after about 12 years of using 1mg every night for sleep. It was not easy, but I will never go back. I was a happy camper all the years I was on it, not aware of anything other than it worked great and I was able to sleep. Never increased the dose or took it during the daytime. Only when I was forced off of it because I was turning 65 did I even entertain the idea. The problem was, the doctor doing the taper minimized my reaction to getting off the medication. He did not offer anything else, and discharged me at the end of the taper, when the withdrawals were terrible. The taper was over 9 months, and at the end of it, I did not sleep much at all for another 9 months, trying everything behavioral, OTC meds, antihistamines, even cannabis gummies - which was the only thing that helped somewhat for awhile. A sleep medicine doctor finally affirmed my sleep problems were as damaging as any drug - chronic insomnia changes your brain and affects all aspects of your life. The side effects of chronic insomnia are similar to those of sleep meds - memory issues, increased falls, etc. Sleep is important, and if your brain won't allow you to sleep, then taking a medication is better. Lunesta works for me, thankfully, and I'm a better, less anxious person sleeping. She had an arsenal of drugs to try if it didn't work. Ambien caused increased anxiety for me. My advice would be to work with a Neurologist specializing in sleep. Allow your taper to be as gradual as you need it to be and understand that your brain is altered, yes, but our brains are amazingly adept at re-organizing through neuroplasticity. Norman Doidge has written some great books on the subject. Since Lunesta does not help with anxiety, I am able to use the behavioral tools I've learned and breathe through the anxiety. I stay active, and do things like birding and puzzling to keep my mind calm busy. Best of luck. I believe in you!

Exercise.

I had problems sleeping for years and tried OTC and prescription drugs that generally were ineffective. I'd been athletic as a kid, but got sucked into the work-is-life rut and forgot about staying in shape. Then, I retired and got back into getting regular exercise. Result: sleep pretty well, now w/o the drugs.

You are very fortunate! Congrats!

Hope my comments help others. IMHO, it's better to try to keep the drug inventory to a minimum.

Oh, I quit the booze, too. That's probably where the lion's share of the benefit came from. Alcohol's not a wise choice for good sleep hygiene.