Alcohol and benzo addiction and withdrawal almost killed me.. in the end I needed medical detox. Almost 9 years sober now.

I went through interferon treatment for skin cancer, my doctor gave me Ativan for nausa. I took the ativan until my treatment stopped and then stopped talking the Ativan. I walk around my kitchen table for 3 days, I couldn't sit down, the anxiety was horriftic. I had no CLUE about Benzo's and the doctor gave me no warnings. I went back to him and told him how awful and anxious I was feeling and he said, you're stressed about having cancer, take your Ativan, and so I did for another 6 months, I got up to 6 Mgs a day. I finally got on line and figured out what was wrong with me. I tappered off, that was 15 years ago. and while I don't feel daily issues with the withdrawal, I can you tell my brain and centeral nervous was damanged by the Ativan and to this day I get anxious and have bad side effects when I take any medication. The withdrawal was a living hell, please do not take benzo's, it's evil shit.

Damn, Gavin is aging well. This dude was 4 months shy of 58 years old in this interview.

Currently addicted to klonopin. I’ve been addicted to various benzodiazepines for..about 15 years. I’m 33 now. It’s taken about two months to work my way down to .875 mgs a day. If I don’t take that small, almost useless amount, I still get violently nervous and unstable. Don’t ever start these awful things. Mine was medical scripts. Doctors not dealers..same thing I guess

I'd had 6 seizure's over a couple years and had was hospitalised for 9 day's when I first quit street valium. Then stupidly I went down the same path not long after and eventually quit the valley's, pregabalin and weed on the same day and went cold turkey. I was on epilepsy meds so I didn't have seizures, but it was the worst withdrawals I'd ever experienced. Absolute hell on earth! 3-4 weeks of sitting om the edge of my sofa shaking, teeth chattering uncontrollably, sweating, anxiety through the roof and a fear that I can only describe as like you're having a nightmare but whilst you're fully awake in the middle of the day. Relentless! I described the shaking and anxiety to my nurse as if you were about to bungee jump and were standing on the edge preparing yourself, then if someone was to come up behind you and push you and pull you back. That instant panic like your heart skips a beat, right up in your chest. You're sitting with that exact level of panic for weeks! Then after the 4 weeks things subsided, but it was 3-4 months before I actually felt well, but even 7 months down the line my the anxiety still lingers. Don't mess with benzo's! Just don't do it! Wouldn't wish that withdrawal on my worst enemy, truly! I've been clean/sober since November 5th 2022, just passed 7 months and there's no way I'm going back. In a way I'm glad the withdrawal was so brutal and terrifying that the fear of going into that darkness again is what's keeping me clean. Wish the best for anyone in a similar situation. There IS light at the end of that tunnel, it's just a very long tunnel! ; )

Xanax was the worst withdrawal I ever had and I didn't even abuse them just taken as prescribed. I laid in bed sweating and freezing and shaking for a month

In 2017 I quit oxycodone and benzos cold turkey. For 3 months I couldn't sleep more than a half hour per day. I also didn't have any emotions for over a year. Everything was gray. Couldn't be happy, couldn't be sad, no laughing, no anger.... nothing. I haven't even thought about touching a pill in 6 years. It was the worst

I took Xanax in high doses for 20 yrs along with opiates which was unbelievably prescribed. Benzo withdrawal is the worst! I'm so thankful that i have been off of both for 5 years! I thought i would never beat benzos successfully or permanently and i thought my mind would never be the same and I'm doing fine! Thank God!

I was in rehab for opiates and let me tell you, the people in for alcohol and benzodiazepine (xanax, valium) addiction had FAR worse withdrawawls than the rest of us. It honestly looked like they were living in hell. It sounds like Gavin wasnt a hardcore abuser so his symptoms sound pretty mild but there are some serious horror stories of people trying to get off benzos

Good to see Gavin doing interviews, huge fan of Bush!

I was on 2 benzos in my 20s. Xanax and Klonopin for 2 years straight. Went cold turkey off them and had 3 years of damn near psychosis. Thought I was going to have seizures everyday and die. I made it through and I've haven't touched them since. I'm now 40

I've done everything under the sun, but Xanax is what almost did me in. I cold turkey quit it by tossing my pills out when I realized I was going to have trouble stopping otherwise. Took me two weeks of shaking and obsessing over it before I was "done" forever with Xanax.

Bush in my opinion has been putting out their best music with their most recent albums. Really, really good, great to hear the progression

If all that happens when you quit benzos cold turkey is that you lay sleepless for a couple of weeks, sweating… you got out before things got bad.

To anyone and everyone over coming / going through addiction, just know you got this your worthy and you are a valuable soul god bless you all and remember we only have one life let’s value it …peace 🙇🏻‍♂️

Trust Steve-o to interrupt at the absolute worst time in the story, Jesus

Great interview. Steve-o and his team are always awesome and I've been a big fan of Bush and Gavin since I was a kid. He has some deep perspectives to share. Brilliant.

Bush is one of my favorite bands. _16 Stones_ was one of those "soundtracks to my childhood" along with grunge and 90's hip-hop.

Comedown is one of my favorite songs, also a huge hit on the record charts

I’m thankful Xanax never sunk it’s claws into me, it only ever made me sleepy. The torment I watched one of my family members go through when he run out scared me away from them I believe. Having been through opiate withdrawals, it scares me to think there are things worse out there.

I had taken kolonipin for yrs, then suddenly stopped, not knowing it could be dangerous..I literally developed a nervous tic for weeks, it was the scariest time of my life. I didn’t know what was going on with me at the time until my dr told me..I couldn’t even speak without stuttering and shaking..it was a nightmare of a time. Everyone around me thought I was having a nervous breakdown, after a few weeks I was back to normal but it was truly a very scary time . Never again.

The last time I saw Gavin was at a thing called sundown in the city in Knoxville Tennessee. It was the last concert because they were permanently stopping the shows. Me and my friend stood in the rain to see him. It was awesome. I got sick afterwards from being out in the rain, but it was worth it to see Gavin Rosedale.

Steve-O interrupted right when he was gonna talk about Brent Hinds lol. Mastodon rules!

How mega cool is that to have met Gavin. After my mother past my father fell into a severe depression and began having panic attacks. Doctors prescribed him zanex and eventually got hooked on them for 20 years. Because he smoked heavily, he ended up on oxygen, he got to the point where he wasn't functioning and his doctor wouldn't help me to get him off of them so I asked a family friend who is a licensed clinical social worker, to guide me on how to get him off of them. He was the meanest, nastiest person I've ever seen him be. True, addict behavior. Very difficult time in my life because at the same time, I was getting myself sober.

Stevo, We totally had the same mom, haha seriously. I'm so happy you ended up cleaning yourself up and rocking life like you are now. We met back in like 2007 at a Hole show at the whisky I think....We gave you a SoloPipe in the parking lot. lol Your a good dude.

Omg thank you for sharing. Sucha big fan

I love Gavin one of my favs. When we die, we go into the arms of those that remember us!

Getting off and away from Xanax was amazing for me. My nerves are still kind of bad from it and I think it made my anxiety worse. I don't remember a solid 12 months of my life because of benzos.

I have always loved Gavin ❤

finally sober from benzos & opiates after 4 brutal years of using everyday. it may not seem like long compared to others who’ve used for 10+ years but trust me, the withdrawal is still just as a bad. i think i’ve pretty much traumatized my family members & my ex with my seizures, being dopesick needing money, etc. i’m currently trying to wean off antidepressants. i miss my childhood so much, where all this withdrawal & pain wasn’t even the slightest concern of mine.

0:49 I took klonopin for 3-4 months AS PRESCRIBED and I was dizzy for weeks after I quit. And that was after tapering.

He touched on something so true and rarely talked about….the xans really do make your singing voice better.

16 stone one of my favorite cds of all time front to back. i also quit xanax after 18 years of daily use, 3 mg a day. been a year and it still hurts badly

Gavin and apocaliptica - end of me. Song is amazing

I just watched his part in Constantine. Good shit!

I was hooked on them as well for years and I quit 5 years ago. I feel better and I put on weight and look like a human finally

I was 6 years on Xanax and klonopin multiple times daily, it took every bit of 2 years to get off and be functional again. Now almost 1 year off. That is hell on another level.

I detoxed off Xanax in a rehab and yeah it was bad. I was so shaky I couldn’t even eat or drink. I had to drink soup broth thru a straw. Rough month for sure. It also makes you real emotional, had a few crying fits.

I saw Bush, Alice In Chains, and Breakin Benjamin at the PNC Art Center NJ last October....this guy put on a great show, he was the guy that went into the crowd and walked the entire arena and ended up spot light on him directly in front of me....awesome. Xanax and alcohol are the most dangerous withdrawals.......Xanax will cause epilipsy, which my ex girlfriend suffered from because of xanax, she dropped right in front of me.

He had it easy. its hell on earth for some of us

It’s like having vertigo with your eyes shut constantly puking, and of course, hot sweats and chills and your head is very cloudy not to mention the seizures

Gawd I love gavin so much!!

Two weeks of sweating? Most people say Xanax is worse to come off than heroin. Coming off methadone takes fucking brutal months, even when tapered.

I had night sweats twice in my life. When I worked up north in a camp and before i had colon cancer.

Mastodon is my favorite band!!! Awesome Gavin is a fan

i don't wanna comeback down from this clouddddddd. Reminds me of my childhood. And Glycerine...man.

Getting off benzodiazepines is a hell like no other. Flip sweats, shakes, diarrhea & the worst is no sleep for 10 days straight. Good for him for being able to quit.

I absolutely loved the sixteen stone album! The guy brought the power of Seattle to the UK and made it into his own - and what a voice!! 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

I owe this dude an apology He came into the crowd during a show in Chicago and I wanted to high 5 him when he got close...I slipped off the chair I was standing and spilt my $8 beer on his head and his MIc. Gavin I apologize .

getting off prescriptions for xanex and oxy after chemo motivated me to not do anything else it was insanely scary getting off of

Man I’m going thru hydromorphone addiction and the withdrawals are no sleep for the first 2 weeks and also my sweating litres daily man it’s absolutely horrible I can’t stand it.

Saw bush in the Bay Area great show

Didn't expect the Mastodon story haha that's rad 😅

I too was addicted to Xanex and it was a low dose at 0.5 but I took them everyday at night for 15 years and getting off them was a slow process tapering off but even going through the tapering the withdrawal was very uncomfortable and lasted for months

I've been using Xanax for almost 10 years now, I've tried to stop but it's impossible on my own and my anxiety and panic attacks are worse! I'm almost coming to terms with the fact that I'll never be able to stop.

I took Xanax for a week, about one bar a day, and I had the WORST anxiety for 3 days after that. And that was just one week of taking them. I couldn't imagine 3-4 YEARS. Yikes.

Sucks dude felt he needed hair plugs. I'm really glad he gets through it.

It’s amazing these drugs are still so widely available and so readily distributed by our nations doctors. I wish seeing a nutritionist or dietician and demonstrating advancement there first was NECESSARY before medication. Gotta give people the tools to overcome before they get the tools to cope.

Yet another reason to love 🤘MASTODON🤘

I guess it's like my relationship, fun going in but withdrawals coming out. I don't do drugs but for those trying to stop, never stop... trying.

Brent Hinds is a stellar dude

Its a literal walking nightmare. Feels like the whole world is not real. It was probably psychosis in hindsight. Then there's is everything else to deal with.

Opiates and benzo's are really hard to stop. Restless legs, sweating, sleeping barely at all for weeks. Kratom helped me quit. If you take to much kratom you feel shitty. So it forces you to take the correct dose. It stopped withdrawal enough to let my body get back to normal.

I was on anxiety medication for GAD & panic disorder for .. 12 years now? I’ve been trying to come off of it but having trouble with my current living situation. Honestly it’s a horrible drug, I’ve been without for almost a week once or twice, the WDs are nastier than “heroin”, they say. But you CAN GET THROUGH IT. I hate personally that because of people simply to put this knowledge forward for good reasons; wanting doctors to hold themselves accountable for explaining and understanding this..that instead of that happening… at all.. the FDA/DEA is cracking down on the number of prescriptions. What if I tried rehab, tried doing it medically assisted by my doctor and I don’t have a child am not pregnant so… would like to stay on it? Since around 2014 I’ve been having to do a song and dance to keep my medication which is by the way, the only reason I can make it to work and even with it some days are extremely hard, sometimes the only reason I am alive I agree agree agree with a lot of the comments I’ve read and I’m not trying to take anything away from any of you ❤ I pray the best for all of you. However, I still think that there is something a tad wrong with the system here.

You really can't know what his xanax experience was until you talk to his family… Diazopines and benzodiazopines are some of the worst drugs to get off of.

Benzo withdrawals were the worst! That was the hardest drug for me to kick, but it’s been almost 3 years since I’ve touched it.

I had weed withdrawals where i would puke every morning, and had diarrhea. I also had cold sweats

I had seizures coming off Xanax , thankfully they went away. Had 4 of them in a short period of time

I worked at Virgin Megastore and they did their “Sign In” there! Coolest most down to earth mfr I met (Wil smith was #1 believe it or not).,Dude’s reak! Lovw him for that! 3:18

Love Gavin

I love GAVIN❤

I’m still struggling with a bad addiction to a non benzo gaba drug and just 2-3 days cold turkey I’m having scary vivid auditory hallucinations as well as visual hallucinations that would startle me every time, sleep is completely out of the question plus my heart is slamming out of chest 24/7, went to the hospital convinced I have cancer, convinced my wife is cheating and doesn’t love me anymore, can’t get these horrible death and gore of people I love out of my head. Can’t enjoy an just watch something either cause everything will start to really bother me and get my anxiety worse. Just a 24/7 anxiety/panic attack thatll get so bad at times where i get pins an needles all over body like ima pass out. Plus other bad symptoms. Literally impossible for me to get off cold turkey, feel like I’d eventually die.

I’m sober 10 years from Xanax, I would put a hollow jacket in my brain before I would ever go back to using them. Absolute fucking nightmare getting off those

"i thought" - be nice if the link to the fucken what you call it, ahh, wildride podcast, was in the description, cause now i gotta take my hand out my pants and type gavin rossdale stevo wildride man hahahah

Valium works just as well without the harshness of the withdrawl than Xanax, in my experience.

Steve o wild's rehab ride 😮

stuff almost killed me when I quit cold turkey. I had a grand mal seizure 3 days after I quit.

He didn't want to come back down from that cloud. It took him all that time to find out what he needed. Lol

Dude! Omg I almost forgot how much I loved Bush when I was a kid. Im going to download Sixteen Stone RIGHT NOW!

Ha ha it sounded like at the end I was going to get 20% off a trial bottle of zanax 😂 but for me it's just a top up of course 😉

I was junkie 25+ years. But coming off Xanax was worse. Just like opiate withdrawal but can’t breathe

Lexapro/ SSRI withdrawals are a mother fucker. Im not drinking or smoking weed or anything right now, only in Adderall for adhd and that doesnt have withrawal symtoms so glad to never have to withdraw again

Wow, he looks great and is a super cool man!

He's lucky. Benzos can cause anxiety, depression, seizures, brain zaps, no appetite, unable to sleep and it can go on for months

that sucks dude but for some like me withdrawal symptoms go on for years - no joke

16 stone still slaps

I was addicted to benzos and quit cold turkey.. sick as a dog.. literally the worst

He ain't done. Hopefully, he maintains what he's doing, at least.

Steveo smiling laughing in the thumbnail

got hella dizzy; the worst vertigo when lying in bed. I had to turn over so slowly otherwise would get violent spins to the point of nausea/vomiting

I've been there. Took my body 2 months to re-learn how to fall asleep naturally again. It was the fn worst.

Xanax is why I went to rehab 4 times

Ativan was my favorite

I’ve never seen someone so close to me go off the deep end so fast than with Xanax. She began snorting it. At first I thought she had a brain tumor because we quit oxy together not long before. She was acting like she did this new chapter with me, but then she kept getting worse and worse. She totaled my car, had a seizure on the floor of my kid’s room (while the child wasn’t home thank God) and eventually had a full blown intervention. Full on psychosis. She still hasn’t stopped but keeps pretending that she’s sober and lying. It’s traumatic and heartbreaking. She went full narcissist on the Xanax.. the lying, stealing, mask wearing.. it’s a spiritual war and she went to the dark side. Who knows what they’re putting in the Xanax on the streets too.

I had an opiate and benzo addiction. The benzo one is so much scarier... You feel legit insane.

im on 80mg of methadone and have a xanax addiction, i've had such horrors in the past trying to come off benzos and opiates that i think i'd rather be dead than go through all that i got coming.

I've been on Xanax for about 15 years, 12 years consistently. I know it has a bad reputation but it really helps me a lot with my mental health. However I will say that the physical withdrawal is wicked. There have been a couple of occasions where I couldn't access my medicine for a day or two due to public holiday or supply shortage and I experienced terrible physical withdrawal - heart palpitations, jitters, cramps, hot and cold flushes and sore muscles but the insomnia and mental aspect is horrendous too. Your mind goes to really dark places. I don't think I could deal with quitting cold turkey. I have also found that when I was younger I was able to take it twice a day but now that I'm older for some reason it wears off quickly and so I actually have to break my pills in half and take half a tablet four times a day instead of one tablet twice a day otherwise I start to feel sick. I have found that while this method means the medication does not come on as strong at least I feel even throughout the day. I have the same issue with my pain medicine. They are supposed to be effective for 8-12 hours but my body metabolises it quickly so I have to take smaller but more frequent doses in order to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal. When I was in my 20s I could handle the cold turkey symptoms if I had to but now I'm 36 it is much harder. My advice to anyone young who is on Xanax is only use it when you need it and if you are able to come off them then do it now, taper off it while you are young. It only gets harder in time. But there are obviously ppl like me where the good outweighs the bad so we continue on them. I only wish modern medicine would design drugs that have the same benefits as benzos and opiates but don't have the nasty withdrawal symptoms.

He's extremely lucky his withdrawls weren't worse. Lucky guy

I had friends in college get real xanned out, it was a badge of honor for some to talk about “being ripped off some bars” it was scary. I always talked down to it and read up on how dangerous withdrawal was and the high risk for addiction. Odd times back in the late 2000s, when poppin xans thanks to some rappers became the in thing. Luckily those friends are still here with us.

Guaranteed,,hit withdrawal line on a flight from Vietnam,,,14 hour flight,wanted the plane to crash into the mountains of Alaska,,,not good,,withdrawals from Xanax,suboxone,temazapam,,same time,,