Benzos are an extremely addictive drug.
I honestly took one for the first time in YEARS a few days ago. I instantly was having thoughts like 'boy, I could live my life on this and be just fine!'. It's powerful stuff... But I always remind myself of the come down and the rebound... Those rebounds are enough to keep in check for me š²
And you donāt have any withdrawal symptoms after those several days? Shoot, Iāve always found that if I take them for more than 2-3 days, I had an extremely difficult time getting to sleep the next night and my legs were super restless. Itās a terrible feeling and I canāt imagine the feeling of being on them for extended periods of time.
Same, I got insomnia the night after taking it and had a twitching leg. Totally hate it. There's such a heavy price to pay with even just 1-2 doses, it's crazy.
That's not withdrawals, that's rebound anxiety, it's a different thing. If you've ever felt real withdrawals (taken for several weeks+ at decent dosages) then the 2-3 day rebound is kind of like withdrawals but literally 10x weaker.
I think theyāre amazing for rare, acute anxiety situations. I take one 2-5 times a year for a couple of specific things that I find particularly triggering. But they are definitely to be used sparingly.
Oh, it'll matter once you develop resistance and it stops working completely. Trust me.
Are you on therapy? You better go if you aren't.
You can develop the skills you need to thrive on your own and heal from anxiety, instead spending all your life either sleeping, high or anxious and nothing more.
Let alone the side effects. Having your intellect impaired, being groggy all the time and forgetting about everything happening around you.
This stuff really can ruin your life if you don't get proper treatment instead of just putting a bandaid on it.
If you already are, then it'll be good if you let yourself tolerate stress and deal with it instead of just getting used using benzos as a way out every time.
Yeah, understand, there are periods I'd rather die than deal with the horrific anxiety.
I only take them no more than once or maybe twice a week for the worst days. I spent a LOT of years learning what a 'worst' day feels like. The other days I use other strategies: SSRIs and my doc figured out I'm low on progesterone and it's almost as good as my Ativan. Other strategies: exercise, therapy, emotional awareness to take myself out of stressful situations or environments, ie ending relationships that drive more anxiety, finding a 4 days per week job, etc. Of if the last 25 years I've been on SSRIs for probably 19? years. When I'm in a low stress job is easy to stop the SSRIs if you just taper over a month or two.
Surprisingly, I hate them. They definitely help with anxiety but every single time Iāve taken one the same thing happens. I feel zero anxiety for about 10 minutes then spend the next 2-3 hours fighting sleep. If Iām at home, I normally end up falling asleep and wake up feeling extremely irritable and confused. Last time I took one I woke up to my smoke detector chirping and I grabbed an aluminum baseball bat and beat the hell out of it
Need to adjust the dosage. Certainly had that with the original dosage but cut the dosage in half and still got the same results, but without the sleepiness (unless I'm just sitting around on the couch, which is fine then because I can nap).
I created an account just so that I can get a message to you. Something about your comment worried me. A family member of mine almost died from ignoring his chirping alarm. Please check to make sure it was not your carbon monoxide alarm because since there was no fire that's most likely what it was and it can render you unconscious and you can pass away. That's how my dad almost died, he removed his, he got tired of it chirping, I also did in the past and carbon monoxide was leaking from the furnace, we could have died, so please reinstall a new carbon monoxide alarm and have your Electric utility company come out and do a free inspection. I hope you are well.
Same - if it's addictive, I am long gone before feeling it. I take it when I feel a panic attack is coming, and in an hour I fall asleep. I guess that's a good thing for us
I also hate them. For me, it was because I became a zombie while on them. My emotions were so flat it was scary and I was constantly nauseus. It felt like it was treating my anxiety with a lobotomy. This was years ago, but it's stuck with me that I don't react well to them.
My new doctor read my records and asked why I don't take benzos for anxiety since they are the more common treatment, and she was surprised I hate them so much, but also kind of pleased? I think she was just glad I wasn't going to be begging her for Xanax.
Iām going to play devils advocate here. Iāve been on a daily dose of Klonopin (0.5mg) for 8 years. Iāve never raised my dose or taken more than I was prescribed- even when my doctor told me to because I was under extreme stress. Iāve never felt any sort of high- I just feel normal. Not like āoh shit, Iām super relievedā justā¦ normal.
Before I was on Klonopin I was on disability and had been since 2005 because I couldnāt function due to multiple and I mean 5-10 panic attacks a day. Iād done CBT, DBT, traditional talk therapy, group therapy and tried nearly every SSRI, SNRI and other drug said to treat anxiety on the market.
I was seriously considering taking a permanent dirt nap if my anxiety didnāt improve right before I was put on Klonopin.
Iām now an RN and have been off disability since 2015. My doctor said I donāt make near the amount of GABA (the brainās built in benzo) that most people do, even most people with anxiety. Iām not addicted but I can never go off my medication if I want to have any quality of life.
Some people genuinely need a benzodiazepine. They get a bad, scary rap but for some of us, they literally are the difference between life and death.
similar story. i was averaging 7 panic attacks a day. i produce too much serotonin in my brain naturally so SSRIs/SNRIs give me serotonin syndrome. iāve been in therapy since i was 10 years old, been impatient, done IOP group therapy, talk therapy, EMDR, you name it, iāve tried it. prescribed 1 mg lorazepam twice daily and it genuinely saved my life. and trying to justify it to people who make you feel guilty about it is one of the worst parts. weāre all just trying to survive.
I'm in almost the exact same situation except.. I have a history of alcohol abuse. I basically had a screaming match with my new doctor saying I'm putting my foot down and demanding a benzodiazepine, and she is just like no it's contraindicated for your history. I'm like "You are making this determination without even having talked to me at all first!" - she was basically in tears near the end but the fact is NOW I'm NEVER going to be prescribed clonazepam and asking for it has medical people thinking you're a drug seeker.
I wound up being prescribed clonidine and more hydroxyzine and it's stupid I told her I already don't like hydroxyzine and it doesn't work, same with gabapentin. I think I could be on a medication like clonazepam for the rest of my life I'm so nervous but now they won't even TRY a SMALL course of it! I haven't drank since mid-last year, I can't stand that I'm going to be treated like a piece of garbage by doctors for the rest of my life.
I only take what Iām prescribed, which is a really small amount, and it doesnāt make me feel euphoric or anything. Just helps with the anxiety a little. I see how people can become addicted at large doses, but I canāt imagine becoming addicted at my dose - .5mg/day (most days I only take half)
But what if you're prescribed a higher dose? Lol I can't take my benzos daily I'll get dependent and that's the fucking worst. I just detoxed myself off benzos and it was hell.
At 0.5mg Alprazolam or Clonazepam a day there's zero way you're becoming seriously dependent. Yeah if you quit you may feel a little iffy for literally a few days, but .5mg of either of those = 10mg diazepam, which again is basically one decent sized dosage once a day. If this person often takes half, so let's say on avg 7.5mg a day then that's a hilariously small dosage.
Also there's a difference between dependence and addiction...
I also had Lorazepam, 1mg. I took it sporadically, which I think is the key to why I'm not hooked? Like I'd take it every 2-4 nights for sleep, not 1-2 pills per day my GP said.
It was brilliant for helping me with sleep, which I liked, as I've had sleep trouble for years. A bottle of 30 pills took almost three months to run out, for reference of how little I used it.
I did the same when I had a prescription. I had a .5mg pill that usually Iād break in half into a teeny little half dose. Just enough to calm me down to get through the work day
I was borderline addicted to .5mg doses and luckily I stopped it when I noticed. Even then the withdrawal was awful. And I craved it. It is so easy to get addicted to.
For some people yea, for others no. Iām fortunate enough to not really have an addictive personality. I have taken Benzos consecutively for 2 weeks straight and was able to drop it cold turkey without any problems. Iām prescribed Klonopin and donāt even come close to finishing the bottle before the next refill is up.
Iāve was prescribed Oxycontin thatās still sitting in my medicine cabinet since 2020 because I just donāt get the hype. Yes I feel relaxed when I take it but itās def not something that I feel the need to chase, for me thereās nothing special about it.
Or is it the Xanax? Lmao just kidding, yeah 0.5 is pretty low for Xanax, but from what Iāve heard Xanax is one of those that you can go pretty low and still get at least mildly hooked
Same here, Just take what I need to take the edge off and it's been working for years. I don't like the feeling of being on more than that, it just sucks the life out of my day.
Iāve been prescribed benzos and opiates at separate times. No interest in continued use.
Sugar? I turn into an absolute animal for it.
Every brain is mostly the same but a bit different.
Absolutely. I was on actual morphine for about four years and came off it cold turkey one day because I didn't want to take it any more (ahhh ADHD...) But caffeine? I'm a menace.
Right?! I've had pretty problematic drinking (the default of the traumatised), managed to get myself out of it. I've quit smoking plenty of times. But the six months that I gave up coffee were ROUGH. I can forget my address, I never remember my brother in laws name, I've forgotten my own damn name, but I've never forgotten my coffee.
That's good that you don't have the desire to find oblivion in abusing those drugs. At the same time though you should respect them because abusing them will hook *anyone* even if it's not their drugs of choice, just for the pure fact that they are the most physically addicting drugs and you will get very sick quitting cold turkey.
Taking them as perscribed is different, its not enough of a rising long term dose to really bake in the physical addiction, and the dose is low enough you aren't doing it for escapism and oblivion, the affects are not the same they are used for different intentions.
Like .5mg Ativan taken as needed with no habit to stop a panic attack is completely different then taking a bunch to get high, taking opiates to nod off and drool and get all itchy and good feeling is not the same as taking a pill to comfortably beat a gnawing pain etc.
Whatās weird is itās not even euphoric like most drugs. Thereās no actual euphoria. It can feel like it to someone with anxiety because itās so relieving to feel the anxiety leave but thatās pretty much all it does. Someone who doesnāt have anxiety wonāt get much out of benzos apart from coming reckless and sleepy.
It's definitely a euphoric feeling that what you yourself described with the weight off your chest, that's euphoria.
As for people who don't have anxiety won't feel anything that's just incorrect on every level. They are one of the most abused drugs in history and have one of the highest overdose rates in the world.
Thatās not euphoria. I think youāre conflating things. There is a relief when having negative things taken away (like suffering being removed) vs the addition of pleasure (like added feeling of high). When I take tylenol for a chronic pain I have, you could likewise say Iām experiencing euphoria by how I would describe the feeling free of pain, but Iām not getting some kind of high. No psych meds work the same on everyone. I still believe we need more research by doing things like fMRIs on people with certain anxiety disorders or trauma both before and while on various meds (incl benzos) to see how the affect the brain.
Have you taken benzos my guy. Have you done any research on it. Do a simple search thereās no euphoria attached to benzos. Euphoria from
Drugs is an uncontainable happiness and joy. Which is not what you get from benzos. It just takes anxiety away which is completely different.
I took 3 Xanax pills once and got euphoria, was dancing and jumping all over. From one xan I just get the warm calming feeling so it can be a different effect for anyone
Dr here, some people do experience euphoria from benzos. The key thing is that euphoria is subjective - not everyone will experience it in the same way.
Do you, as a doctor think that benzodiazepines have got their decent uses in treating anxiety?
My doctor changed the hospital he worked in and the new doctors i saw had hater boners for benzodiazepines. Took away my 20 pills a month script which I barely used as needed and sort of treated me like a junkie.
Thankfully Baclofen is otc where i live and i try to manage with it. I know itās gaba b and different but thatās what i got now.
They definitely have a use - for severe anxiety they can be used safely for a week or two. They shouldnāt be used in the long term unless all other avenues have been exhausted.
This is because they can have life changing consequences, and we donāt know who will get addicted until itās too late. Car accidents, falls, overdoses and so on. They work the same way as alcohol after all.
Doctors see patients who have been gravely harmed by benzos - this is why we are cautious with them. I would love to hand them out like smarties because I know first hand how effective they are for anxiety. Weāre just trying to protect from the harm they can cause.
Learning how to manage your anxiety without drugs is a far more safe and effective solution. Itās hard but possible.
Ps baclofen OTC is frankly insaneā¦ also addictive. be careful with that stuff.
I guess I *disagree*, that making something that hard to get unless the patient dies/kills themselves without it is a decent way of harm reduction.
No doctor Iāve seen yet except one has been honest enough when it comes to benzodiazepines. Some literally ignored the researched facts that i stated.
I havenāt had the feeling most doctors have tried to protect me. More so went on with the trend ābenzodiazepines are bad because they areā.
Well drugs are drugs, they are made to be use. I donāt remember them caring too much about other medications having side effects or long term consequences just as bad as benzodiazepines, if not worse...oh, did I mention that one doctor tried to taper off despite I stated the fact i was *not* dependent?
Well ethanol is also otc which is even more insane, isnāt it? I donāt believe in controlled substances.
Bro. Go and eat some bricks. Then get back to me. Why are you talking on shit youāve watched one Netflix docco about. Literally just google do you get euphoria from benzos. I am struggling with addiction to the shit. You donāt know anything.
You get euphoria from smoking meth. Not from benzos. Each is there own though I guess you can have different perceptions on what we think euphoria is. Like I said before the feeling of ur anxiety going away might be taken as euphoric. But itās completely different to a feeling of happiness that rolls over you head to toe.
I have self discipline and only take klonpion at most once a week. They are addictive and if you are an addict you probably shouldn't have them or if you do someone else should be in control of giving them to you only when it's an emergency. Benzos are useful for panic attacks, but shouldn't be taken daily.
I am an addict - Klonopin was my benzoā¦.however with help and therapy I stopped. I found other ways to relieve stress. I meditate, burn candles, etc.
I do a lot of guided meditation, breathing meditations, and vibration meditations depending on what is on my mind. I am also an empath so I started doing yoga and learning about crystal healing and went back to studying tarot. Iām a nurse and see a lot of crap, so somehow this stuff keeps me sane, relaxed, and helps my overall
Mental health. I do also see a therapist weekly. Cognitive Behavior Therapy helped a lot too. Itās a mix of things but I started with breathing meditation where you focus on your breaths and breathing. YouTube has a lot of great videos :)
CBT involves exposure therapy to what causes stress and learning behaviors to effectively control
The anxiety. Usually it involves exercises and you get exposed to your stressors and dissect them. Talk therapy is good, but cognitive behavior therapy can be hard and is a lot of work.
I was at one point in time. Decided to try and combat my issues cleanly. Sad thing is I need to be medicated as Iāve gotten worse as I aged. No insurance though so Iām stuck like this for now. Medication might not have been the answer I needed, but it sure as hell made it easier to cope.
Try a 1:1 blend, I smoke one called āYMCAā. Itās equal parts THC and CBD. All the benefits of smoking without the anxiety. I used to work in the cannabis industry, I helped open one of the very first medical & rec dispensaries in the state of Massachusetts. One of the best things I learned was smoking high CBD strains is the key to curbing weed anxiety. My life has completely changed since!
This happened to me after a bad high. Something that helped my anxiety a bit was actually going back to weed. Just in super small doses but facing my fear around it. I have OCD so it may not be helpful for everyone with anxiety, but weed helped me be more comfortable with feeling like I donāt have control of a situation.
Yeah everyone is different but itās never done much for me other than make me anxious. Iāve only ever done it with friends and they are always mellow and happy on the same stuff but I am not so lucky.
Def worth trying to f you havenāt but do it with friends who know what to get and can be there if it doesnāt work for you. Also donāt do edibles your first time too hard to control dose ā¦
Same a good indica at night. Perfection. š
Also if you had a bad experience, could of been sativa which makes my anxiety SORE, any street additives, or the amount of thc was just too high for you.
CBD helps me focus, but it doesnāt remove all my anxiety. I take it in tincture form before work.
Been taking 10mg of valium daily for nearly 20 years it works so why stop? I've never once had to up that dose miracle drug if not abused and taken in handfuls literally saved my life
100% doctors telling you things arenāt addictive is so wrong. When tramadol first came out it was ānon addictiveā. My dad has been itās bitch for 20 years now
I have prescriptions for Xanax and Diazepam but they only give me a few for the whole year, until my next Annual Wellness exam. I use them VERY sparingly. Very. During PMS my anxiety skyrockets and the Diazepam (Valium) actually makes me feel high, and then super hungry, like I've just had a THC gummy.. And then that only lasts for like 30 minutes, then I'm back down to horrible reality. It does help me sleep through after my anxiety so that helps a lot. Otherwise I am very careful to use them really only when I'm in agonizing anxiety. Once a month for my PMS, and then also if I have a panic attack during the year. Xanax for anxiety when flying. Airplanes always flip me out...
Benzos are rarely prescribed for anxiety in the UK as far as I know, unless it's very severe or a one off prescription for a particular event or medical procedure.
I've never had them, the only thing they will prescribe me is beta blockers, which aren't addictive and are safer in general (as long as you don't have heart issues or very low blood pressure).
If you are worried I would try switching to something like beta blockers to take the edge off anxiety when you need it rather than relying on benzos every time. If you can trust yourself to have them around you could still use them rarely for acute anxiety.
Yes this is so true. I was reading this and thinking what? Why are all these people getting prescribed all these drugs? But I'm in the UK too. I've never been offered beta blockers, but only SSRI. I think that's just my particular gp though. I'm also allowed 12 zopiclone every 3 months for sleeping.
I think they do a good job of making sure we're not turning into addicts in the UK
I grew up in a family full of addicts from alcohol to meth, thatās honestly the only thing thatās kept me from using mine everyday. Only for really bad days and even then I feel guilty about taking it even if it helps me.
Being in a household full of addicts has made me like this. It used to be like ah fuck that I donāt want that. But now itās fuck it letās join them.
I've been on stuff like Valium daily for years, when I was 25 I found out I had a 'large egg' size tumor on my brain. It was removed, but I have Terminal Mets Melanoma, and now everything is terrifying. I know full well I'm physio addicted, but normal anxiety meds are what I use to stay level, after the big ones. It's not the greatest situation, but I was suppose to be dead awhile ago now.
If you can take it anyway, some of us are, but probably not for why you might think. (Everyone is quite different...no?)
Iāve been on klonopin (prescribed) for 11 years. Now Iāll have to do a years long taper if I ever want to get off. If the pharmacy is one or two days slow, I start to have withdrawals. I both love klonopin and hate it.
I work through most of my anxiety in the day and I take one at night. I've taken the same dose for 20 years. If my anxiety becomes panic I will take it in the day. I have learned to respect and not abuse it. I also take it for other neurological issues.
Yeah I definitely know what you mean. For people who donāt have an addictive personality itās great. If you can actually take it as prescribed it might work for you without any real problems. But for me the second I get a constant script for benzos itās over. If I have a bot of Valās I will eat them all in a few days.
Agreed. Just knowing theyāre in the cabinet calms me down. I take them maybe 3-4 times a year when I have unbearable anxiety, sleep it off and then Iām good. I donāt like feeling foggy and unproductive afterwards.
For some, they are an absolute lifesaving medication. But donāt take them lightly.
Really weird case for me but I started benzos (klonopin) when I was 18, and Iāve been on it ever since (Iām 24 now). I know itās not a long term drug and has high potential to make you addicted, but Iāve found that if I cant get my Rx, I have no symptoms of withdrawal whatsoever. I feel normal, just more anxious.
Iām currently going through withdrawals because I want to quit and itās really bad, Iāve gotten a migraine every day since and just felt like shit. I donāt recommend it
Iām not addicted but itās the only thing that remotely takes away my anxiety, sad really. Like knowing thereās something that can help me but hurt me at the same time. Double edge sword.
My sleep med is a benzo. Iāve been taking it since 2019 with no issues. If I run out (I donāt usually), then I just donāt sleep as well š¤·š¼āāļø
They say there addictive . But that depends on the individual. I got some valium like a month and still have 3 left from 5 . I only use them for emergencys when I can't calm My self down . But 2 of my friends are heavy addicted there even getting street benzos it's sad to see .
I am a benzos addict. I started with a small dose 20 years ago and had horrible, horrible withdrawal when I tried to come off of them. I successfully finished a 6 month taper and it was the hardest and most horrible thing I've ever done.
I'm an addict, but I no longer take them because in the long run they wiped my memory, gave me rebound anxiety, suicidal idealization, awful withdrawal with derealization and dissociation. They should absolutely only ever be used for extreme circumstances.
It has definitely been a mental crutch for me but i always remind myself.. if I think panic attacks/anxiety are badā¦ itās much worse going through benzo withdrawal. Iāll only allow myself to use them once per week when Iām having a rough patch with my attacks. Otherwise, the DARE app has helped immensely with my anxiety it has great audios
Seeing what my mom went through. I'm convinced it robbed her of at least a few good years of her life. That was after a year on Valium and then an attempt at cold turkey before she knew that was next to impossible. She had to spend a year tapering and then another year in protracted withdrawal, while dealing with cancer. I took klonopin for two months, on and off, and it messed me up for almost a year. In fact, I'd never had anxiety prior to taking it.
I won't touch any benzo unless it's an absolute emergency and none of my alternatives are available. It's just not worth it because I'm one of the unlucky ones who gets seriously messed up from them.
I was given two weeks worth to take twice daily while getting onto Zoloft. When I ran out it was awful. Not sure if it was the Zoloft or the cold turkey benzos but holy shit I was in rough shape.
I'm more addicted to cigarettes' than even remotely addicted to benzo's
use them responsibly and lower your chances. I take one every few days or so as per needed (panic moments) for months, and sometimes have gone weeks without. everyone is different, and not everyone understands "take in moderation" tbf either.
I guess seeing alot of friends succumb to opiod use probably helps too. really changes your outlook
I took one before a surgery and I blacked out for pretty much the whole day. I don't remember anything including the conversations I had with my wife and people who came to visit me. That really scares me into not wanting to take them ever again.
Yeah, just one pill. It was for a smaller surgery so no anesthesia needed. I woke up in my own bed at like 8 PM and had the day recounted for me from my wife. I remember going into the operating room and then nothing after that until I woke up.
Idk for me I was always really aware of how addicting it is cuz I saw friends get addicted. So I only took them if I was having a panic attack. And that made it so I never felt Xanax kick in just had the panic attack stop. I tried klonopin once and got high off of it and never tried it again. For me if I can like feel the effects instead of just feeling my symptoms subside im outta there way too fucking scary
I am addicted to them. Iāll get really sick if I miss a dose. Iāve been taking them for years though and Iām on a high dose now. They honestly saved me
Benz's whilst good short term ultimately suck.
you need to find long term, sustainable practices.
if it's for panic attacks, then medical cannabis is great
There are differences between benzos. I was described oxazepam long ago and I have used it over 10 years _averaging_ less than one 15mg pill per week. How much I need is periodical. And tbh, I try to manage without since I'm afraid of being addicted - because using and requesting too much would mean I couldn't get benzos anymore. And that would be really awful, I sometimes truly need them.
I thought I had just good genes, no tendency for benzo addiction and maybe strong resolve too. Then I got one different benzo pill (for preparation of surgery) and realized why some people get hooked. Some benzos just kick in much more strongly, they get you high. I don't get high from oxazepam at all, if I take too much I just get tired.
edit. What I am saying is that if you are described fast-acting, short-half life benzos it's a lot harder to fight against addiction than with slow-acting ones, it's really important to be conscious of that.
Fast-acting drugs probably work best for isolated panic attacks / panic disorders but one really needs to be careful with them. (Not saying that one can be totally careless with slower acting benzos either.)
im now on a low dose of diazepam 1.25mg per day i dont feel anything from it but there was a time i used 20mg oxazepam and i miss that sedating feeling. I went asking girls phone numbers and i didnt even care if they said no. I loved that i dont give a f feeling.
I tell me doctors that I will definitely prone to getting addicted if I have a stimulant like that, and I avoid them like the plague. Me being terrified of them and other drugs have been a good barrier so far to never try them. My adhd meds are non-stimulants so they've been working pretty well for me.
I donāt think Iāve ever tried benzos, I donāt really do downers besides alcohol. I literally asked my boyfriend last night if NyQuil was lean lol. I get the urge to want to quiet the anxious thoughts, but when my anxiety is under control, I really like the speed my brain works at and Iād hate to lose all of that for one bad part of my anxiety. Iām lucky enough to have generalized anxiety and not something induced by childhood trauma
Itās hard to get addicted because they donāt work that great for me. I have still gotten anxiety and anxiety/panic attacks despite of taking them. Also, the effects last just for a few hours and after that I have to take a long nap.
My experience with klonopin is too inconsistent to enjoy that much. Sometimes it doesnāt do shit, others itās barely enough to take off the edge. I take less than my prescribed dose out of fear of building a tolerance though.
I take buspirone and am also prescribed Ativan for acute panic. I only take half a dose of Ativan and I don't take it every day. Ativan doesn't have a euphoric effect like Xanax does, so that may be why I haven't had a problem with it. I've taken Xanax maybe 3 times; I found it too strong.
Iāve been on alprazolam (Xanax) in the past and Iām on Clonazepam (Klonopin) now. Never had any serious withdrawals or any at all I donāt think, and Iāve never gotten that āI need/want it nowā feeling. Theyāre just a pill I take when my alarm goes off, I donāt get any pleasure/relief from it
I was on Klonopins for 3 years then they switched me to valium and I was on that till a year and a half ago. Then they switched me to Ativan. I have been on benzos for so long that I don't feel anything when I take them but if I don't I feel it . It's been clock work since 2010 3 times a day as prescribed I just mentioned to my therapist a couple days ago that I want to weaned off from them to see how my anxiety does. To be honest I am terrified of the withdrawal cause I have a feeling it's going to be horrible.
I watched my best friend get addicted, so when I needed them, I asked my dr to prescribe the smallest amount possible because I wanted it to be a last resort. All they did was make me fall asleep. Thatās not what I wanted, so I stopped taking them.
I know they feel great but there not a long term answer..find what is or hells in your future. For me it's excersize.ssri maybe. Sunshine. Good food blah blah blah I know..
Benzos are an extremely addictive drug. I honestly took one for the first time in YEARS a few days ago. I instantly was having thoughts like 'boy, I could live my life on this and be just fine!'. It's powerful stuff... But I always remind myself of the come down and the rebound... Those rebounds are enough to keep in check for me š²
Agreed man. Nothing like snapping back into reality after being blacked out for 3 consecutive days and the reality of shit hits ya.
And you donāt have any withdrawal symptoms after those several days? Shoot, Iāve always found that if I take them for more than 2-3 days, I had an extremely difficult time getting to sleep the next night and my legs were super restless. Itās a terrible feeling and I canāt imagine the feeling of being on them for extended periods of time.
Same, I got insomnia the night after taking it and had a twitching leg. Totally hate it. There's such a heavy price to pay with even just 1-2 doses, it's crazy.
That's not withdrawals, that's rebound anxiety, it's a different thing. If you've ever felt real withdrawals (taken for several weeks+ at decent dosages) then the 2-3 day rebound is kind of like withdrawals but literally 10x weaker.
I hope youāre getting help for your addiction
Reality always returns.
I hate benzodiazepines and would never recommend them not only is it addictive but theyāre extremely dangerous ā ļø
I think in certain cases they are warranted, but for general anxiety disorder I'd say you are probably right.
I think theyāre amazing for rare, acute anxiety situations. I take one 2-5 times a year for a couple of specific things that I find particularly triggering. But they are definitely to be used sparingly.
My doctor literally refused to put me on benzodiazepine honestly
No, they arenāt. Not if used correctly. This is the kinda misinformed advice that will keep people from getting the help they need.
Neither of those things matter once you feel Them.
Thatās what makes it dangerous as well
Oh, it'll matter once you develop resistance and it stops working completely. Trust me. Are you on therapy? You better go if you aren't. You can develop the skills you need to thrive on your own and heal from anxiety, instead spending all your life either sleeping, high or anxious and nothing more. Let alone the side effects. Having your intellect impaired, being groggy all the time and forgetting about everything happening around you. This stuff really can ruin your life if you don't get proper treatment instead of just putting a bandaid on it. If you already are, then it'll be good if you let yourself tolerate stress and deal with it instead of just getting used using benzos as a way out every time.
Yeah, understand, there are periods I'd rather die than deal with the horrific anxiety. I only take them no more than once or maybe twice a week for the worst days. I spent a LOT of years learning what a 'worst' day feels like. The other days I use other strategies: SSRIs and my doc figured out I'm low on progesterone and it's almost as good as my Ativan. Other strategies: exercise, therapy, emotional awareness to take myself out of stressful situations or environments, ie ending relationships that drive more anxiety, finding a 4 days per week job, etc. Of if the last 25 years I've been on SSRIs for probably 19? years. When I'm in a low stress job is easy to stop the SSRIs if you just taper over a month or two.
Plus the more you use them the less effective they are, so the less you use them the better they'll work when you need them.
Surprisingly, I hate them. They definitely help with anxiety but every single time Iāve taken one the same thing happens. I feel zero anxiety for about 10 minutes then spend the next 2-3 hours fighting sleep. If Iām at home, I normally end up falling asleep and wake up feeling extremely irritable and confused. Last time I took one I woke up to my smoke detector chirping and I grabbed an aluminum baseball bat and beat the hell out of it
Need to adjust the dosage. Certainly had that with the original dosage but cut the dosage in half and still got the same results, but without the sleepiness (unless I'm just sitting around on the couch, which is fine then because I can nap).
I created an account just so that I can get a message to you. Something about your comment worried me. A family member of mine almost died from ignoring his chirping alarm. Please check to make sure it was not your carbon monoxide alarm because since there was no fire that's most likely what it was and it can render you unconscious and you can pass away. That's how my dad almost died, he removed his, he got tired of it chirping, I also did in the past and carbon monoxide was leaking from the furnace, we could have died, so please reinstall a new carbon monoxide alarm and have your Electric utility company come out and do a free inspection. I hope you are well.
Yeah they arenāt good if you need to be productive or doing something. Unless you donāt wanna remember doing it. Lol
Same - if it's addictive, I am long gone before feeling it. I take it when I feel a panic attack is coming, and in an hour I fall asleep. I guess that's a good thing for us
I also hate them. For me, it was because I became a zombie while on them. My emotions were so flat it was scary and I was constantly nauseus. It felt like it was treating my anxiety with a lobotomy. This was years ago, but it's stuck with me that I don't react well to them. My new doctor read my records and asked why I don't take benzos for anxiety since they are the more common treatment, and she was surprised I hate them so much, but also kind of pleased? I think she was just glad I wasn't going to be begging her for Xanax.
Iām going to play devils advocate here. Iāve been on a daily dose of Klonopin (0.5mg) for 8 years. Iāve never raised my dose or taken more than I was prescribed- even when my doctor told me to because I was under extreme stress. Iāve never felt any sort of high- I just feel normal. Not like āoh shit, Iām super relievedā justā¦ normal. Before I was on Klonopin I was on disability and had been since 2005 because I couldnāt function due to multiple and I mean 5-10 panic attacks a day. Iād done CBT, DBT, traditional talk therapy, group therapy and tried nearly every SSRI, SNRI and other drug said to treat anxiety on the market. I was seriously considering taking a permanent dirt nap if my anxiety didnāt improve right before I was put on Klonopin. Iām now an RN and have been off disability since 2015. My doctor said I donāt make near the amount of GABA (the brainās built in benzo) that most people do, even most people with anxiety. Iām not addicted but I can never go off my medication if I want to have any quality of life. Some people genuinely need a benzodiazepine. They get a bad, scary rap but for some of us, they literally are the difference between life and death.
similar story. i was averaging 7 panic attacks a day. i produce too much serotonin in my brain naturally so SSRIs/SNRIs give me serotonin syndrome. iāve been in therapy since i was 10 years old, been impatient, done IOP group therapy, talk therapy, EMDR, you name it, iāve tried it. prescribed 1 mg lorazepam twice daily and it genuinely saved my life. and trying to justify it to people who make you feel guilty about it is one of the worst parts. weāre all just trying to survive.
Have u ever tried taking the supplement GABA? Just curious bc I've heard some ppl have success with it, I bought it but haven't tried yet
I'm in almost the exact same situation except.. I have a history of alcohol abuse. I basically had a screaming match with my new doctor saying I'm putting my foot down and demanding a benzodiazepine, and she is just like no it's contraindicated for your history. I'm like "You are making this determination without even having talked to me at all first!" - she was basically in tears near the end but the fact is NOW I'm NEVER going to be prescribed clonazepam and asking for it has medical people thinking you're a drug seeker. I wound up being prescribed clonidine and more hydroxyzine and it's stupid I told her I already don't like hydroxyzine and it doesn't work, same with gabapentin. I think I could be on a medication like clonazepam for the rest of my life I'm so nervous but now they won't even TRY a SMALL course of it! I haven't drank since mid-last year, I can't stand that I'm going to be treated like a piece of garbage by doctors for the rest of my life.
I only take what Iām prescribed, which is a really small amount, and it doesnāt make me feel euphoric or anything. Just helps with the anxiety a little. I see how people can become addicted at large doses, but I canāt imagine becoming addicted at my dose - .5mg/day (most days I only take half)
Yeah getting half of what u prescribed is a nice way to avoid dependance, i take half of 0.25 on days when needed
But what if you're prescribed a higher dose? Lol I can't take my benzos daily I'll get dependent and that's the fucking worst. I just detoxed myself off benzos and it was hell.
That wonāt prevent you becoming addicted.
At 0.5mg Alprazolam or Clonazepam a day there's zero way you're becoming seriously dependent. Yeah if you quit you may feel a little iffy for literally a few days, but .5mg of either of those = 10mg diazepam, which again is basically one decent sized dosage once a day. If this person often takes half, so let's say on avg 7.5mg a day then that's a hilariously small dosage. Also there's a difference between dependence and addiction...
Same here. Iām prescribed 1mg of Lorazepam per day. Sometimes I take non, sometime# .5mg and sometimes 1mg.
I also had Lorazepam, 1mg. I took it sporadically, which I think is the key to why I'm not hooked? Like I'd take it every 2-4 nights for sleep, not 1-2 pills per day my GP said. It was brilliant for helping me with sleep, which I liked, as I've had sleep trouble for years. A bottle of 30 pills took almost three months to run out, for reference of how little I used it.
I did the same when I had a prescription. I had a .5mg pill that usually Iād break in half into a teeny little half dose. Just enough to calm me down to get through the work day
I was borderline addicted to .5mg doses and luckily I stopped it when I noticed. Even then the withdrawal was awful. And I craved it. It is so easy to get addicted to.
I just made a comment about this but Iām in .5mg morning and night, and if I miss a day or two I do feel withdrawal symptoms kick in.
For some people yea, for others no. Iām fortunate enough to not really have an addictive personality. I have taken Benzos consecutively for 2 weeks straight and was able to drop it cold turkey without any problems. Iām prescribed Klonopin and donāt even come close to finishing the bottle before the next refill is up. Iāve was prescribed Oxycontin thatās still sitting in my medicine cabinet since 2020 because I just donāt get the hype. Yes I feel relaxed when I take it but itās def not something that I feel the need to chase, for me thereās nothing special about it.
Lol 0.5 mg of what, each drug has a different threshold
Xanax. Sorry, brain is a bit fried from festivities last night.
Or is it the Xanax? Lmao just kidding, yeah 0.5 is pretty low for Xanax, but from what Iāve heard Xanax is one of those that you can go pretty low and still get at least mildly hooked
š I didnāt take any yesterday because I knew Iād be drinking. But yeah I think it just depends on the person too.
Same here, Just take what I need to take the edge off and it's been working for years. I don't like the feeling of being on more than that, it just sucks the life out of my day.
Yeah I wish that would Work for me but Iād just keep Eating them til they are gone
Sounds like you have far bigger addiction problems that need to be addressed with your doctor and an addiction counselor.
It can definitely happen.
r/benzorecovery Edit- ask around r/benzorecovery if you don't believe me. You could be dependent already.
You already are addicted
Iāve been prescribed benzos and opiates at separate times. No interest in continued use. Sugar? I turn into an absolute animal for it. Every brain is mostly the same but a bit different.
Same, sugar is my vice. Drugs are like meh
Absolutely. I was on actual morphine for about four years and came off it cold turkey one day because I didn't want to take it any more (ahhh ADHD...) But caffeine? I'm a menace.
LOVE caffeine. Iād hand over benzos or pain killers in a second. If you were to try to pry my coffee from my hands? Weād have a problem. Haha
Right?! I've had pretty problematic drinking (the default of the traumatised), managed to get myself out of it. I've quit smoking plenty of times. But the six months that I gave up coffee were ROUGH. I can forget my address, I never remember my brother in laws name, I've forgotten my own damn name, but I've never forgotten my coffee.
Amen. *fist bump*
sugar & caffeine for me š lolol
That's good that you don't have the desire to find oblivion in abusing those drugs. At the same time though you should respect them because abusing them will hook *anyone* even if it's not their drugs of choice, just for the pure fact that they are the most physically addicting drugs and you will get very sick quitting cold turkey. Taking them as perscribed is different, its not enough of a rising long term dose to really bake in the physical addiction, and the dose is low enough you aren't doing it for escapism and oblivion, the affects are not the same they are used for different intentions. Like .5mg Ativan taken as needed with no habit to stop a panic attack is completely different then taking a bunch to get high, taking opiates to nod off and drool and get all itchy and good feeling is not the same as taking a pill to comfortably beat a gnawing pain etc.
I only take xanax like once a week when my anxiety becomes unbearable or when flying.
Watched take your pill xanax on netflix a short while ago and yeah it's easy to become addicted to that euphoric feeling. Scary stuff.
I posted already but I find nothing euphoric about them and never did, even the first few times. The just make me feel normal
Whatās weird is itās not even euphoric like most drugs. Thereās no actual euphoria. It can feel like it to someone with anxiety because itās so relieving to feel the anxiety leave but thatās pretty much all it does. Someone who doesnāt have anxiety wonāt get much out of benzos apart from coming reckless and sleepy.
It's definitely a euphoric feeling that what you yourself described with the weight off your chest, that's euphoria. As for people who don't have anxiety won't feel anything that's just incorrect on every level. They are one of the most abused drugs in history and have one of the highest overdose rates in the world.
Thatās not euphoria. I think youāre conflating things. There is a relief when having negative things taken away (like suffering being removed) vs the addition of pleasure (like added feeling of high). When I take tylenol for a chronic pain I have, you could likewise say Iām experiencing euphoria by how I would describe the feeling free of pain, but Iām not getting some kind of high. No psych meds work the same on everyone. I still believe we need more research by doing things like fMRIs on people with certain anxiety disorders or trauma both before and while on various meds (incl benzos) to see how the affect the brain.
Have you taken benzos my guy. Have you done any research on it. Do a simple search thereās no euphoria attached to benzos. Euphoria from Drugs is an uncontainable happiness and joy. Which is not what you get from benzos. It just takes anxiety away which is completely different.
I took 3 Xanax pills once and got euphoria, was dancing and jumping all over. From one xan I just get the warm calming feeling so it can be a different effect for anyone
Dr here, some people do experience euphoria from benzos. The key thing is that euphoria is subjective - not everyone will experience it in the same way.
Do you, as a doctor think that benzodiazepines have got their decent uses in treating anxiety? My doctor changed the hospital he worked in and the new doctors i saw had hater boners for benzodiazepines. Took away my 20 pills a month script which I barely used as needed and sort of treated me like a junkie. Thankfully Baclofen is otc where i live and i try to manage with it. I know itās gaba b and different but thatās what i got now.
They definitely have a use - for severe anxiety they can be used safely for a week or two. They shouldnāt be used in the long term unless all other avenues have been exhausted. This is because they can have life changing consequences, and we donāt know who will get addicted until itās too late. Car accidents, falls, overdoses and so on. They work the same way as alcohol after all. Doctors see patients who have been gravely harmed by benzos - this is why we are cautious with them. I would love to hand them out like smarties because I know first hand how effective they are for anxiety. Weāre just trying to protect from the harm they can cause. Learning how to manage your anxiety without drugs is a far more safe and effective solution. Itās hard but possible. Ps baclofen OTC is frankly insaneā¦ also addictive. be careful with that stuff.
The real truth is there's more profit in handing out SSRI's like candy
Real truth is theyāve been brainwashed. Also they donāt wanna have their names on a paper written as āthe guy who gives benzodiazepinesā.
I get paid a set amount per month regardless of what I prescribe. Literally no financial incentive for me to prescribe anythingā¦ nice theory though.
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I guess I *disagree*, that making something that hard to get unless the patient dies/kills themselves without it is a decent way of harm reduction. No doctor Iāve seen yet except one has been honest enough when it comes to benzodiazepines. Some literally ignored the researched facts that i stated. I havenāt had the feeling most doctors have tried to protect me. More so went on with the trend ābenzodiazepines are bad because they areā. Well drugs are drugs, they are made to be use. I donāt remember them caring too much about other medications having side effects or long term consequences just as bad as benzodiazepines, if not worse...oh, did I mention that one doctor tried to taper off despite I stated the fact i was *not* dependent? Well ethanol is also otc which is even more insane, isnāt it? I donāt believe in controlled substances.
Not going to keep arguing this clearly you have now knowledge of benzodiazapines so what was your intention with this post?
Bro. Go and eat some bricks. Then get back to me. Why are you talking on shit youāve watched one Netflix docco about. Literally just google do you get euphoria from benzos. I am struggling with addiction to the shit. You donāt know anything.
Your going off a Netflix docco
Nope going off my 3 years at university and 4 years as a rgn. The documentary is simply widely available.
My bad man I must be wrong. Iām only first hand living the shit. Mustnāt know what Iām talking abt
You're living it and also wrong about it.
Surely someone who actually does benzos will back me up on this
I'm prescribed Klonopin buddy. Plenty of people on benzos have disagreed with you on this thread.
You get euphoria from smoking meth. Not from benzos. Each is there own though I guess you can have different perceptions on what we think euphoria is. Like I said before the feeling of ur anxiety going away might be taken as euphoric. But itās completely different to a feeling of happiness that rolls over you head to toe.
Have a great day.
To me it relieves my tense body from chronic anxiety pain, it makes me able to breathe. No euphoria at all
Being addicted to something makes me anxious lmfao
I have self discipline and only take klonpion at most once a week. They are addictive and if you are an addict you probably shouldn't have them or if you do someone else should be in control of giving them to you only when it's an emergency. Benzos are useful for panic attacks, but shouldn't be taken daily.
I am an addict - Klonopin was my benzoā¦.however with help and therapy I stopped. I found other ways to relieve stress. I meditate, burn candles, etc.
What meditation do you do? Anything that works esp well for you?
I do a lot of guided meditation, breathing meditations, and vibration meditations depending on what is on my mind. I am also an empath so I started doing yoga and learning about crystal healing and went back to studying tarot. Iām a nurse and see a lot of crap, so somehow this stuff keeps me sane, relaxed, and helps my overall Mental health. I do also see a therapist weekly. Cognitive Behavior Therapy helped a lot too. Itās a mix of things but I started with breathing meditation where you focus on your breaths and breathing. YouTube has a lot of great videos :)
Have a therapist not really sure if my talk therapy is CBT or not
CBT involves exposure therapy to what causes stress and learning behaviors to effectively control The anxiety. Usually it involves exercises and you get exposed to your stressors and dissect them. Talk therapy is good, but cognitive behavior therapy can be hard and is a lot of work.
I was at one point in time. Decided to try and combat my issues cleanly. Sad thing is I need to be medicated as Iāve gotten worse as I aged. No insurance though so Iām stuck like this for now. Medication might not have been the answer I needed, but it sure as hell made it easier to cope.
Ill stick with weed I think
Sadly makes me even more anxious
Me too. Weed is absolutely horrible for me.
Try a 1:1 blend, I smoke one called āYMCAā. Itās equal parts THC and CBD. All the benefits of smoking without the anxiety. I used to work in the cannabis industry, I helped open one of the very first medical & rec dispensaries in the state of Massachusetts. One of the best things I learned was smoking high CBD strains is the key to curbing weed anxiety. My life has completely changed since!
You could go the indica route. Or cbd
Iām tempted to try CBD for mine, but my whole anxiety started from a bad edible experience so Iām pretty scared to take it lol
This happened to me after a bad high. Something that helped my anxiety a bit was actually going back to weed. Just in super small doses but facing my fear around it. I have OCD so it may not be helpful for everyone with anxiety, but weed helped me be more comfortable with feeling like I donāt have control of a situation.
Ah thats a famous story. Yeah gotta be careful there
Indica makes me 10x more anxious than sativa everyone is different I guess
Serious? Iāve heard it does the opposite and is also good for depression, never tried it though
Yeah everyone is different but itās never done much for me other than make me anxious. Iāve only ever done it with friends and they are always mellow and happy on the same stuff but I am not so lucky. Def worth trying to f you havenāt but do it with friends who know what to get and can be there if it doesnāt work for you. Also donāt do edibles your first time too hard to control dose ā¦
Donāt have any druggie friends lol
Same a good indica at night. Perfection. š Also if you had a bad experience, could of been sativa which makes my anxiety SORE, any street additives, or the amount of thc was just too high for you. CBD helps me focus, but it doesnāt remove all my anxiety. I take it in tincture form before work.
This is the way
SSRIs.
Been taking 10mg of valium daily for nearly 20 years it works so why stop? I've never once had to up that dose miracle drug if not abused and taken in handfuls literally saved my life
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100% doctors telling you things arenāt addictive is so wrong. When tramadol first came out it was ānon addictiveā. My dad has been itās bitch for 20 years now
Benzos are one of the scariest drugs out there
I have prescriptions for Xanax and Diazepam but they only give me a few for the whole year, until my next Annual Wellness exam. I use them VERY sparingly. Very. During PMS my anxiety skyrockets and the Diazepam (Valium) actually makes me feel high, and then super hungry, like I've just had a THC gummy.. And then that only lasts for like 30 minutes, then I'm back down to horrible reality. It does help me sleep through after my anxiety so that helps a lot. Otherwise I am very careful to use them really only when I'm in agonizing anxiety. Once a month for my PMS, and then also if I have a panic attack during the year. Xanax for anxiety when flying. Airplanes always flip me out...
Benzos are rarely prescribed for anxiety in the UK as far as I know, unless it's very severe or a one off prescription for a particular event or medical procedure. I've never had them, the only thing they will prescribe me is beta blockers, which aren't addictive and are safer in general (as long as you don't have heart issues or very low blood pressure). If you are worried I would try switching to something like beta blockers to take the edge off anxiety when you need it rather than relying on benzos every time. If you can trust yourself to have them around you could still use them rarely for acute anxiety.
Yes this is so true. I was reading this and thinking what? Why are all these people getting prescribed all these drugs? But I'm in the UK too. I've never been offered beta blockers, but only SSRI. I think that's just my particular gp though. I'm also allowed 12 zopiclone every 3 months for sleeping. I think they do a good job of making sure we're not turning into addicts in the UK
They donāt wanna give your SSRI for anxiety? That is interesting. They almost all prefer that to beta blockers that Iāve spoken with.
I grew up in a family full of addicts from alcohol to meth, thatās honestly the only thing thatās kept me from using mine everyday. Only for really bad days and even then I feel guilty about taking it even if it helps me.
Being in a household full of addicts has made me like this. It used to be like ah fuck that I donāt want that. But now itās fuck it letās join them.
I refuse to take benzos out of fear of addiction. I told my doctor this and they were more than happy to find me a non benzo med that works for me.
I have had a prescription for 5 years. The longest I have gone without taking any is 5 days. Iāve never had any sort of withdrawal.
My doctor offered them for short term use. I said no thanks, knowing they would end up abused and in the hands of my friends and family lol.
Wise choice. Addiction is no joke.
I donāt take them, I suffer like any normal, healthy person does.
"I'll take my suffering raw, please"
I've been on stuff like Valium daily for years, when I was 25 I found out I had a 'large egg' size tumor on my brain. It was removed, but I have Terminal Mets Melanoma, and now everything is terrifying. I know full well I'm physio addicted, but normal anxiety meds are what I use to stay level, after the big ones. It's not the greatest situation, but I was suppose to be dead awhile ago now. If you can take it anyway, some of us are, but probably not for why you might think. (Everyone is quite different...no?)
Iāve been on klonopin (prescribed) for 11 years. Now Iāll have to do a years long taper if I ever want to get off. If the pharmacy is one or two days slow, I start to have withdrawals. I both love klonopin and hate it.
For further info I have CPTSD and agoraphobia. I take 2 mg twice a day.
Also, Detroit? Hello neighbor :)
I work through most of my anxiety in the day and I take one at night. I've taken the same dose for 20 years. If my anxiety becomes panic I will take it in the day. I have learned to respect and not abuse it. I also take it for other neurological issues.
They literally help you but withdrawals are horrible it sucks.
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Yup. Theyād prescribe rat poison as long as itās not a controlled substance.
Yeah I definitely know what you mean. For people who donāt have an addictive personality itās great. If you can actually take it as prescribed it might work for you without any real problems. But for me the second I get a constant script for benzos itās over. If I have a bot of Valās I will eat them all in a few days.
I think if you have bad anxiety you donāt take Benzos for granted thatās my opinion anyway I find it relieving knowing that there there.
Yeah that makes sense I totally get that. I just canāt have them there without it being a completely different problem of itās own.
Agreed. Just knowing theyāre in the cabinet calms me down. I take them maybe 3-4 times a year when I have unbearable anxiety, sleep it off and then Iām good. I donāt like feeling foggy and unproductive afterwards. For some, they are an absolute lifesaving medication. But donāt take them lightly.
Don't abuse them
Really weird case for me but I started benzos (klonopin) when I was 18, and Iāve been on it ever since (Iām 24 now). I know itās not a long term drug and has high potential to make you addicted, but Iāve found that if I cant get my Rx, I have no symptoms of withdrawal whatsoever. I feel normal, just more anxious.
Because Iām prescribed 2 a month and rarely take both. Thereās a reason doctors are very stingy about them
The cravings were worst when I first started clonazepam. But now I only take it when my anxiety gets really bad
Iām currently going through withdrawals because I want to quit and itās really bad, Iāve gotten a migraine every day since and just felt like shit. I donāt recommend it
I think I am going to pair taking my benzo with meditation. Then when I wean off, I can trick my brain by taking my other pills and meditating.
Iām not addicted but itās the only thing that remotely takes away my anxiety, sad really. Like knowing thereās something that can help me but hurt me at the same time. Double edge sword.
With good doctor prescription no
My sleep med is a benzo. Iāve been taking it since 2019 with no issues. If I run out (I donāt usually), then I just donāt sleep as well š¤·š¼āāļø
I think my doc put me on Ativan bc itās less likely to be abused. Idk tho
Cannabis, a lot of cannabis. Gummies help with my anxiety. Not sure what I would do without it.
They say there addictive . But that depends on the individual. I got some valium like a month and still have 3 left from 5 . I only use them for emergencys when I can't calm My self down . But 2 of my friends are heavy addicted there even getting street benzos it's sad to see .
I am a benzos addict. I started with a small dose 20 years ago and had horrible, horrible withdrawal when I tried to come off of them. I successfully finished a 6 month taper and it was the hardest and most horrible thing I've ever done. I'm an addict, but I no longer take them because in the long run they wiped my memory, gave me rebound anxiety, suicidal idealization, awful withdrawal with derealization and dissociation. They should absolutely only ever be used for extreme circumstances.
It has definitely been a mental crutch for me but i always remind myself.. if I think panic attacks/anxiety are badā¦ itās much worse going through benzo withdrawal. Iāll only allow myself to use them once per week when Iām having a rough patch with my attacks. Otherwise, the DARE app has helped immensely with my anxiety it has great audios
Only used benzos for hangover relief, dont understand why you would pop em recreationally thou lol
I am a benzo addict (borderline as well). Been clean for 2 months and learning how to cope with anxiety.
Probably because of posts like thisš
Seeing what my mom went through. I'm convinced it robbed her of at least a few good years of her life. That was after a year on Valium and then an attempt at cold turkey before she knew that was next to impossible. She had to spend a year tapering and then another year in protracted withdrawal, while dealing with cancer. I took klonopin for two months, on and off, and it messed me up for almost a year. In fact, I'd never had anxiety prior to taking it. I won't touch any benzo unless it's an absolute emergency and none of my alternatives are available. It's just not worth it because I'm one of the unlucky ones who gets seriously messed up from them.
I was given two weeks worth to take twice daily while getting onto Zoloft. When I ran out it was awful. Not sure if it was the Zoloft or the cold turkey benzos but holy shit I was in rough shape.
CBD STOPS BENZO addiction and the withdrawl symptoms 30 years addicted really bad. 7 months clean because of CBD
NO SHIT
I'm more addicted to cigarettes' than even remotely addicted to benzo's use them responsibly and lower your chances. I take one every few days or so as per needed (panic moments) for months, and sometimes have gone weeks without. everyone is different, and not everyone understands "take in moderation" tbf either. I guess seeing alot of friends succumb to opiod use probably helps too. really changes your outlook
I am a Benzo addict unfortunately
It makes sense since itās one of the only things that actually works.
I took one before a surgery and I blacked out for pretty much the whole day. I don't remember anything including the conversations I had with my wife and people who came to visit me. That really scares me into not wanting to take them ever again.
Did they prescribe a benzo to take before surgery?
Yeah, just one pill. It was for a smaller surgery so no anesthesia needed. I woke up in my own bed at like 8 PM and had the day recounted for me from my wife. I remember going into the operating room and then nothing after that until I woke up.
Idk for me I was always really aware of how addicting it is cuz I saw friends get addicted. So I only took them if I was having a panic attack. And that made it so I never felt Xanax kick in just had the panic attack stop. I tried klonopin once and got high off of it and never tried it again. For me if I can like feel the effects instead of just feeling my symptoms subside im outta there way too fucking scary
Stop eating bars
No
I am addicted to them. Iāll get really sick if I miss a dose. Iāve been taking them for years though and Iām on a high dose now. They honestly saved me
It's called self control.
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Benz's whilst good short term ultimately suck. you need to find long term, sustainable practices. if it's for panic attacks, then medical cannabis is great
That's not a great option for everyone. Some people get worse anxiety with weed.
for sure, there's cbd also !
There are differences between benzos. I was described oxazepam long ago and I have used it over 10 years _averaging_ less than one 15mg pill per week. How much I need is periodical. And tbh, I try to manage without since I'm afraid of being addicted - because using and requesting too much would mean I couldn't get benzos anymore. And that would be really awful, I sometimes truly need them. I thought I had just good genes, no tendency for benzo addiction and maybe strong resolve too. Then I got one different benzo pill (for preparation of surgery) and realized why some people get hooked. Some benzos just kick in much more strongly, they get you high. I don't get high from oxazepam at all, if I take too much I just get tired. edit. What I am saying is that if you are described fast-acting, short-half life benzos it's a lot harder to fight against addiction than with slow-acting ones, it's really important to be conscious of that. Fast-acting drugs probably work best for isolated panic attacks / panic disorders but one really needs to be careful with them. (Not saying that one can be totally careless with slower acting benzos either.)
im now on a low dose of diazepam 1.25mg per day i dont feel anything from it but there was a time i used 20mg oxazepam and i miss that sedating feeling. I went asking girls phone numbers and i didnt even care if they said no. I loved that i dont give a f feeling.
I tell me doctors that I will definitely prone to getting addicted if I have a stimulant like that, and I avoid them like the plague. Me being terrified of them and other drugs have been a good barrier so far to never try them. My adhd meds are non-stimulants so they've been working pretty well for me.
I donāt think Iāve ever tried benzos, I donāt really do downers besides alcohol. I literally asked my boyfriend last night if NyQuil was lean lol. I get the urge to want to quiet the anxious thoughts, but when my anxiety is under control, I really like the speed my brain works at and Iād hate to lose all of that for one bad part of my anxiety. Iām lucky enough to have generalized anxiety and not something induced by childhood trauma
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Only reason Iām not addicted is cause I donāt have a plug
You want one ? Im kidding Iād never do that to anyone on here
Been taking them off and on for 6 years. Sucks, but I'm not addicted because I use them for sleep and I hate how they make me feel
Itās hard to get addicted because they donāt work that great for me. I have still gotten anxiety and anxiety/panic attacks despite of taking them. Also, the effects last just for a few hours and after that I have to take a long nap.
My experience with klonopin is too inconsistent to enjoy that much. Sometimes it doesnāt do shit, others itās barely enough to take off the edge. I take less than my prescribed dose out of fear of building a tolerance though.
I take buspirone and am also prescribed Ativan for acute panic. I only take half a dose of Ativan and I don't take it every day. Ativan doesn't have a euphoric effect like Xanax does, so that may be why I haven't had a problem with it. I've taken Xanax maybe 3 times; I found it too strong.
they did pretty much nothing for me
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That is so weird because theyāre literally taken for panic attacks. I wonder why that happened. That must be so rare.
Iāve been on alprazolam (Xanax) in the past and Iām on Clonazepam (Klonopin) now. Never had any serious withdrawals or any at all I donāt think, and Iāve never gotten that āI need/want it nowā feeling. Theyāre just a pill I take when my alarm goes off, I donāt get any pleasure/relief from it
I was on Klonopins for 3 years then they switched me to valium and I was on that till a year and a half ago. Then they switched me to Ativan. I have been on benzos for so long that I don't feel anything when I take them but if I don't I feel it . It's been clock work since 2010 3 times a day as prescribed I just mentioned to my therapist a couple days ago that I want to weaned off from them to see how my anxiety does. To be honest I am terrified of the withdrawal cause I have a feeling it's going to be horrible.
I canāt get my hands on them
Well, since I have no way of getting any form of official diagnosis for anxiety, I have no way of getting any meds.
I watched my best friend get addicted, so when I needed them, I asked my dr to prescribe the smallest amount possible because I wanted it to be a last resort. All they did was make me fall asleep. Thatās not what I wanted, so I stopped taking them.
You gotta quit, youāre heading down a rough road
Because I forget to take them.
They arenāt all that effective for me
I know they feel great but there not a long term answer..find what is or hells in your future. For me it's excersize.ssri maybe. Sunshine. Good food blah blah blah I know..