A Conversation w/ Asli Anik: People’s Experiences Healing from Prescribed Benzodiazepines

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Guest Bio:
Dr. Asli Anik is a Counselling Psychologist living in the UK who has been working as a psychological therapist in the National Health Service for 6 years. Her recently completed doctoral research, which was supervised by Professor John Read, explores people’s experiences of healing from prescribed benzodiazepine dependence, what they found helpful during this process, and their views on what future services in the UK should look like.
RELEVANT LINKS:
Dr. Anik’s doctoral research: repository.uel.ac.uk/download...
The name of the task force that Nicole (host) couldn't remember during the interview is: The International Task Force on Benzodiazepines
karger.com/pps/article-pdf/87...
Guidance for Psychological Therapists: Enabling conversations with clients taking or
withdrawing from prescribed psychiatric drugs
Guidance: prescribeddrug.info/
Resources & Coping Tools:
prescribeddrug.info/guidance-...
Lived Experience Advisory Panel for Prescribed Drug Dependence
Main website: leap4pdd.org/
Resources page: leap4pdd.org/resources-for-in...
There is still one helpline available (the Bristol Tranquilliser Project helpline that is still
mentioned in some of the resources has sadly shut down):
Postscript360 (formerly Battle Against Tranquillisers)
www.postscript360.org.uk/
Telephone helpline supporting anyone in England and Wales regarding benzodiazepines, z
drugs, gabapentinoids, and painkillers
0117 966 3629
Open 10am to 4pm weekdays
General Medical Council: Who to complain to - information for patients in England
www.gmc-uk.org/-
/media/documents/DC6512_Who_to_complain_to___England.pdf_57957369.pdf
Benzodiazepine litigation and successful compensation claims:
benzo.org.uk/legal/index.htm
Counselling Psychologist Diane Hammersley’s thesis: An Exploration of How Therapists
View Therapeutic Process in Relation to Clients who are Taking Benzodiazepines
openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/epri...
A.pdf
Diane Hammersley is also the author of Counselling People on Prescribed Drugs
(www.amazon.co.uk/Counselling-...
Practice/dp/0803988877), published in 1995, and worked on The Withdraw Project from
1986, which offered psychological therapy for people wanting to withdraw from
benzodiazepines.
Public Health England (2019) report: Dependence and withdrawal associated with some
prescribed medicines: an evidence review. [This is the report showing that that 26% of adults
in England, that’s 1 in 4, are prescribed dependence forming drugs.]
assets.publishing.service.gov...
/file/829777/PHE_PMR_report.pdf
The action plan for the report above: NHS England (2023). Optimising personalised care
for adults prescribed medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms:
Framework for action for integrated care boards (ICBs) and primary care.
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/...
medicines-associated-with-dependence-or-withdrawal-symptoms/
The government has a moral duty to help those harmed by prescribed dependence
forming drugs
www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p...
The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines,
Gabapentinoids and Z-drugs (The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines Series):
www.amazon.co.uk/Maudsley-Dep...
Benzodiazepines-
ebook/dp/B0CRMV5S71/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

[@MedicatingNormal]

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[@BzInfoCoalition]

This interview is excellent! The research discussed is incredibly important!

[@MedicatingNormal]

Thanks, BIC!

[@user-dg7sy8cz3b]

I fear that the injuries from the mRNA injections will overshadow all of us.
Thank you both for your efforts and persistence! One thing is for sure about all of us: We’re not quitters.

[@warrencraig6258]

Really enjoy your content. Would love to see more on the harms and the adverse effects on the drugs was on Paroxetine and Clonazepam for 3 years became manic bipolar for over a 2 year which just got worse to the point of psychotic mania ended up in a rehab and now 7 months off and have suffered tremendously lost everything and starting to heal now. It's just I got terrible effects taking and then coming off cold turkey. Keep up the videos have really helped me survive

[@kathleenneff]

Thank you Asli & Nicole. This was so powerful. Blessings to you both for your incredible work ❤❤

[@stuartbowenjr8393]

Excellent interview on a crucial topic. Thanks so much Nicole!

[@MedicatingNormal]

Thank you for watching!

[@user-lm7hl8zr8q]

God work Nicole 💜

[@julierogers4473]

I wish to God somebody would tell my doctor what he did to me. You cut me in half in January and added the medicine I couldn't take to begin with baclofen. Which also works on the Gabba B receptors. Put me in full blown withdrawal of my gut shut down my intestines are completely burnt from my mouth to my butt. He doesn't even believe I'm in withdrawal to begin with. And he said I don't understand why you want to go through withdrawal when you can be off in 3 weeks. 🥺🤬

[@carolynjanes4005]

I've been tapering off benzos for awhile, usually waiting days between dosages and gradually increasing the days I don't take it while also lowering the dosage under the instructions of a doctor. Right now I've been taking 0.25mg Klonopin and have waited about a week between dosages without any withdrawals, I am on day 7 now with no withdrawal symptoms, would you guys say thats a good sign? Can I expect some to pop up still? I'd just like a second opinion

[@germainedenon311]

Can ivig help?

[@stormchaser419]

Profits over people. The American way.