The Phases of Benzo/Med Withdrawal/Dysfunction
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2024
- In this clip I describe the "phases" of this highly non-linear and non formulaic process. From the acute phase to the highly fragile phase to the early recovery phase and what we can do to not make it worse. #ativan #xanax #ambien #benzodiazepines #klonopin #anxiety #withdrawal
Disclaimer: This clip, as all others on this site, is intended to to be used for educational and informational purposes only. It is not meant to be used as a replacement for clinical/medical advice or intervention.
Again, this is spot on. You’ve pretty much described me in describing yourself. I would add that if you are severely injured it is impossible to work on yourself. I know many people who purchased limbic retraining courses, myself included, who were unable to do any of this work until they reached a certain place in their recovery. The cognitive damage is just far too much to be able to work on yourself. Maybe one has to come out of freeze to be able to do that kind of work 🤷♀️ That said, I reached a point in my recovery where I was able to make some feeble attempts at mindset shift and very slowly it took hold. Mindset is extremely important and I do believe there are many stuck in a loop, but this injury makes it impossible to break out of that until you reach a point in healing where you can actually make that break.
I totally agree with you! I’m working with a therapist who is getting very frustrated because I can’t do CBT. I can’t read the CbT manual and I can’t seem to do any of the things she wants me to start doing to calm my nervous system. 😬
You simply cannot predict how the healing time goes. I have been disappointed a few times. At 12 months off rapid cycling of window/wave pattern appeared. I had 5 wonderful normal days and I predicted the windows would get longer each month. That did not happen. These 5 windows appeared every 2 months. I did have separate windows in between. At 17 months off I noticed milder symptoms arriving for a few days at a time. Yesterday I had a very bad day with symptoms appearing that I had not had for many months. I'm 18 months off and I had hoped at this stage I would be having these weeks and weeks of windows that people talk about and less severe waves. 6-18months is the average timeline for healing according to statistics. I know a switch is not going to be flicked off at 18months, but the word 'protracted' is a scary thought.
I'm 13 years off and still going through it. Definitely better but not fully functional with a lot of struggles. It's very difficult to have a healthy balance between trying hard, but not being obsessive and beating myself up. I have severe sensitivities to eating, drinking water, temperature, sitting touch, exercising, air circulation, light, sound, touch, everything. It makes everyday things so difficult, and self regulation so important. If I mess up I feel horrible which comes with blaming myself. I got as better as I have by pushing myself into life, beyond fears, doing what I know is right which is often the most uncomfortable; doing things that are beyond my comfort zone that a big part of me desperately wants to avoid, as well as not giving anxiety and other bad feelings power through behavior changes.
How do you know your problems are from benzo withdrawal after all these years?
@@Sears111 That's a good question, and there isn't an easy answer to it. There is a lot of about my case that is abnormal, like my extreme reaction to reinstatement. Though, I will say what I am experiencing now definitely started with all the benzo stuff. Lots of symptoms that very specific in their mechanics. A lot of what I experience now is quite similar to the beginning though it has changed of course, over the last many years. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of research on cases like mine that last so long. So if it's really a 'withdrawal', or issues I developed a long the way, trauma, toxicity who knows, I can't say for sure. I don't know if people like me still have healing gaba receptors or what's going on. It's very individual, and preexisting issues seem to play a role. I really do believe trying, living as healthy as possible, doing research (not fanatically) and being patient is the key. We must find what works for us. We really have an amazing ability to heal. Wishing you the best 🙂
@@SuperCarmel87Thank you for your reply. Did you cold turkey or do a proper taper?
@@Sears111Your welcome! Cold turkey, then 4.5 months later reinstatement for two weeks progressively getting worse.
@@SuperCarmel87 Folks that cold turkey don’t do well and reinstating doesn’t usually help much. As a long time, high dosage prescribed benzo user that tapered off I just can’t wrap my head around the thirteen years. I hope you find some relief someday. Good luck and God bless.
Hi Jen. Apart from the predisposition to cns dysfunction, do you also acknowledge that we all seem to have the same genetic snp of the CYP450 causing us not to be able to metabolise certain drugs properly? Interested to hear your view on that genetic component.
God work Jennifer 💜
Thank you Jenn!!!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Pre disposition.. Narcissistic mother and 4 surgeries. I wet the bed until I was 22yrs old. Bullied in school by students and teachers. I stopped wetting when my mother got a job and had something to do besides torture me. The bullying stopped when I started using drugs.. now I'm cool. I was doing good and started my own business and was clean and sober. My mother moved back to the State and it all started.. First ER visit was for heart attack.. panic attack.🙄 Was put on Klonopin for 9yrs and yanked off because Drs are getting in trouble. Well here I am. Scary and shitty.
12 yrs old.. sorry geeze 🙄
I so hurt for you!!!!! I’m so very very sorry!!!!!!♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
I have been thinking about these lately, as I get no windows (8 months off). Thank you so much!😊
I too am entering my 8th month off…no windows per say, just periods of less intense. What did you come off of and did you taper?
@@rachaelhernandez7264 I did a 3 month taper from 4,5 mg Xanax. How about you?
The fragility and hyper vigilance are exactly right. Love the fragile like a bomb. I’ve been going down the neural circuit route with trying to explain the dizziness / POTS. Why? Because I can’t handle the idea that they might actually be brain damage. Also sane enough to witness is so right. I use the slow car crash metaphor / analogy (struggle with those too😂)
Most of my horrible symptoms have slowly diminished over a period of 4 Mos, but dizziness with a feeling of fullness in my head and pulsatile tinnitus remain.
I have the POTS and dizziness and as such have held at 8mg Valium for a long time. Don’t know how to progress as these symptoms are debilitating. Really want to move forward again. Thanks Jenn!
Did you mention Anhedonia, it’s excruciating to live with, along with terror, physical pain, racing heart, tinnitus, I can’t feel anything.
Spot on!!
Jenn, can we make a "There's a wild neurochemical sh&tstorm going on" t shirt?💕💯😂
Is it possible to regulate our nervous systems while tapering off Benzos? I’m in fight flight freeze constantly. What are some things we can do to be regulated!! Thank you!
Hi! I have a question. Do you think a lot of our symptoms during wd are actually fight, flight, freeze. For example, I have been wearing the same clothes for 3 years, which I just learned is a sign of being in freeze state. And, I’m agoraphobic and feel best in my bedroom. So, can these mental health problems be a separate issue from benzo wd symptoms? And how should the be treated. Thank you!
It’s possible.. but most likely they are probably from Benzos… treatment is seemingly time and mindset.
I think everyone gives too much blame to benzo withdrawal. There are other mental illnesses besides withdrawal that should be addressed.
How?
Hi. Are you saying it’s not good to do somatic exercises and/or vagus nerve exercises that definitely calm the nervous system??
No, I’m saying if we do anything in an attempt to get immediate relief or to feel better - get rid of something / we are using a tool as a weapon
@@jenniferswanphd - Ok! Thank you for explaining. I’ve been using nervous system “tools” to feel better in the moment. For example, breathing, EFT, eye movement , vagus nerve exercises, somatics, etc. They definitely help in the moment, but I understand what you’re saying. I’m going to stop doing it and see what happens. 💗
Please don’t stop doing anything you find helpful - if something is helpful use it. I’m simply saying for those that get frustrated that certain techniques should be making them feel better in the moment - and that is a set up for many.
Will you please adopt me 😭 I’m 28 year old single female, no one understands