Bob you are an unsung hero. I love your videos. I'm still out here in the trenches brother hanging on for dear life. I hope I wake up healed one day, I will run through the streets screaming for joy.

I teared up when you describe waking up and all of your symptoms were gone. I’m really hoping that I’m on the last legs of this.

I applaud you for the lives you are trying to save well done!!!!!!

Thank you for this video as I’m walking through hell still at 2.5 years.

Thank you Bob. Your words are encouraging. I was on .5 mg of klonapin for 40yrs!!! I did a 5 month taper and have been off 18 months. I am building my life back up, with God’s help. I have some memory lapses, some days I don’t feel like leaving the house. I exercise and volunteer several hours a week. I just wish I had someone I could talk to who understood. It can be so very lonely. Thanks again for your video.

Thank you for sharing Neighbor Bob. Calm, lovely, supportive, just what we need in this journey through hell. Big hug to you.

Thank you so much Bob!! I'm currently at 14 months and hearing you say you healed at about 17 or 18 months gave me hope! I'm at the point where I dread leaving the house, I had a panic attack in Walmart the other day while I was grocery shopping and it really bummed me out! Happened out of the blue too, so strange. Thanks so much for all your videos and the time spent making them, you are helping out so many people including me!

Thank you Bob for this, I can so relate to you during the my last attempt 5 years ago, went way too fast, along with 2 AD's at same time, hoping this taper with Ashton Manual will be better. Love the emotion you show here. Love your honesty also. Taking one hour at a time. Benzodiazepines have ruined 35+ years of my life. Again THANK YOU NEIGHBOR.... your info helps get us through this this nightmare. Can't wait for the LIGHT to come on! FAITH can make it HAPPEN!

Thanks Bob for giving me hope, hugs from Belgium.

Thank you Bob, you give people real hope. I'm going through a severe Benzo withdrawal myself. Grasping for a SURGE myself. Fighting to get through the day since my MD put me on Benzo's. I'm tapering off now after almost a year. It takes such a long time. As a chronic pain patient my pains got even worse. I'm really pissed over the fact that MD's prescribe Benzo's like it's nothing, while in fact it is the purest of poison there is. Morfine addiction is nothing compared to Benzo addiction. It's even worse than heroïne I read. Benzo's should be banned forever. Now I declared war on Benzo's. They create a gap in your brain's chemistry. I want my GABAa receptors to heal. I hope, I pray that I will wake up from this Benzo nightmare like you did. Really really do hope so. Thank you for giving people hope by telling your personal story Bob. God bless.

Thank you! I'm going through a really rough time in my withdrawal and I've been feeling desperate with all of this. My symptoms had been manageable but the past few months have been very rough so it was nice hearing "it very well maybe that you're almost done..." - even if it's not around the corner for me but this gave me some encouragement so THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for all of these videos! You have no idea how much they are helping me and others right now! Your very good at describing your story.

Your videos are the best as in the videos ... you don’t skip a beat and it’s the entire process. Ty

You are so sweet thank you. Currently tapering Clonazepam, you have wonderfully encouraging uploads!!

Bob, thanks for all you are doing. I don't check out others channels very often, but a few listeners of the Benzo Free Podcast told me about your videos. Your honesty and compassion is wonderful. Thank you so much. D

So happy you healed. It gives us hope. I still have a way to go and struggling so much. 🙏🙏🙏 for all of us ❤️ yes this withdrawal is just too much but we MUST hang in there

Bob, your'e a real soldier.. a commander, or a general at least. Im encouraged big time. Before your videos i had no clue what i was going through.

hey there Bob, I'm so happy for you that you have recovered.

Thank you for your videos, Bob: they're so helpful! But, I have to say, your approach and demeanor definitely have a calming effect on the viewer, which is an added bonus. It's refreshing to know that there's a light at the end of this dark tunnel, and I appreciate your honesty tremendously. Thanks again

Great video, Bob...youre vids are inspiring to those of us going through the hell. Thank you man!

Hi Neighbor Bob-Thanks for all of your work. Did you ever see a doctor to get diagnosed for the burning skin symptom that you experienced that you have mentioned in your videos? I was just diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy and erythromelalgia. I have horrible burning in my feet and hands...bright red skin...veins bulging. I am hoping that this burning pain ends up going away.

Somethings that worked for me when I went through hellish benzo withdrawal are: • Exercise (if you can tolerate it - cardio and anything that gets your heart rate up. This gets blood flowing to the brain and boosts BDNF - brain derived neurotrophic factor - which is responsible for neuro-regeneration. • Blackseed oil - I took a tablespoon a day. Also knows as Nigella Sativa. It has apparently been shown to help with upregulating GABA receptors. It’s also anti-anxiety. • Omega 3 fatty acid supplements - the brain is majority fat, and requires this to function properly. • Healthy, clean diet - veg, fruit, nuts and seeds, HEALTHY fats as in avocado, walnuts, make sure you’re getting these regularly and also sufficient iron and vitamin D (and other vitamins) to help neurotransmitter production to counter any mood issues from withdrawal. • A good support system and faith. I ignored horror stories online and saved and screenshot success stories only to keep my hope alive. I also experienced more than one surge and then sudden light-switch-like vanishing of certain symptoms before fully healing. ❤️

I watched a few of your vids at the beginning of this year. Seeing you now, you have more color, your hair has color again, there's a different person behind those eyes. You give me hope, thank you :)

Thank you Neighbor Bob! Someone needed too hear this! I hope you saved a life today! This is important for so many people to here! I’m happy you have healed! God bless you for this VIDEO!🙏💕🌈💕🌈💕🌈~~~~

You are a real sweetheart! Thank-you for taking the time to help others. This is the beginning of my 8th mth, cold turkey, off Klonopin. I was on them for 20 yrs! You give me hope and make me smile! God Bless You!!!😊

Bob im from lincoln nebraska and I've been on klonipin for over 10 years you have inspired me to quit I have stopped since October 7th im having bad withdrawals still.

Water fasting is key ! Please promote that in each vid

Thanks for your videos. I have been going through it for about 4 months now. I only took it for a few days but I have suffered like I took them for years. The only thing I didn't have was nerve pain. My initial reaction happened when my dr misdiagnosed me and put me on Zoloft. I stopped taking it after 2 times because I had a horrible reaction to it. Not long after I had my first ever panic attack and the ER gave me Xanax. No warning. Just take as needed. My life took a turn for the worst and I stopped the Xanax after 5 days due to it making everything 100x worse. I'm getting better but slowly. The only thing sticking around so far now, is dizzyness, anxiousness, and sometimes a bit of panic. I'm praying for the day it is ALL gone. ❤

You’re video just popped up. Thank you for sharing

I’m up late at night watching this, bawling my eyes out from nerve pain and unable to sleep more than 3-4 hours a night for the past 4 weeks. My abusive ex took my medicine when I got my dad to come rescue me...he attacked my dad, and kept my pills. I ran out of the house. 😖 Now here I am 4 weeks later... was supposed to have an appointment Saturday. But my dad can’t take me (he has the only car and will be out of state all weekend.) He asked his friends who have known me all their life, know what happened the day I left, and they’re like ‘nah sorry too far to drive.’ Neither my father nor I have the money for Uber. Which is the only way to get there , car. When my dad told me that tonight I broke down. I’m still breaking down. It’s activated my PTSD, I can barely sleep, I have so much fear and paranoia, and I’m feeling despair and just... complete emptiness mentally. I don’t know how you all did this. I admire you so much. Thank you for ‘talking’ to me with the video while I’m having a breakdown. ❤️

he is totally awesome!!

I wake up rather fine every one or two days and the next day it sucks again.

Wow thank you Bob I just watched with my husband, I am in pure hell and agony as you mentioned at 20 months out now , looking for any sign of healing still , barely holding on, I hope to see some big changes soon, love Yvonne

Thank you so much for the info, it is Cathartic just hearing you say that.

Thank you. I am two years off of it cold turkey of X. Healing up pretty good but I’ve got still some issues.

Thanks for doing this . Right now I have to shut it off though , it’s too much . I am not doing so good .

Neighbor Bob - I am intrigued that you didn't experience withdrawal while water-fasting. You were in a ketogenic state whilst fasting, and this encourages elevated GABA and reduced glutamate activity in the central nervous system. I think eating a ketogenic (very low carb) diet and fasting can be an important part of healing addiction to GABAergic medication for many of us. I experience fewer withdrawal symptoms and feel healthier while fasting and eating a keto diet.

Regarding surge business - I’m on month 48 in recovery from benzo usage for 16 years on that. Done the CT approach………..my surge was on month 28 or peak, since then a surge appears in an unpredictable time and strength at least 25 times since then…which follow a slight improvement only, are now 98 percent healed

technically withdrawal lasts less than a week. Everything after that is nothing but healing. I would know. I went to rehab for 23 days to get off Ativan cold turkey with non-benzo anti-seizure meds. Was on Ativan 14 years. (2008-2021) I'm still healing after 1.7 years clean. Doing much better now. Working full time since a month after rehab. I've experienced hell!! Psychosis, semi-seizures, paralization, tinnitus as loud as a horn, insomnia, you name it. I couldn't walk for weeks. What a nightmare.

C/T failed, then tapered 12 months. Now I’m off the boat 2 years and 3 months, still have terrible insomnia, skin crawling, headache left, especially recent, suffering a lot

Im glad there's this awareness out there but your scaring people into worst case scenarios. I've come off heavy opiate use, methadone and heavy alcohol use. Each person will have different reactions. I'm currently coming of Valium and have only had minor symptoms. Alcohol detox felt much worse. Good on you on winning your fight mate, stick with it. Anyone reading this comment keep in mind were all different, don't let other peoples experience scare you.

I live in Belgium.The most psychiatric doctors are going to fast building off this kind of drugs.Heather Asthon who have runned a withdrawal clinic in Newcastle is an example for the world.Benzos and neuroleptics kill your emotions.Congratulations for this man!!!

Hey Bob have u heard of people just randomly one day healing completely after so long of not seeing any progress of relief and it just healing just like that!? I’m at 20 months off klonopin and lexapro and my gut is so painful I can tell it’s just trying to heal and grow and has been for soooo long now! I just hope they’re right when they say 2 years average for healing cuz I would be really close and I don’t have any windows it’s just constant hell it doesn’t take a break for me

Im suffering pretty badly. Im experiencing the effects of possible catatonia and i just became a dad to a new born. My emotions feel cut off.. irritated.. ringing in my ears... panics... tons of fears.. 6 months clean from 6 or 7 years of benzos. 1 mg for 2 years, 2 mg for 3 years and 4 mg for 4 mg for 4 years.

Thank you for making these videos. Although I have to say the more I watch the more I feel like im in no ready to face that hell. I do feel like the Diazepam has made things worse than they were before, so if its to get worse even more coming off, im not sure I will ever be ready. It interests me that you mentoned being scared of everything, because I feel really stupid for that - everything can seem scary, and if ive missed a dose - I already feel it much worse, ive got stuck on the kitchen floor all night long after not taking it, and felt like I was going to die. My legs stop working, and I just get so afraid of everything I see / hear / smell/ touch. Im not on a high dose, 20mg a day, but I do have to take more sometimes. I take it with zopiclone and mirtazapine, and im on thyroxine (and iron which I dont take as it makes me 1000 times worse). But right now, when I cant get to my own gate without my legs seizing up and collapsing, (not even sure what im scared of when I try to go out, there is no danger here), I feel like I never ever want to come off them because of how much ive learned about that hell, and also feel I never wanted to be put on them. So kind of stuck in between :( (I think the legislation changed since I started over 10 years ago, as now only 5mg / day can be prescribed for about 2 months max). Im also completely alone, I lost my entire family after an assault, where my attacker hung himself before the court case, and everyone deserted me. So I know Id have to do it totally alone.

Hope that my brother is going through a surge as well. Imagine having to work in an auto shop to pay off 200k in back taxes to save his property in that condition.

I mean if tapering so slowly is still a horrible hell then don’t you think if it’s helping us we should stay on it?

Pray to God. Verily God Has Power over all things.

Hi Bob, thanks for all your videos. I love them. How is your sleep? Has it returned to normal?

I noticed it doesn’t alert people when you post a video made for kids. It turns off the notification so ppl don’t know when you upload.

Bless you Buddy. I'm your neighbor from central Nebr. Great chronicle and description of everything. I can relate 100%. I was on Clonazepam for 16 years - 1.5 mg and Methadone, Hydrocodone, Neurontin, Flexeril and was cold turkeyed on March 1st, 2017. Oh, my God - I cannot tell you the hell I have been through. I still am going through withdrawal. The "Opioid Epidemic" I believe is what caused my doctor to do this to me. I was placed on pain killers in 1999 and about a month or two after a bunch of other junk and I would say about ten to fifteen others along this awful journey. Anyway - I am now back on Methadone - a very low dose which doesn't do much for my pain -- which is the real deal - I suffer damn near all the time... but the withdrawal along with the pain and then I made horrible decisions in the market which cost me over $100,000 -- talk about being down in the dumps. This is just pure hell and sometimes I would have to say torturous. I am very happy that you healed. I thought I was healed once but it came back -- now over 2 years off of these drugs with methadone exception. I am suffering big time with pain, derealization, depersonalization, emotionless, no motivation - you know. I do have a theory of why some people heal or have little withdrawal and some go through hell. It has to do with Epstein Barr Virus -- the higher the viral load the more suffering. You mentioned that you did a water fast and that would definitely help with the Epstein Barr - in fact it could lower it enough to not have any symptoms. I read the books by Anthony William "medical medium" you have to have an open mind but I do believe in his gift. Anyway - thought I would compliment you and thank you for doing this video. I hope all is well Bob and take care!!!

So so so so very difficult.

The whole issue of benzo,s is horrendous and the suffering is beyond bearable l watched my gentle loving mother die from these horrid drugs it makes me feel l could scream forever

Just would like to say that my wife is also from the Philippines, Davao City ❤️

It took a year to get fully heal. I can’t believe in like I always dreamed of. Before benzos I was a wreck benzos made it worse. I thought I must have mild autism , ptsd , ocd. I’ll drive and get so caught up on a anxiety storm and won’t know where I am. So I’m a year off will the hyper empathy leave

Thank You 🙏

Im having iron problems they are sending me to a hematologist iron is 27 just took a shower was dizzy couldnt hardly stand up

i need to start back on benzos . I was sent to rehab and did a rapid taper . i have ben off 73 days and have lost so much weight can’t gain because of the constant surge of glutamate . I am never calm 24/7. I thought my dr would reinstate me . This is worst than my withdrawals while tapering

hey neighbor I'm sub'ing to your channel. trying to get of the benzos. ive tried multiple times over the past couple years. I've gotten down from 6mg of xanax down to .5 every few days due to my Dr not allowing me have it in my system due to another medication which is a horrible way to quit. thank you for all your info.

Man it’s 4:15 am another still going through tapering sleepless night. Is there anyway at all for the excruciating gut pain? I still have almost a year of tapering to go. Is there any relief at all. I’m pretty much on edge 24/7 the pain is so unbearable! I’ve already gone through over a year of this. 😭 should I free my poor husband of me? I don’t know where I could go but I feel like the worst burden I feel I ruined our lives by allowing myself to ever take one of these pills! I’m so scared that the stress will kill him. I don’t want to do that to him. I wish it would just take me so I don’t stress him out anymore. Oh man I’m talking crazy I see the sun rising maybe I should try getting some sleep.

the tinnitus, derealization and no sleep is the worst. Ive been wondering whats been causing those problems now i realize its probably the benzos

Wow, I always had feelings benzodiazepines did not take them away from me or paint me in any way! I forced to stop by a gov funded abusive healthcare system. They have me 5 years in a group home. I lost family members, friends and my home. Whatever a person decided I don't want anyone else to become a cash cow and lose everything then get out out homeless

I have gone through the worst wave at month 16-20 and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why I was just getting worse and worse. For the last 2-3 days there has been genuine improvement that feels different to the previous windows, my obsessive thoughts and burning brain really reduced. I have a number of symptoms and it’s still not right but I’m hoping this might be it, that it could be the last surge before I really start healing. Was your healing after the last wave instant or did things just gradually get better over days/weeks following that last wave until one day you were like everything is normal again? And is it usually around this 20-24 month mark that the last wave happens?

Once fully healed from protracted benzo withdrawal is coffee something that some/most people can drink again ?

By body isn't craving or wanting pills... just healing....I had a five month window (months 41 to 47 and thought it was over and now I'm in one of the worst waves ever...complicated by serious lung infection. I've woken up many times feeling like a million dollars only to be plunged into worsening waves over the last four years. I never took more than 40 mg a year until the last year when i took about 60 mg over the year. I think I took more during the taper..and it was for insomnia but caused GAD and panic disorder. I'm so screwed now...trying everything...losing hope. I'm old. My good days are glorious, my bad days are absolute hell. I;m one of the unlucky ones. I've started intermittent fasting a year ago but haven't gone more than 24 hours. No help. I keep saying these waves mean it's over as I get a window and every fricken time, another bad waves comes but now they are lasting longer than ever! I just don't know how to be positive anymore. I'm doubting I will actually heal. I don't think this is the first time I've commented on your videos. take care

Would fixing your gut and taking supplements help symptoms?

How did you keep your sanity during the process?

What was the specific day like when you felt “healed”... was it definitive, like, wow, I’m healed now, or what was that like?

I cant take it anymore. It just getting worse and worse. I cant be positibe about this feelings..I have so much existencial dread 😢😢😢😢

I just don't have the support...dont what to eat don't or feel like go anywhere.

Hi Bob...hw r u doing?

How are you doing today?

Hello bob ! How I can detox myself from heavy metal detox I need help . Thank you my friend . God bless you !

I’m at month 16 I think I’m dealing with this. Been so down lately.

Been off of it for 7 weeks. This shit is so hard I can’t even work, I’m starting to think I need it to be normal...

Nice video!

Can you please tell me if you experienced weak spells like you were if you had low blood sugar, lasting for about 15 minutes. Shakes , and rubbery legs etc, full body weakness. I would also like to ask if it is possible to have withdrawal symptoms even from a slow taper that involved one year of tapering from diazepam I started at 30 mg a day and each week I reduced it by .5 mg sometimes it was every two weeks until I was comfortable it was over one year. And I’m having side effects that I thought I would never have or is it just in my mind, The reason I’m asking is because I followed the Ashton manual and I was put on diazepam at my request to help me get off of Paxil I quit taking the Paxil when I achieved a very low-dose then my doctor started me on the long lasting diazepam so that is my basic question the Ashton manual suggest that you won’t have any with drawl symptoms if you do it very slow it didn’t hit me until the eighth day then bang I was in full panic and having all these weird neurological symptoms thank you

Glad you made it's hard

Hi bob did you ever get itching hot skin towards the end to im at 26 weeks benzo free now and it came back havnt had it for a long time

20 months since my last taper worst benzo belly ever. Im dealing with it right now. Stabbing abdominal pain that surges every 30 minutes then dies down wht the hell is that

What about cbd oil for the anxiety? Anyone? I have done 7 month with nothing. Any thoughts?

Hi mate, can sleeping pills (zopiclone 7.5mg) half a pill around 2am and second half at 4 or 5am help with withdrawal night wakings.??

When you said you had a surge of symptoms that got bad before you healed was anxiety one of them?

Do you think the same for me will happen that I will heal too,? On zyprexa Antipsychotic 10 mg a day for 4 months off cold Turkey for 3 months. Severe withdrawls still in them will I heal or am I brain damaged permanently?

How about burning brain and SI?

Bob I am mid taper 2.5 Ativan, I was down to 0.88 but made a big mistake and had to reinstate. I smoked some cannabis thinking it would help me but I had a bad trip/reaction which gave me dp/dr. Ontop of the insane depression and anxiety everything got worse and I had to go back up. Right now I feel I am so deep. I dont stabilise have a long taper ahead of me and then the healing. How Am I supposed to survive this? I feel burnt up.

Are you fully healed I was looking at ur dr dp and you were saying you still feel it is it gone everything is gone ???

My brain is destroyed. No healing for me. Nothing woile make this better. No healing could even begin to make this right

Is Holy Basil ok to take.

I was in Xanax for 3 years, Does alcohol slow down the recovery process ?

Hello Bob, Do you think that your solvent brain injury was a cause for extensive and extended healing time ?

Every morning I hope I get that feeling It is strange when I wake up to go to the bathroom I get that normal feeling but few hours latter when I wake up I am back in hell Anyone else exp this

Question to all 12 months of benzo last week in a bad car accident The hospital gave me oxy and morphine and not knowing gave me a ambien My question is how bad has this effect my recovery

How long does it take to withdraw when you’ve been on Ativan for 2 months

Did your tinnitus go away ?

At what point during titration does this SURGE happen?

hi neighbor bob im a beginner of tapering off Ativan and clorazapam benzos im so scared

I am off since 3 months .. I was doing well for a months then suddenly started crashing.. but since months my father passed away and I crashed more .. since 2 weeks I started disconnecting and derealization and scared .. if I take 0.25 do I relapse .. just a rescue dose ?

Did you getchest pain

Why isn't it a law for Drs to have to tell us how different medicine works and does to your body and how evil the different medicine is to go off of? I'm just now starting to go through this. I've been on it for 15 years. I'm so scared!!