Protracted Benzo withdrawal

@colleenyoung Thank you for the information about the thread...It can be difficult to stay with the topic at times. I am thankful to no longer be taking the benzos. It is difficult to do and I do know I am still working on my CBT skills. I do feel better without them and can empathize with those endeavoring to do so. They need all of the support, encouragement and information available. It has taken time to come back from the fog. I did not know how much of a one I was in for those 9 years.

Hello @brit,

As I am a person of faith and believe in God, I realize that what @parus and @merpreb have posted has a ring of truth. Sometimes people of faith can begin to rely on magical thinking that all will be fine if they just believe. However, as people of faith we are urged to seek out wisdom and to actively involve ourselves in our own well-being.

As an example of this, I have an elderly relative who in her early 50's discovered a lump in her breast. She decided not to follow the doctor's suggestions for a mammogram, biopsy, etc. and instead prayed and went to visit healers that she saw on TV. After 10 years of that kind of behavior the lump got so big that she could no longer lift her arm to put on her winter coat. So, she decided to do things the doctor's way and eventually had chemo, a mastectomy and radiation.

I realize that we all approach God and faith in a way that we have learned so the following sentence is only my opinion: As a person of faith, I believe that God asks me to look to Him for wisdom but also to use the wisdom he has provided to medical science in order to be healthy and strong.

@hopeful33250- Well said Teresa! I believe just as God provided "a way" He gave us brains to think on our own and to seek out truth & decernment from science. To me though, the most important thing is to "give what we are dealing with over to Him". This doesn't mean we stick are brains in the drawer, but rather that we acknowledge Him. Just as any parents desires a relationship with their children and wants to know when their children are hurting, we honor our Creator when we bring these things to Him. My prayer as I often read through these posts is that He will bring His peace over each soul that is crying out. Jim @thankful

I can relate regarding the retreating fog. It's a huge relief but kinda sad too. I thought I was treating chronic anxiety but it's become abundantly clear that the medication was causing anxiety. For many years I would have fought against this idea. And fought strenuously. "It's not dependance or addiction. It's my anxiety disorder reasserting itself!" Hey, my doctor agreed so who am I to question medical advise? I wish I had known.
What really stands my hair on end is how many rehab facilities pop to the top of the list when googling benzo info. I've seen everything from a one week to a 28 day withdrawal process. That's criminal, IMO. My heart breaks for people so misled for profit. I've taken 8 months to safely and gently d/c. Thank god for the Ashton Manuel.

@elsa1000 Congratulations. I knew nothing of the Ashton manual. We are here to help one another.

Thank you, Parus. I'm not quite there yet but close. My doctor hadn't heard about the Ashton manual either. In fact, she knew nothing at all about discontinuing benzos. I've concluded that she DID know about physical dependance. Which is why she told me "these drugs are impossible to discontinue." And also, "stay off the internet!" If I had stayed off the internet I would never have learned about the importance of a VERY gradual titration. I've never considered myself a particularly naive person. But I was regarding the Healthcare Industry. It's based on a profit model not a wellness model. I am done with it.

Thank you, Parus. I'm not quite there yet but close. My doctor hadn't heard about the Ashton manual either. In fact, she knew nothing at all about discontinuing benzos. I've concluded that she DID know about physical dependance. Which is why she told me "these drugs are impossible to discontinue." And also, "stay off the internet!" If I had stayed off the internet I would never have learned about the importance of a VERY gradual titration. I've never considered myself a particularly naive person. But I was regarding the Healthcare Industry. It's based on a profit model not a wellness model. I am done with it.

@brit As Parus said everyone has there own way of dealing with things in there lives those who believe in a higher power have to know that it is us who make us well the higher power is within us . God helps those who help themselves

I'm glad that your doctor is a good support for you, @brit. Be encouraged, you will find the strength you need. Just keep doing the things that help you. It can be a long process but a rewarding one.

I really do try to help myself. It is a 24 hour thing to me. Just want to feel myself again and asking for help is what I have come to. Don't
seem to be able to do it myself. What's next? Just keep trying to do the best I can hourly and always seem to get through the day but it isn't easy and takes all my strength to do what I have to do. Help Brit@