I was told that the body easily becomes dependent on benzodiazepines so I stayed on the lowest dose .25 mg and would usually just take a half tablet, but then, I have always been sensitive to medications. Xanax worked so well for anxiety but was so short acting that whenever I took it, it would wear off in 3-4 hours. I generally tried to “power through” whatever anxiety I was experiencing and then only take it at night so it would also help me sleep. After a year or two, it seemed that my anxiety was even worse once it wore off and then I knew my body had become accustomed to it and wanted more-so it was time to get off. Actually, I did not have any horrible withdrawals when I stopped it-but I had horrible insomnia. I still have some insomnia however I can now sleep 5-6 hours most nights without taking anything and can even take very short naps during the day if I have not slept well at night. Four years ago I could not sleep at all without taking something so I have made good progress. I have found Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for sleep to be helpful in the following: Only go to sleep when you are really sleepy, and try to get up at the same time every morning despite when you fell asleep. If you didn’t get enough sleep you will be building “sleep pressure” which will help you sleep better the next night. I read several CBT books including The Sleep Prescription and No More Sleepless Nights. What worried me about taking a medicine for sleep every night is that whatever it was would stop working again just like what happened with Trazodone. I have read that many people have taken Trazodone for over a decade with success. For me, it stopped working after about 4 years and then I just about had a nervous breakdown from lack of sleep. Have you tried Trazodone? It would be helpful for the sleep and anxiety and might help you transition off the benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines have so many other bad side effects for us seniors (I am 70) and I thank the Good Lord that I was able to get off them. Hopefully your doc will have your best interest at heart and advise you truthfully about balancing the need for restful sleep vs taking a medication long term. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. I tried every natural supplement on the market including a medical marijuana THC tincture so I am familiar with a lot of alternatives that helped me transition off prescriptions.

Hi - I was interested in your posting about longterm benzodiazepine use. I have had constant pain since 1978 from Arachnoiditis, and have been through many different tests and protocols. Long story short, I had a panic attack severe enough to assume it was a heart attack. After all tests proved negative and finally the ER doc gave me a .25 mg Xanax tablet (alprazolam) My anxiety was gone in 20 minutes just as if a switch had been flipped. Everone‘s experience with any med is unique and so please be careful to not generalize my remarks. I have taken alprazolam and zolpidem for 25-30 years. During that time I have gone periods WITHOUT EITHER MED, and never had withdrawal symptoms. I know of folks who have a terrible time with withdrawal but with support like telling my wife I’m going off for a while, and having a TOTALLY OPEN RELATIONSHIP with my Doctor, this process of allowing my body (and mind) to tell me when I need it and when I don’t, has worked well. Part of the equation is knowing that it will be available if/when I need it.
So what’s the point? Fear is the most difficult place to work from. Honesty, rationality, and experience are much better and give patients and doctors something to work with. KEEP A JOURNAL. Share it. I have been dosed as high as 1 mg Xanax 5 times a day and have titrated down from there. Currently I’m on 1 mg once a day- sort of a maintenance dose- and doing well. I have a Medtronic intrathecal pump and life goes on. It’s a process. I wish you the best.