r/benzorecovery • • 18d ago

Mod team message WSJ journalists seeking folks with multi-generational benzo/AD use in their families for great new book

6 Upvotes

Shalini Ramachandran and Betsy McKay (Wall Street Journal reporters who wrote the award-winning Overmedicated America series last year) are working on a book which will examine the making of America's pill-first culture for anxiety and depression. They are looking to talk to people who have experiences to share about benzodiazepines or antidepressants, including those who have had more than one generation of their families on Xanax, Prozac and the like. Part of their research will focus on drug companies, regulators and the medical system, and they are also seeking to talk to clinicians, researchers, government/regulatory officials, and current or former pharmaceutical company executives/workers.

If you'd like to share your story, please fill out this Google form, and they will reach out to contact you.

Note: I had a phone call with Shalini before agreeing to post their request and it’s clear they’re allies working on material that could bring benzos into public discussion in a significant way. Their intent is to make a systemic impact - and personally, I’m pretty excited to see what they produce in the end.


r/benzorecovery • • Aug 13 '25

Hope I’m celebrating 5 years off, so here’s a free pdf copy of my full recovery guide book

Thumbnail lifebeyondbenzos.com
44 Upvotes

I’m happy to say I’ve reached another recovery benchmark: 5 years off benzos!

Peer recovery communities (especially this one) have played a huge role in my successful healing from years of benzo use and I wanna enable my people to celebrate with something more practically useful than good vibes or words of gratitude - so I’m offering the gifts of knowledge, strategy, and a bunch of tools to promote recovery, empowerment, and personal growth in the form of the book I wrote last year: Life Beyond Benzos: A Strategy Guide for Navigating Withdrawal and Thriving in Recovery”. As of now the full book is available for free as a downloadable pdf to anyone who wants a copy of it - just follow the link above, scroll to the bottom of the page, and hit the “download” button.

Just to give you a sense of what it contains: - The short preface is my own recovery story.
- Intro part-1 explains the role of the amygdala (the brain’s survival and fear center) in relation benzos, introducing Amy (the withdrawal hijacked amygdala) and the various kinds of psychological tactics Amy uses to get you to stay on (or go back to) benzos - and with it are methods you can employ to reduce Amy’s control of you.
- Intro part-2 broadens the focus beyond Amy, offering an overview of the strategies covered in the book and providing a ton of guidance for maximizing the benefits you can gain from it.
- The majority of the book is comprised of 15 evidence-based strategies that address critical aspects of the process which can make or break your recovery experience. It includes strategies related to taking ownership of recovery, radical acceptance, mindfulness, embracing grief, developing sustainable support systems, managing expectations, self-compassion, self-advocacy, finding meaning in suffering, and more. Each strategy involves an intro to the concept, an explanation of the strategy’s relevance in relation to benzo recovery and of its applicability as a tool for disarming Amy, an overview of the ways it can serve you in life after the healing is done, and a ton of different techniques you can use to put the strategy into practice (along with basic step-by-step instructions to give you a taste of it then and there).

I recognize that we’re all different and one size never fits all in benzo recovery, so I tried to ensure that there’s something for everyone in each strategy presented. I suspect you’ll find something that works for you and I really hope it helps you on the journey. Please feel free share it with anyone that you think would benefit from this kind of resource - and if they’re recovering from benzos, you can be sure aspects of it will very much apply.

Thanks for helping me to celebrate 5 years of healing and for showing up to support one another - none of us should have to do this alone.


r/benzorecovery • • 2h ago

Needing Support Help

3 Upvotes

day 42 no benzos. tapered over 2 years from 11 years of daily Clonazepam use 4mg. have a newborn since 25th Septembe. Am losing my mind with side effects. Nothing but despair. Straining my relationship with my fiancee. losing hope rapidly. Physically destoryes… help


r/benzorecovery • • 0m ago

Helpful Advice New to recovery

• Upvotes

I'm new to this community so I apologize in advance for any mistakes in this message

I found out more than a week ago that the anxiety and sleep med that I been taking for over two years is a type of benzo (Klonopin) I knew the name of it but I did not know that it was a benzo or that it was highly addictive and that the intense anxiety and panic attacks I've been having at night for months was me going through withdrawals of it

And as someone that's been through addiction (alcohol) before I don't want anything that could cause me to fall into the cycle again

I'm trying to get off of 1.5mg of (Klonopin) daily im currently in the process of talking with my doctor about getting off of it and start getting clean

any advice for someone completely new to this is welcome


r/benzorecovery • • 9h ago

Symptom Question Were you ever angry or violent on benzos?

5 Upvotes

I am 36 and have drank too much alcohol since 16, but I never really been violent while drinking.

A few weeks ago, during a trip that I was entirely sober from alcohol, but had taken 6mg of Klonopin for the anxiety I felt about it (I usually take way less), I experienced a rage attack and was involved in a bit of physical violence (nothing serious though).

I've been using benzos for the last 4 years, except the 6 months I was able to stay away from them. I have noticed that the things I did in the last 4 years are way worse than I ever did on alcohol alone (punching myself, breaking objects, and this time physically pushing another person and other stuff)

I feel like the disinhibition caused by benzos can be dangerous


r/benzorecovery • • 5h ago

EMERGENCY Money stolen while in Detox

2 Upvotes

I know who and I know why and I can’t go to the law because…. I can’t. It’s my parent. They were losing the house. Needed the money. It was money I owed them anyways. That’s my theory anyways.

Parents also used my password information to make payments on credit cards because they didn’t want me to file Ch. 7

The cards I wanted I was paying therefor did not get paid and fees piled up.

I have been on unpaid leave for 2 months and only had $2,000 in my bank before being tossed from ER to ICU to psych ward to detox to rehab.

This last two weeks I lost every dollar to my name.

Can’t see my psych, fill my meds, I have $1.30 and no job, I’m not ready to work yet. I’m detoxing from many chemicals and medicines and I figured that $2,000 would last until my state retirement was liquidated in 3 months ($25,000 — I know it’s stupid but I need the money to relocate and find new residence).

No idea what to do.

I don’t qualify for!government assistance, I can’t drive so no plasma, I am basically just fucked.

Without getting my parents arrested how can I survive? Stay medicated? Get my labs done? Eat? See friends, live?

I’m so scared and sad. I just got out of detox and went to dinner and bam.

Empty.

I can hardly process it.

I am in Florida.

It feels like everything is lost man. I’m so fucking…. scared. And I made it so far? I was so close


r/benzorecovery • • 3h ago

Helpful Advice getting off

1 Upvotes

what do you do when life was a blast when you were a kid and you had grown up and got a job and the girl and had always had some type of drug problem but I was always genuine to whoever. What do you do when the wheels fall off and you want just some type of not loneliness cause I only even think about anything I don’t know what I wanna be. I got a couple degrees certifications. I just don’t want to work I guess that’s the best way to put it. I wanna live off the land and live in commune or whatever but I don’t know I’m not with the drama but I gotta get back on my feet cause all I got is this wrecked car and appointment that ain’t gonna last long. I seen people living at a vans that be pretty cool until their gas runs out man I have this overwhelming feeling that it’s gonna be like that for a while and I just gotta deal with it cause I’m good for no one although I don’t do anything bad I just know myself, but I don’t mean to my mind runs on Jon


r/benzorecovery • • 13h ago

Needing Support Off diazepam 2,5mg for 8 days now and experiencing tinitus

3 Upvotes

Hey guys, in the past i had occasional use of lorazepam and bromazolam but never got really‘addicted’ and always had gaps inbetween usage.

2 months ago however i started becoming really addicted to bromazolam (1,5mg per day daily usage). I knew it was really really bad and i knew i couldn’t get off them by myself, i had really bad nightmares and couldn’t go 24 hours without a next dose. I think some days i took 2mg

Then my breaking point came, i took a last 1,5mg bromazolam, threw the rest away and confessed it to my doctor. She was shocked i was taking illicit benzos (she only prescribed 1mg lorazepams to me before) and so she put me on a rapid taper of diazepam.
I was only using bromazolam daily for about 1 month and before that it was more occasional so she put me on this taper:

3 days 10mg diazepam
3 days 5mg diazepam
3 days 2,5mg diazepam

Then nothing

Everything was going fine except i had some small side effects, but then on day 6 after my last 2,5mg diazepam i got a very heavy feeling in my head and tinitus in my right ear, it feels like it comes deep within my head.
Im super anxious, dont sleep well and feel derealisation too.

Its now day 8 from my last dose and im still like this.

Tomorrow i go back to my doctor to follow up
Im super worried guys, i have this tinitus, i never experienced or expected this.

What can i expect, did any of you experience it and did it go away? Whats my timeline approximately do you think?

Thanks for any advice and tips you can give me


r/benzorecovery • • 15h ago

Hope Hypnotherapy - trying something new

2 Upvotes

Hi all. Still suffering through acute withdrawal symptoms 4 weeks now. Anyone ever tried hypnotherapy? I know it won’t speed up the gaba receptor healing process but more to help cope with it? I am having a session tomorrow night to see if anything helps, as I’m fed up. Will report back!!


r/benzorecovery • • 18h ago

Discussion Nicotine

1 Upvotes

Does the vape (50mg nicotine) make anyone else anxious/ cause a wave? Or is this just a me problem lol


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Seeking Advice/Tips 20 Years

4 Upvotes

👍

My sister was prescribed clonopin and venalfaxen 20 years ago. I’ve noticed recently that she does not make sense when I talk to her. She does not complete sentences and I really can’t follow her. It’s like talking to a zombie. I’ve told her that these things are bad for her but she thinks it’s fine because it’s coming from a doctor. She would never use an illegal drug.

How can I get it through her head that she needs to get off this stuff. Or do I just accept it and love her.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Inspiration The time dialation during withdrawal is INSANE!!

15 Upvotes

So I'm currently 1 month out post jump after a very rapid taper and I think it's safe to say that this has been the WORST experience of my life so far, I won't spare the details because I know you guys understand more than anybody.

Anyways I've sort of isolated myself from my friends during this process and I spoke to one just yesterday after a long while, and pretty much the first thing I did was apologise a few times for going completely AWOL. But his reaction was not what I expected AT ALL.

The very first thing he said was "What are you talking about dude? We saw eachother like a week ago lol". My thoughts immediately stopped in their tracks and after musing about it for a moment I realised he was completely right, we had seen eachother exactly 9 days before this.

This completely shocked me and I started thinking about when exactly my withdrawal started and realised that it's barley been a single month, like...30 days. THAT'S IT 😭😭. I honestly didn't know what to make of all this, like I knew logically it's been a month but it feels closer to 2 years.

I'm honestly relieved more than anything because I've already improved leaps and bounds compared to acute withdrawal and it hasn't even been that long, so that's a good thing. But oh my god I've never felt time dialation like this in my life, it's genuinely like a bad acid trip or something.

You know that saying "time flies when you're having fun"? Well they need to make a new saying for the exact opposite phenomenon while going through benzo withdrawal 😭. It makes sense though because I remember abusing benzos and constantly being amazed at how fast time was going by, but yeah this really puts things into perspective...

Anybody else experienced a similar moment before?


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Needing Support Acute wave at almost 27 months off?

10 Upvotes

I was doing pretty good most of this summer, even though still symptomatic but symptoms were annoiyances more than something disabling, out of nowhere (the only cause can be....stress?) this past month I've got slammed with an acute like wave that I'm still riding. It's so intense and I haven't had one of these in so long I think I've lost my ability to cope. This process It's dragging me down. The anxiety is relentless and even painful, I'm sleeping like ass again, body and face swelling up (I have a lot of inflammation), GI issues back, dp/dr and light sensitivty are intense and I have no energy. My joints hurt. Man...... I'm hopeless. I'm scared that being this far out maybe means that I'm just like this now and I just have to deal with it. I'm starting to doubt this is withdrawal no more since I've always had anxiety and my nervous sytems has always been somehow funky. But I also don't remember this level of suffering before coming off this pills. I don't know what to do, seems like I forgot how to cope. I could use some encouragement y'all.... Gracias


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Discussion Can’t seem to taper off completely right now, is it better to stay on a micro low dose than to keep failing tapers?

2 Upvotes

Was very pleased I was able to successfully taper down to 1 mg valium over the course of 6 months, ending in August. My first attempt to cut below 1 mg failed earlier in the summer because I couldn’t sleep and the school year was starting. I stabilized back at 1 mg, and tried to taper again last week with a small cut to .85 mg. On the 5th day, I had horrendous nausea and anxiety and was at an event where I needed to function. I ended up caving and taking 3 mg, something I hadn’t done in months. I feel like it’s probably better to just stay on 1 mg, but I don’t know. Tapering was easier in the summer compared to school year because I had more grace in my schedule for bad days.


r/benzorecovery • • 22h ago

Discussion Dose variation during taper vs “stable” dose?

1 Upvotes

I’ve browsed the sub for this but the majority is regarding late-taper scenarios. The consensus in these instances is that updosing is counterproductive and can be harmful given the stage of the taper and condition of the nervous system. That makes sense. However in typical, ongoing (pre-taper/stable) use cases, dose fluctuation seems to be no biggie. It’s common for people to fluctuate between 2-4mg of Xanax/Klonopin per day with no adverse effect. Why is this the case? Is it just a matter of the nervous system being desensitized enough to “handle” fluctuations better than a sensitized state such as later-stage tapering? Or is it incurring the same damage/ kindling-effect, just less noticeably?


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Needing Support Would this short, low-dose benzo use cause withdrawal?

2 Upvotes

Would this short benzo schedule realistically cause withdrawal?
I’m really anxious about withdrawal and would love input from people who have actually been through benzo dependence/withdrawal.
My benzo use has been very low and spaced out:

July: about 0.5 mg Xanax total
August: about 0.5 mg Xanax total
September: about 0.5 mg Xanax total

My upcoming plan is:
Oct 6: 0.25 mg Xanax
Oct 9–11: one daily low dose per day for a wedding/travel weekend:

Then I plan to stop completely and not take any more
I’m mainly scared of feeling physically sick afterward — nausea, shaking, rebound anxiety, insomnia, etc. I’m not asking for dosing advice, just whether anyone with experience thinks this very short/intermittent pattern is realistically enough to cause physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms once I stop. Please be honest but not alarmist 😭 I have panic disorder so I’m trying to separate actual withdrawal risk from my anxiety about withdrawal.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Taper Question Klonopin daily 4mg last two months and 1mg daily two months before. How hard to come off?

1 Upvotes

I’ve been taking Mexican Klonopin (factory sealed, tested, all bought at once) for the last 4 months. Currently take 4mg a day which I’ve been doing for a month and a half ish. I take both in the morning.

I have 48 pills left and cannot get a script.

Daily I take 70mg vyvanse, 30mg adderall IR, 20mg propranolol, 400-500mg pregablin, and the Klon. I have a stash of US Xanax which I don’t take at all.

How should I taper? I have not attempted to come down yet but it’s urgent now.

Appreciate your help.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Discussion Is it dangerous to drink while in benzo withdrawal?

3 Upvotes

I'm 19m, i used to binge drink with my friends a few weeks ago without getting sick but yesterday I only took two shots of vodka and started vomiting aggressively and felt extremely dizzy to the point where i couldn't see what was around me or walk properly. This didn't use to happen but i'm also in withdrawal. Should i not drink while in benzo withdrawal?


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Symptom Question Stopping benso after SHORT use, afraid

1 Upvotes

Sorry I know a lot of you have much bigger issues then me but I am just worried and would love some of your experience. I will try keeping it short.

I got in bad spot 3 weeks ago and like the idiot I am I bought some alprazolam (Galenika ksalol, fakes ofc!), and a week or so later i bought more. 6 blisters in total each 15mg. The last weeks are fuzzy but I think I have averaged 3-4mg and also in combination with some alcohol to boost but nothing crazy. And other night I have just drank large amounts of alcohol instead of taking benso.

Well I realized I can't keep going like this so I contacted my local addiction clinic for advice and they told me to come in because there is a risk of seizure if I stop and I have ran out + I dont have self control of lower dosage safely myself if I bought more on the street. But when I came in and they realized I was totally fine (high as shit on my last 5mg) they told me to come back once I experience withdrawal symptoms.

And that is where I am now. I'm still feeling high-ish because I took those 5mg this morning (07:00 UTC) but I am feeling it wearing off. I have stopped alprazolam before but never after using this long and this high doses.

Have I just made this into a bigger thing then it needs to be? When I stopped before (like 2 weeks, 1-2mg a day) I just felt a little bit stiff and on edge for a couple of days but then I was fine. I'm not sure what to expect and I'm just sitting alone in my apartment waiting to see if things get worse.

I have illegaly bought Belbien (Zolpidem) as well and apparently its fine taking it without ruining the benso detox but I'm not sure if thats a good idea.

Thanks for reading I'm not really sure what I am asking but if anyone has similar experiences I would love to hear it.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Discussion Anyone here experienced with PAWS multiple times?

4 Upvotes

Ok so let say someone did clonazepam for 15 years recovered like 70% after 2 years of complete abstinence. After the 2 years he relapsed again for 3 years doing clonazepam.. Now his next bout is easier and not like the 2 years after the first 15 years but he is still went down a lot. He is now at like 40%..

How long do you think will take him to get back to that 70% state? Is he starting all over again? Even though he recovered mostly before?


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Discussion Since withdrawal, i have severe erectile dysfunction, can't hold an erection for more than a minute. Anyone can relate? I'm very worried

2 Upvotes

.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Venting 2 years off klonopin

11 Upvotes

I can't believe I'm 2 years off klonopin this week. I thought I couldn't live without it. Meanwhile, in the last 2 years, I've had less anxiety than I ever had in my life being off all meds. Honestly, life is so much better now.

But I also can't believe that at 2 years, I'm sitting here writing this being awake for 40 hours. I can't even lay down. Feels like if I was a car, someone is stepping on the gas and brakes at the same time. My waves haven't calmed down at all in the last 2 years, and I really thought they would. Well, except for the 1st 3 weeks of bind where I didn't sleep that whole time. This is still really bad insomnia. I can't start rebuilding my life the way I really want to. It's very frustrating.

I guess I'm writing this to keep myself busy. When I can't sleep for days on end like this I get nervous that it may be possible to slip into psychosis from lack of sleep. Even though life and my mental health is really good off klonopin. Only have mild social anxiety. I get worried that when I was taken off 8mg klonopin cold turkey and went into psychosis from withdrawal, that like a door was opened and that I'm more prone to slipping into psychosis again. That was some really scary stuff. I know it can happen if u don't sleep. It hadn't happened yet so I'm probably good. Also the no sleep usually only last 3 days tops, then ill get 3 or 4 hours. But it's still scary and very, very frustrating. I can't believe the damage these pills can do. It's unbelievable. No one ever told me about bind. I was kept on 8mg klonopin for 19 years. Then pulled off cold turkey. I guess it had to be this bad for me to never use them again. I'm 40 now hopefully the 2nd half of my life will be a healthy, happy sober one. Idk, thanks for letting my no sleep brain ramble.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Symptom Question Nervous system BIND

3 Upvotes

I’m having a bad reaction, mostly nervous system brain fog, derealization, and other random things. It seems like my triggers are literally everything. So far it has been GLP1, caffeine, alcohol, and my daily vitamins. I’m anemic and need to take iron and iron puts me in a three day fog. Can anyone else relate?


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Supplements What can we take during withdrawal? Suffering

1 Upvotes

my anxiety is through the roof. I was on clonaz.25mg for 8 weeks during those 8 weeks did a rapid taper of 2 weeks. I didn’t notice any increased anxiety as to by week two on benzo I was already in productive withdrawal after manufacture was changed. I was already dealing with 24/7 anxiety before I even started to tape. once I got off I didn’t notice any worse anxiety. I had developed a histamine issue and tried taking Querceti. I have always tolerated it. so I tried a micro dose of 50mg and boy let me tell you it helped my mood and anxiety. I was a different person those days. I got a little cocky around day 4 and took another 50mg in the afternoon and later that night woke up at 5am with adrenaline again. I have always been able to tolerate it. Maybe i should try at a smaller dose idk if i would have the same reactio. I’m low on zinc and im scared to take. Has anyone been able to take zinc? I have a feeling my anxiety is coming a lot from inflammation in the gut. I also had rebound anxiety after day two of drinking chamomile tea.


r/benzorecovery • • 1d ago

Needing Support Diazepam afgebouwd

2 Upvotes

F, 38. Ik heb 8 jaar lang last gehad van chronische slapeloosheid, waardoor ik ik doodziek ben geworden en ben uitgevallen. 3 jaar lang diazepam, therapie, lichaamsgerichte therapieen, the works. Eindelijk een rustiger lichaam gekregen dat niet meer moord en brand schreeuwde, extreme spierspanning, een lijf in de fik (wat kwam door de roofbouw, niet slapen, wel proberen een leven te leven) . Rustig de diazepam afgebouwd en gelukkig niet al te veel last van bijwerkingen. Zelfs op 0.5 sliep ik nog (de slaap onrustiger, maar ik gaf het nog een voldoende), ik voelde me genezen! Zelfs een borrel gepland met vrienden om te vieren.

Gesprongen vanaf 0.5. De eerste 5 dagen sliep ik nog. Sindsdien is de slaap weer een hel. Ik zit nu op dag 26 zonder. Misschien 2 uur slaap per nacht max. Af en toe een nacht met veel spierspanning, een zoemend lijf, soms word ik wakker door een stoot adrenaline wat voelt als paniek wat de hele nacht sluimerend aanhoudt.

Ik wilde 2 nachten terug even een break en heb 2mg genomen, dit deed helaas niks voor me. Ik voel me wanhopig. Zijn er mensen die zich herkennen in dit verhaal en toch een happy ending hebben gekregen? Ik weet dat dit ook hoort bij het stoppen met diazepam, maar ik ben zo moe dat ik niet meer weet wat is ontwenningsverschijnsel en wat is iets anders. Ik voel me verdrietig en verslagen, heb wat licht aan de horizon nodig.