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23 years on and off Xanax. Tapering off as we speak with terrible withdrawal. Heavy head and neck tremors, internal tremors, heart palpitations, panic attacks, terrible anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, muscle spasms, electric "shocks" or "brain zaps", itching, hyperacusis, hypersensitivity. The list is never ending. Stay away from Xanax.

This sort of information is invaluable, I only wish I’d found it years ago! It’s honestly mind boggling that the majority of doctors and even mental health specialists (in my personal experience) don’t have even a basic understanding how these things work and are still so willing to prescribe and abruptly stop these meds. Thanks so much for these, everything is so spot on, every video is like an epiphany for me.

Thank you for getting this information out there, Paige! These videos kill me, because I was prescribed a benzodiazepine in May 2021, despite all this information being out there about the negative effects. I'm nearing the end of a 19-month taper, and it has been a version of hell I never knew existed, even doing a slow taper off. These drugs should not be used outside of a clinical setting. As far as I can tell, they should not be prescribed, ever. I wish this information would have been more widely available when I started taking a benzo, because had I known the risks, I would have run the other direction. These videos are helping get the word out.

I have experienced all above. I'm in my last month tapering clanazapam, in my 24 th month. I'm so proud of myself. Hardest thing I ever done but now see the gift in it. Bless you

When I was teen I was an outpatient in a clinic and they prescribed me Klonopin because I said "I get anxious sometimes". After I left the clinic my physician continued to prescribe it. Still on it 15 years later. It's ironic/sad how the 3 things that you say can help with anxiety actively prevent people from recovering as long as they're on benzos, yet it's up to the patient to do the research and make the decision to go off the medication, knowing the withdrawals will be terrible.

Wish I’d seen this years ago. Currently tapering off klonopin. I just want myself back.

I just wanted to add your videos are more than a breath of fresh air. God bless you. Please continue to put out this information. The world needs it. ❤️

This is a problem fueled HEAVILY by primary care providers (PCPs). I work in psychiatry, and few of my colleagues prescribe BZDs--only during short inpatient stays (mostly for panic), for alcohol withdrawal, and PRN with a limited script. The field of thought with many mental health providers is to avoid these medications at all costs, unless it is medically indicated...and often times it is. I wish these would be taken off the market for use related to anxiety or sleep outside of the hospital setting

I've been on Benzodiazepines for a year now, from Ativan, to Valiums, to now Klonopin and they've shattered my anxiety and made it so much worse. My tolerance to them rises and I have also abused them heavily. I'm over 80 hrs cold turkey from Clonazepam after abusing 6mg in a day and I'm contemplating going to the hospital. Benzo's have compromised my quality of life completely and my friends say I'm not even the same person when I'm abusing them. Going on Benzo's was a mistake, and even after going to a treatment center. They prescribed me Valium after. I wish I never took a Benzo.

Thanks Paige for giving so much on your channel. My issue is Idiopathic insomnia and no doctor has ever taken me serious on this one. I need help to fall asleep, then I sleep well. I have never felt the "sleepy" feeling when you want to go to bed. So I rely in a low dose of clonazepam (0.125) every night. I am 60 and have been taking it for like 22 years. I know therapy won't help. I am also autistic, without an official diagnosis.

Benzo withdrawal has been happening since their creation, and I can't believe they're still being prescribed over 50 years later. I'm an RN that survived a hellish withdrawal after only two months of daily doses. The acute withdrawal lasted about 6 weeks - the Ashton Manual helped me see how many of the symptoms I was experiencing were actually caused by withdrawal. It's now 8 months later, and I feel healing is still taking place. As an RN, I was put in a position to administer and advocate for the safety of drugs like this one - when they just aren't. After my experiences with pharmaceuticals, I find myself antithetical to this pill-driven profession. It's caused me to seek out how to be a healer outside "the System." Herbalism, naturopathy, etc.

Your comment about a life balance is key. Good health and the right routine for you goes a long way. It minimizes the uncertainty in life that creates fear.

I love your insight into these drugs, It is great to see a doctor who has a vision!

Last Month went to a psychiatrist for the first time for my Anxiety. She gave me this Clonazepam prescription and told me to take as needed only. Well, i haven't take it yet . Gladly came across with this channel and made me grateful that i haven't started taking the meds. I don't want to put myself in a bad situation due to some medicines .

My friend was given Gabapentin to help him withdraw off clonazapam. It took him 1 yr. I’m so proud of him. He said it was terrible Stopping Gabapentin was not difficult I feel so concerned for people battling benzo dependency

Paige, thank you for your deep research and knowledge. My daughter was prescribed Xanax, Ativan, Ambian and more for anxiety. Though benzodiazepines as you said are SUPPOSED to be short term, she ended up on them for at least 4 years that I know of. She became addicted to the Ativan and the longer she took it the worse her symptoms got….loss of sleep, impulsive spending, OCD, multiple suicide attempts….the list goes on. She did weekly talk therapy and psychotherapy. She lost her car and home and connection to family as time went by. Yes, she knew she was addicted but her Physicians Assistant who knew she was addicted kept prescribing the Ambien, Ativan and more. I watched my daughter as I had known her, slowly slip away. Sadly, she took her own life in November of 2018. Please keep warning people of the dangers of benzodiazepines because the dangers are real!! Lastly, thank you for this video. I has helped me with the guilt that I have sometimes that there is something I should have been able to do to help her.

Thank you so much for making this video. I wish it would have been the first to come up on my search.

Thank You for acknowledging and helping to bring awareness of these drugs!!! They caused me a lot of pain and illness,especially after I stopped and I just didn't know any better when taking them.....

I appreciate this information and am very thankful you put this on KZfaq.

mothers little helper...sad but true

I was prescribed clonazepam when I started doing anxiety attacks. They were chemically induced by marijuana, I was a chronic user for 15 years and all of a sudden I had anxiety almost all day!! now I'm terrified to smoke again...im pretty sure more factors were in play in my anxiety but I've always been skeptical of pharmaceutical drugs and after seeing this video I am so glad that I was scared to even take one of those. I just push through my attacks and I never touch the bottle...dodged a bullet!!! I had also heard that a famous clinical psychologist (jordan peterson) had to bring himself in detox because he was taking clonazepam. I need to have this conversation with my therapist. Thank you!!!

I was prescribed Ativan for insomnia caused by menopause 16 years ago. I only took 40 mg per year. Five years later I was diagnosed with GAD and panic disorder. Next five years was a nightmare of antidepressants and psych meds that I couldn't tolerate or made me suicidal. NO ONE, of all the ER doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and my own doctor, never told me Ativan could be the cause. I quit everything Jan/15. Had a seizure. Was given a one month taper plan which failed as the first two weeks got me totally dependent upon it. It took joining a benzo group to find out what had been happening to me. Now six years off and still having 12 hour panic attacks. It's like there is an alien inside me conducting experiments on my brain and body. I wasn't ill, but now I am. What you said about therapy not helping benzo patients is right on. I did intensive single and group therapy on a variety of focuses...the strategies and things learned help me on my good days. Fifteen years of terror due to Ativan. I was a school teacher and avid gardener and now I can barely get out of bed. I can't take much more. Six years off all drugs and still the brain and CNS have not healed. Thank you for this video.

Thank you for these informations.The most of doctors don't recognise when someone hit tolerance !! They don't understand how benzodiazepines are dangerous and harmful! It is a big problem all around the world ! I would never recommend to take benzodiazepines more than 2 weeks. God bless you !

Thank you so much for this video! I' m going to show this to my therapist.

Been on 0.25 to 0.5 daily clonazepam for 3 years. Now I'm on day 105 and at 0.055. Jumping off at 0.025 I estimate another 2 months let's do this!

i increased my clanzapam from half a tablet to a whole tablet and the next day i forgot my phone password.

Very informative thank you!!

I'm with you except for your support for antidepressant use. I had almost as a bad of a withdrawal from a tricyclic as I did from Ativan. During my time taking the tricyclic, I became more anxious and depressed and could not connect with people as I used to. I felt numb. I stopped dreaming during sleep for a two year period. The only reason I took it was to help me sleep, and now that I'm off I feel l'm able to engage in life in a whole new and meaningful way. I can engage with people, and I can take in beautiful scenery like I hadn't been able to. Dr. Breggin talks about how he sees some psychotropics as chemical lobotomizers. There should be more talk about psychotropic-mediaction related brain injury.

Doctors have had me on benzos for 30 yrs, I was being prescribed 4 milligrams a day but I realized this was making everything worse especially memory and learning issues, I’m now on .5 to 1 milligram a day trying to wean myself off slowly, I’m now 60 but I don’t ever think I can honestly get off of these totally because my brain is so used to them, I did go 30 days without any but I couldn’t function and I told my doctors, he said you should have never done that and put me back on so I blame these doctors that have had me on these for over 30 yrs but in the beginning I had such anxiety problems and sleeping problems that to me was a miracle drug, now I think my brain is completely rewired that at my age even if I tried to go off again that it would take so long for my brain to mend that it’s not worth it, so I feel stuck and don’t really know what to do because doctors just keep prescribing them!

Thanks Paige. Very insightful. What’s the best way to taper from .5mg Klonopin taken as .25mg two times a day for 8 months? I started tapering 2 weeks ago and now down to .375mg. The withdrawal has not been too bad. Should I continue tapering with .125mg every two weeks?

I was prescribed alprazolam for a flight. I drove instead because i was afraid it wasn't working enough. I ended up needing it for unexpected agoraphobia-like symptoms on the drive and at my destination. In total, i used it daily for about a week, and sparingly ever since. Upon return, i began to get better, but have recently had a few very bad experiences with anxiety while driving. Long story short, i just started lexapro, and am hoping to never have to use the alprazolam again. Does exposure work well while on SSRI's

I can say from experience that this is 100% true. When on them i wasnt getting better, instead i got worse!!! Only when i finally got off them (i chose cold turkey) did I see how much damage it was doing! My anxiety is 10x more manageable and i can say i will never ever take benzos ever again, nor wil i think that a pill can fix a life of trauma. Therapy saved my life.

Great presentation. I utilized it with an Online Class that I teach at UMASS this evening!

Thanks for the info.

Thanks. Very informative

If I had to make a scale with anxiety being 10. “Normal” at a 5. And “sedated” or numb at 0. Clonazepam takes me from a constant 10 to a 5. I can think clearly and understand information. I don’t feel tired or sleepy. I just feel normal, not like I’m on anything. I’ve been on it “as needed” for 10 years now. I can go 3 days…a week…without needing it. Or sometimes I’ll need to take it twice in a day. I just never go over 1mg. So I don’t understand any of this. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Everything you have said is what I have watched happen to my mom after the last 25 years of her being on klonopin. I have been by her side for a week helping her tapper off. It is so sad

Thanks a lot for this ♡

Paige, can I ask your advice? I was on klonopin for a year and non prescriptive benzos for a year. Stopped in Sep 2018 for a year and a half trying to heal trauma and co dependency issues. Lost my children and now after not healing for 2 years I’ve had 5 detoxes in hospital this year for repressed anger. I’m in hospital now for a final detox where I’m on diazepam 15mg 4 times a day and then for the next 6 days I’ll be tapered down. I have therapists that want to help me (I’ve also stopped taking mirtazapine 15mg). From what I’ve told you I don’t know what it’s done to my brain and how long before the brain returns to normal after this detox before any real theraputic work can begin? Thank you so much x

I was on 12mg of Diazepam and 0.25.mg of Xanax from 1995 to 2012. With A good psychiatrist and psychologist...with the addiction center. I got out of it. Mindfulness and yoga helped as well. Im clean now. Playing good soccer and good music.

We need more of you in our health system.

paige i 'm on attivan for five years, are the side effects gonna disappear if i quit? or they stay forever?

Hi Paige. Thank you very much for your extraordinary content. Need to give you a positive feedback. That video plus ERP therapy plus Square breathing videos helped me stop clonezapen. I stopped this for almost 3 months after use by 18 years. Similarly do you think would be possible stop SSRIS meds for OCD after this period with exercises, ERP, good life style or that is something else? Doctors and research mention it is for entire Life but the effects are not so good. Thank you very much and congratulations for your fantastic channel

Im 23 years old and I've been on Paroxetine and Xanax ever since I was 17. Paroxetine I do take everyday, however I can live fine without Xanax, I only keep with me at all times in case I have a panic attack... I get them pretty often so it REALLY helps me, it stops the attack and calms me down in a couple minutes. Luckily, I have been months without Xanax and I only get prescription when I go to the doctor to get my Paroxetine refill in around 6 months. I truly don't plan on stoping having the medication with me, nothing seems to work but that, but I also know that those drugs can REALLY make you addicted so I dont abuse it WHATSOEVER. Its only something I have when NEEDED.

I took Alprazolam for 27 years and it has terrible effects and can be almost impossible to get off. Always took the "recommended" dose and never more, but it really changes you and disables people! I was then asked to take ssri to get out of the benzodiazepines, but have had some terrible side effects from them. I really get anxiety and spasm when I don`t take benzos in a couple of days even though it is a small dosis. What do you recommend?

Hi there I quit clonazepam about 10 days ago and I'm experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. I know it is a typical symptom of benzo withdrawal, but mine gets really worse when I lay down. Could it still be related to the withdrawal? I have a problem with my mitral valve. Last time that I saw my cardiologist he said that it's nothing serious, but over last 18 months I've had episodes of heart pain and my ability to exercise has been reduced. I thought that taking benzos might have decreased my cardiac output, that's why I decided to quit it. Would you bet on my breathing difficulty being a withdrawal symptom or I might have a cardiovascular situation?

Thank you!

I've been taking this medicine for 20 years now... any questions anyone😄😎

I have been on Ativan for just about 3 years now. In the beginning of taking it, I absolutely needed it in the beginning. Now my anxiety has gotten worse. I pretty much have agoraphobia. After researching and researching and listening to other people's experiences, I decided myself to taper off 3 months ago, and the past 3 months that I tapered myself down to has been pure hell as of January 1st. After 3 months on the same dose, I've lowered my dose again and my mind is becoming more clear now of how this drug has made me waste a couple years of my life when I thought it was me that was getting worse when it was actually this drug. It makes me very very upset!

Hi Paige I just wanted to recommend that you watch videos from the Medicating Normal. Your explanation of the subject is a very good and logical one, and I think that this might be interesting for you (and also for everyone else who read these comments).

Thank you for this very informative video. I was first given diazepam a year ago when I went to a and e with shaking limbs. My doctor then continued to prescribe it and I am now trying to cut down from 2mg twice a day to one and then zero. I need some guidance with this but due to the pandemic it is difficult to see anyone. My community nurse seems to be of the same mind set as my psychiatrist who seems to still advocate the use as you point out. My cognitive ability has definitely declined as I get very dizzy and my short term memory is not good. I am not in therapy atm although I have been previously and I would like to find a suitable one. Do you have any advice please

Watch here for help with panic attacks kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r9uFaLqWy767gqs.html

Thank you for your videos. I'm switching from Klonopin to Valium in order to taper. Does the chemical anxiety ever get better?

I have been on benzos off and on, mostly on since 1998. My girlfriend committed suicide when we were 18, not long after I became a firefighter. From what it’s been described to me, basically a perfect storm of “ptsd” and emotional exhaustion. I’ve been off the meds around 5 months now and, I’m back to waking up with panic attacks at night again. It’s a circle that sucks and I hate it. I am going to order the book you showed on the video and give it a read. Thank you for posting the video. I’ve been arguing with myself again on going back on medication, which I don’t want to do. I will try the book.

Prescribed short term diazepam for health anxiety and muscle tension which has helped, prescribed 2mg 3x a day but I only have been taking a small dose once a day of 2mg, cut down to 1mg only taken for two weeks then I stopped taking it after feeling I don’t need any more now tension is released and reassured about my health anxiety but been having some withdrawal effects how long do you think they will last?

I think it’s different for everyone. I was doing terrible with anxiety & PTSD, trying different med options. It was until I got prescribed with a benzo that my life changed!! I understand the risks, especially with dependency and withdrawals, along other issues, but everyone is different, and few clients cannot speak for many others. I’ve been on them 6 years only as needed, never had the urge to take more than prescribed, and never been dependent. Ever. These with my therapy completely gave me my life back. Never had no issues, even anything, everything improved for me. Again, everyone is different. I believe as long as a client has a good plan with their psychiatrist/therapist/dr and healthy check ups then I don’t think it’s bad.

I was addicted horrible. I turned into a person that I didn't recognize. I was mean and cruel. I am now benzo free. The withdrawals is hell. Double hell coming off Restoril, used for short term* insomnia. I was on it for 10 years.

Good information ma'am.

If the klonopin is causing depression then what can I take to sleep in its place? My mother died 1 year ago and I have been very depressed and I now find that I have Crohn's disease (most likely from the stress of losing her)....I have no other family.....I have tried Trazodone and it does not work for sleep .....now I am on budesonide (steroid) for the Crohn's disease and wonder if that is causing depression and I also take PremPro even though I am 78 years old.....the doctor said I had low estrogen and osteoporosis....HELP!!!!

By the way thank you for your concerns for others. Helping others from a professional point of veiw. Many are aware of their concerns. But, many times their concerns are not valid by professionals ☹️ 🐛🦋🌺💖💕

What about benzos causes agoraphobia? While I was on then I developed it, now still almost 2 years off I have it and can’t handle outside stimuli.

Thank you so much. I was prescribed Klonopin for 20 years. I went into tolerance withdrawal and had the most horrendous symptoms. No doctor understood at all. I found support groups on FB and online. Without them I would not have known what to do. I tapered off over months but teh symptoms persist - they are better but teh healing is very very slow. I do have faith that I will heal. How could the medical providers have been so careless with my health.? If there are any lawyers watching tis, I hope they can see the next big scam ahead - much bigger than the Opioid problem

Ok for 12 yrs my doctor had me in alprazolam 1.5 mg he just told me this week he cannot give them anymore and I have to be off within 3 months . I want to get off them but I’m scared . There is no on who wants to help . He put me on 1 mg this week and said come back next mont . I’m having headaches and mild pain but how much worse will this get?

I was on benzos with ambien for 11 years.. my psychiatrist just keeps trying to throw more and more medications at me.. switching to new doctors.. I’m scared of psychiatrists now 😢 I’m still battling with thoughts of suicide and I just feel victimized. Attempted suicide again a few weeks ago

What you say makes absolute sense. Social support, exercise, good nutrition etc etc is a far superior substitute than running for the ‘quick-fix’

Are you taking on new clients via zoom? Or online. I'm in the beginning stages of pretty servere health anxiety. Dr.s have prescribed be klonopin, and valium. Both help short term both made me feel terrible when I stopped. I took both for only 3 weeks and each time I stopped I felt waaaaay worse. I think I need a different approach of help. Please let me know thanks.

I was pit on a benzo high dose twice past the recommended dose of an in patient...it robbed me of my life. I lost my daughter. I couldnt take care of myself and my family shinned me as I wasnt functioning...this was supposedly to treat me for ptsd and deppression after a suicide attempt. I hot off of them...against my psyche advice and it was horrible. It has been six months I still feel tired and slow...and anxious...will I continue to get better ? Or is this as good as it gets?

I just just told my doctor I was not going to take my ambien or Xanax anymore . I couldn’t function and kept forgetting things . I kept taking them before because they helped immediately and I liked that but It felt like when I was drinking to not have anxiety . And when I would stop taking them I had the worst withdrawals. Shaking sweating mood swings severe depression and suicidal thoughts irritability and severe anxiety attacks and the need to move and no sleep this went on for over a week it was terrible each time . I have been off these medications for about a month and I wish I could take them they felt great when I was on them but I just wasn’t me anymore and the people close to me noticed I just was not all there . My life felt apart .

I’m on my 48th month of tapering 5 mg alprazolom constantly decreasing by 10% each 30 days. I’ve been horribly damaged since 2013. I’m at .0300mg and wake up each day with horrible head pain and agoraphobia. I am not who I was. Hopefully I can stop my taper in March of 2021 and then hope for recovery. Benzos are straight from hell and should be eradicated. They ruin lives.

This is an important lesson/warning. Thank you for sharing. Benzodiazepines are amazingly dangerous and addictive if used over a month. My doctor prescribed me Ativan for over 15 years, and it was terribly difficult to withdrawal from its use. Near the end of my dependence, my withdrawal symptoms would set in as quick as 6 hours from the last dose and felt worse than the flu. Oddly enough, my doctor would not even help with a taper so I simply drove to the ER and asked them to help. It was a quick, yet painful detox over 6 days. (This was in mid-2018) The physical withdrawal symptoms persisted for about a month, and the social anxiety has lasted nearly 3 years. It’s my understanding that my brain needs to time to “re-wire”, and would appreciate any additional tips or recommendations to help with the prolonged emotional withdrawal symptoms, namely social anxiety. Mine is a cautionary tale for anyone whose doctor prescribes them Benzos more than 2 weeks.

I wonder how much it ends to just being about convenience. I'm a long time anxiety sufferer (panics attacks since kindergarten, OCD, GAD, PTSD, you name it). I have been looking for a new therapist but honestly it can be challenging at times. It's not impossible by any means but you definitely have to jump through some hoops and finding a person who you really connect with and can competently help you can be a long arduous process. Still haven't gotta a therapist since my last move, but finally the panic got so bad I caved and ordered some Etizolam (benzo analog) online. Worked wonders first few days. It has a weird reverse tolerance at 2-4 weeks so it should still do give trick. But I also can just feel it in my gut that it's not a real solution and a path back to substance abuse (was a weed addict for 13+ years. ) Thanks for this info. It confirms some hunches and motivated me to go get the long-term help.

I know that you’re trying to help with negatives effects of benzodiazepines,,, I’ve had SVT and extreme anxiety since the age of 11. Now 52 male and have been on alprazolam for years and have never had to increase over 2mg a day max most usually less around 1-1.5 and I have never had SVT and /or panic attacks since . I just don’t worry about things like I used too and I did some cognitive therapy but I truly enjoy life and iam happy I can live again and have been on them for many years. I have a high IQ and also a graduate degree as well as running my own business for years. I just see all the doom and gloom associated with this medication if taken and it certainly has not been my case / responsibly. I may try to taper off just to see the difference but I would rather live the quality of life that I’ve been gifted because of these medications then live with all the doom and gloom /worry I used to ensue everyday . I don’t feel any sort of elation or release of my responsibilities when I take them. I do get however get a little hyper and or slightly edgy if I forget to take them for a couple of days but nothing sever or more then feeling like drinking two cups of coffee / I do know the dangers of possibilities of seizures with immediate cessation and difficulty with with withdrawals and I do like the Ashton method or water titration when I get ready to try . I do however believe-there is a positive between benzodiazepines and SVT as it must neutralize the extra receptor(s) that cause the ventricular tachycardia,,, Just has to be a correlation. So in summary I know they have helped my quality of life tremendously and possibly will have to pay the piper in my later years if iam blessed to have them but I believe there is too much negativity placed on these medications as an “all in one” scenario of being a prolific detriment to every individuals well being / iam living proof , although maybe rare that my quality of life for the 15 years + or so I’ve been taking them has substantially improved - thanks / James

ETOH withdrawal patients are routinely given benzos to treat withdrawal symptoms. I've had these patients, and I would think, "okay, so we're just trading one addiction for another."

Yes difficulty in memory I am suffering. Using it for 4 months. Do you have any course on exposure therapy

How can you come off of a benzo safely? I used to take clonazepam as needed, but since july of 2020, I've been taking it 1-2 times a day, everyday. My anxiety is super high and constant almost everyday and I even get derealization associated with my anxiety and panic

I've been taking diazepam 5mg at bedtime to help me sleep for about 15 years now and have had no problems. I used to drink a lot of alcohol and since using benzodiazepines, I've quit drinking. I would say that it is a miracle drug. Keep in mind that all meds affect different people differently.

I'm 43, was very sick then and now. But I feel benzo, valium have made me much worse i have every thing mentioned above, and I feel I am getting worse by the year! I'm lowering the dose now. It's all I can do! Does it help now? No! not even at stupid high doses. I just lay there awake. I asked to be put on this stuff, begged for it almost. It was only thing that gave me relief. Now I find it was a curse Help!

thanks Paige.. I realize that i want to run everyday, but benzos makes me anxious and lethargic (if i don't take it) so i started to do some meditation and reduce my paxil doses... this video helped me a lot to realize what was wrong

I had No idea that xanex and klonopin were causing me SUCH harm. I just thought I was getting “ worse mentally”. And I didn’t understand WHY. I never thought that something given to me to HELP my panic actually made me soooo much worse! I would have a panic attack. Take it and feel so much better. Hours later the anxiety was back with a vengeance! Just thinking “ we’ll I’m not doing well “. Despite therapy. Antidepressants etc. I just thought I was a very sick person. One night I called my brother who is a recovering addict. But is also my best friend in the middle of the night. Blabbering. Making no sense. Scared out of my mind and acting really off the wall. Didn’t sleep all night. Thinking some really paranoid thoughts with no basis. Like that I had premonitions that someone was going to die. My brother was terrified and so was I. I was on my front lawn at 4 am talking crazy bc I didn’t know why I felt so bad - this was not just one night of taking them. I took them for a few weeks at night. Slept through them. Woke up very depressed. Started the cycle all over. This night I took a whole which I usually take a half and stayed away bc I was so scared. Scared of I don’t even know what. I finally told him what I took not thinking anything of it. “ I took klonopin for an anxiety attack and why isn’t it working”. He said omg we need to talk. That is the devil. He came to me. Thankfully I did not go to a hospital bc he understood what my problem was. We had a huge talk and I eventually got off them. The best morning all I did was cry and cry and cry and felt like I was in the worst depression. Me not knowing the dangers of these drugs and just trusted my doctor was clueless. I was usually a natural type girl and didn’t take medication but after a year of intense grief and loss I needed sonething. I wish I would have known this before I took them. But I trusted my doctor and at first it was a GOD send to me for my anxiety. I still don’t overly feel right but I feel a lot better. I wish I had someone like you to tell me this before I ruined months of my life thinking I was just crazy 😢and embarrassing myself and causing myself and my family so much pain. You are amazing thank you for posting

started taking klonopin around 2017 and now i'm stilkl taking them the benzos have slowed down my brain and it's hard to focus i haven't been able to finish my final year engineering project because i am too unfocused and also terrified of my professors

Great video, excellent, accurate and responsible information - thank you. A major problem with eliminating benzodiazepines is that there aren't many safe and/or effective medications that can help significantly with anxiety that can be substituted. Yes, there are other medications such as anti-depressants that can also reduce anxiety, but if they worked well enough, benzodiazepines prescriptions would have ceased. Also, it can take a while for patients to find the best anti-depressant for them, and the right dosage for that matter too - which of course, is another risk for patients. You are correct that psychotherapy is highly effective, but some patients will need more than that. The medical profession have known of the dangers surrounding benzos for long enough and have had a lot of time to come up with a better medication. In the scheme of things, they aren't much safer than barbiturates. It's an area that still needs so much attention, time and research.

Been on various benzazapines over 20 years, it's effective and safe. Keep your opinion to the 12 step people.

Does anyone ever heard about brain zaps? & how long it goes? I stop usin' benzo 3 months ago, but I still feel the symptoms, like there's something wrong with my brain.. pls help :'

as always, thank you so much for making these videos and taking your time answering people. i was instantly prescribed lorazepam by a physician when i told him my symptoms, i researched it and in 4 weeks only took it twice, and even then taking it gave me more anxiety initially before it really calmed me down, i am trying very hard to stay away from them and instead trying to work with your techniques, but after my recent panic attack 3 days ago, i feel like the anxiety has gotten worse and that i have lost progress or have to start over again, it's really exhausting but i guess that's just a setback i need to overcome

There are those of us who got years of therapy before trying benzos like myself and was not effective at all. I live a life of drug free now, but life way worse without benzos.

Can TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) assist with the side effects of tapering and withdrawal symptoms from long term prescribed Xanax use?

I new i new inew, i was dealing with anxiety and emotional pain. I kept telling my husband no no no i need therapy i need therapy not drugs. I had talked to my dr. Told him no medication i want therapy. I was eating well, exercising, sleeping like a baby, had my personality. My goodness i was right, i new i new. I listened and gave in know my life is ruined.

Great information Paige!! I am just beside myself with this detox. I'm super upset this is not even kidding. I feel like an animal that has been used for testing. This is not even a joke. I'm not happy about this at all. It's been a daily battle for 102 days. I want to get better. Is that even possible??

I can most definitely agree with making long term use (anything over a month) basically entirely discouraged....BUT in some situations, what happened with opioids is now beginning to happen with benzos......I have a four figure ER bill because my bp hit 197/137 .... I had never had a panic attack that bad, and I had never had a severe headache, so I told myself "I am not stroking out tonight....today isn't the day I die or become a vegetable"......So I ask my pdoc for a one off PRN script of klonopin for panic attacks....He wouldn't have it......Not even the psychiatrist at MHMR RXs benzos.....But THEY DO ABSOLUTELY HELP ARREST A PANIC ATTACK and taken ONLY prn (like say a quanitity of 30-60 with no refills for at least a year) they are not that problematic unless abused.....Now I am in the situation where I have real physical causes for hypertension in addition to psychogenic.....WHen the big one hits I am afraid I will just tell myself "It's just a panic attack, but I can't have a milligram of klonopin because they are now basically verboten".....

Hi Paige, top explanation about these drugs, i,ve been on valium for 3 years 50mg, i,ve been advised to taper now slowly, do you believe this can work?

I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm on clonazepam 0.5mg a day and I have no idea how to stop it? My wife is on 1mg of clonazepam for the past 16 years.

I only have been taking ativan for 2 months and it has practically destroyed my life!!!... I am currently on a taper. Suffering withdrawal, feel terrible. Suffer mostly from over sedation. Yesterday I had a very good day, as far as a withdrawal day, but today, -- not so good. One of the worst things I suffer from is extreme thirst. It makes me almost want to give up everything. Drinking milk, sipping it helps, as does chewing gum. Ativan also gave me hyponeutremia, which is low salt in the blood, so that drinking too much liquid is dangerous, can make seizures. I have PTSD. And, I was prescribed ativan. :( But, now the water is muddied. So, what do I do???... Just keep tapering ativan. Still, talk to my therapist, still fight the ativan, still hope that, yes, - YES... I will have a life after ativan!!!... I won't accept anything else!!!

Healing occurs eventually it just takes time. Everyone has to pay the Piper. Nad+, cold showers, exercise mostly cardio, lion's mane, a clean low carb paleo diet helps speed up healing and lowers the glutamate storm.

I had Encephalitis back in 1985 when the information in the brain came down I have had constant anxiety and prescribed benzos here it is 2021 do you know a better anxiety treatment?

I need help! Had some life issues, loss of work, separation and then I started having insomnia. That led to depression. Have tried many different antidepressants and sleep medications over the last year. They have just made me worse mentally, physically, and psychologically. Can’t focus, can concentrate, just can’t think straight. Feel disconnected and feel anxiety all the time. Was taking Wellbutrin which gave me anxiety. Taking clonopin on and off for 6 months. And now celexa. And things are getting worse. I feel anxiety all the time, tightness around my throat numbness of my teeth. Tingling hands and feet. Don’t feel like being around anyone or outside. Have lost a lot of weight. And just feel like I can’t function anymore. Severely depressed, constant suicidal thoughts... I have to function to figure out how to get financially stable. I don’t know how much longer I can take! I need help!

There is significant evidence that benzodiazepines cause tolerance to the anticonvulsant & hypnotic effects but not the anxiolytic and sedative effects ESPECIALLY when it comes to the longer acting benzodiazepines like clonazepam, diazepam and chlordiazepoxide. Depression does seem to be a significant issue with long term use of benzodiazepines, however antidepressants also cause tolerance, withdrawal and can worsen depression. I've been on clonazepam for years and I have had great success with therapy even while being on a benzodiazepine so I think that to look at this issue through a black and white perspective is not helpful. Some develop tolerance and do not benefit from therapy while on benzodiazepines. Others do not have these issues. My grandma was on alprazolam 1mg for 15 years and never had any worsening anxiety, depression etc. I think it comes down to some people relying on the benzos vs. some using them as a tool to help during therapy. Also the dosage is important. If you're on 3mg of clonazepam a day and doing psychotherapy then yes, i could see the memory issues becoming an issue. If you're on .25mg of clonazepam a day, then there shouldn't be a large enough dose to cause memory issues. I tried almost every antidepressant out there and none of them helped at all and simply gave me terrible side effects and coming off of them was a nightmare even with a slow taper. I came off of clonazepam once 2mg a day with a slow taper over a year and withdrawal side effects were minimum. The only antidepressant that seemed to give any relief was mirtazapine but the weight gain was awful and coming off of it was hell. I think many psychiatrists are seeing the issue of benzos the same way they tell their patients not to think of things. They see benzos as black and white. They're bad unless taken short term 100% of the time. Thats simply not true. I know it's not true because i look at my grandma as a perfect example of someone who took even a short acting benzo long term and she never complained of having any issues. I even asked her directly if she has any issues from her Xanax and she said "Not really, it just makes me kind of sleepy when i first take it." This is after 15 years of daily usage.

I’ve abused diazepam and temazepam for 2 years every single day apart from stopping for a week. The withdrawals are horrific at one point I’d be taking easy 200mg diazepam every day and the same with temazepam if not more. The tolerance builds up very quick. Stay away they are probably the worst drug on the planet to get addicted to i only wanted to get rid of this pain I feel every day of depression and horrible anxiety and this happens to me. So far I’m 3 days off them going cold turkey. 🙏

So what would you suggest when somebody has been on them for years and years at high dose 10mg klonopin daily. what to do when drs now will not offer medical taper and take you off them cold turkey because of the stigma of these meds and like you said (know nothing about coming off )and lets face it much more concerned with their practice then the patient. Personally i cannot function without them ,and i certainly cannot stop due to withdrawl symptoms that are crippling and have given me seizures and basically all of the worst feelings physically and emotionally you can imagine. and so now i have to procure my meds from other sources. and have tried to communicate this to other drs but they will not touch me with a 10 foot pole because they automatically think im an addict?

So what do you do if you've been on 8 mg of lorazepam go at least 10 years, I have all the symptoms and more. Please help.