Wow! 6 years free

[[Da...]]

Hello everyone,

 

I am now more than 6 years off benzos.  In that time I have competed grad school, had two babies, bought a home and changed careers.  Though life is often stressful, I very rarely feel the overwhelming gloom I so often experienced while withdrawing.  Life has patches of great joy and less often am I attributing the "issues" I still have to damage that I caused to myself and instead to the impact of living a busy and stressful life in general. 

 

I am so thankful to have had the support of this forum and others (most notably the TRAP).  If it wasn't for the people that were ahead of me in their experience, I may not have ever caught onto what I was in the middle of.  So many great people there are to thank.

 

For those that are struggling: it surely gets better.  Listen to the advice of others, know the facts and treat yourself right.  Realize that when you are going through a spell, that it's part of your recovery and that in the future, you'll improve.  Any improvement is better then what you are currently experiencing.  Allow others to reassure you.  God bless.  You'll get better.

 

Thank you and best wishes to you all.

 

Dan

[[Ro...]]

Thanks for coming back an posting your history, it made me feel so good, specially when you mention all the thing that you have done after this horrible experience, and life continue.

[[Da...]]

Hi Roberto,

 

It's a slow process that's for sure, but without question things continue to improve until you get to a point where you begin to move on, feeling generally okay.  Keep at it!  You guys are doing an amazing job and what you are going through is temporary.

 

Dan

[[Co...]]

Looking thru your past posts Dan, you've come a LONG way and I congratulate you on your success!! Also, thanks for coming back to post reassurance for us all!

[[Ja...]]

Happy for you!

[[Ro...]]

Dan, if I may ask, which was the last symptom to go for you? Tnx

 

 

[[Da...]]

Roberto,

 

I've been looking at some of my older posts and it's odd how I've forgotten much of the experience.  I think the thing that is still with me from time to time is depression, but truthfully I'm not sure that's even benzo related at this point.  Also, it's very manageable and probably couldn't be defined as clinical because it comes and goes so quickly and I often don't see it for many months at a time.

 

Tinnitus is still with me but not really noticeable.  Definitely doesn't bother me and as I'm writing this I wonder if it has more to do with listening to music way too loud as a teenager.

 

The one thing that I can definitely say is still with me that I'm confident wasn't with me before is some anxiety (or trauma) related to the experience itself.  I'm more aware of how I feel physically and mentally and quicker to panic and point to my time taking benzos as the culprit.  Though again, I have this mostly managed and it definitely does not impact me that often.  I'm a little panicky to begin with. 

 

Overall, everything is okay.  Which if you consider how I was, it's a good place to be.

 

[Guest [Lu...]]

Looks like you finally 'got off', Dan. Good job. 

[[im...]]

Congratulations. It's an unbelievable achievement although people who haven't experienced bzs and withdrawals probably won't understand. Hope you can stay on the right track now, always.

[[Da...]]

Thank you both

[[...]]

 

The one thing that I can definitely say is still with me that I'm confident wasn't with me before is some anxiety (or trauma) related to the experience itself.  I'm more aware of how I feel physically and mentally and quicker to panic and point to my time taking benzos as the culprit.  Though again, I have this mostly managed and it definitely does not impact me that often.  I'm a little panicky to begin with. 

 

Overall, everything is okay.  Which if you consider how I was, it's a good place to be.

 

Thanks for coming back to share your success.  Congratulations! 

 

I consider myself healed now (at 4 1/2 years out) but relate very much to your quote above.  I, too, am hoping that the anxiety (or trauma) will eventually fade, too.  I really just want to be 100% healed even though I'm probably 95%. 

 

Maybe the rest will fade for us, still, with more time? 

 

Congratulations on your recovery!

[[Da...]]

Hi L,

 

Great to hear of your success!

 

The thing about it is I have some comfort in believing that it's not chemical but more so a learned response from a traumatic experience.  Not sure why that makes me feel better about it, but it does.  I think like the rest of the symptoms it will continue to fade but if not, that's ok too.  I'm just thankful to have made it to the other side. 

[[Ho...]]

Thank you for taking the time to update us! Your post is so encouraging to me. I am just over 3 years off and still have a handful of difficult symptoms. So many people seem to heal and never come back to share their success...it means a lot to those still struggling that you have. Congrats on your healing!

 

Hope

[[ca...]]

Hey Dan,

 

Thanks for coming back and sharing your success with us.

 

Were you ever dysfunctional during all this? and if so, when did you feel like you were able to return to a functioning status?

 

I so happy for you.

 

Thanks,

Causing

[[No...]]

Thank you for your post Dan ... reassuring ... and yes ... "the trauma of recovery" ... all the best ...

[[Ga...]]

Dear Dan  :  great success story, and so happy for you.  I am coming into my 16 th month and still having sxs but I thank you for bringing up the post traumatic issue as no one seems to mention it.  I think it's very real and many of us face it.  Healing is so long term and gradual.  I seem to wait every day for sx, new or old to appear.  If I feel something new,I get frightened and start to worry, get immediately down.  All this makes it so much worse, I know,but hard to control.  I feel I've become a hypochondriac but at least I am strong enough to steer clear of doctors.  Sxs pass but the whole process of withdrawal weighs heavily on me.  All those benzo questions....is this forever,  am I facing a lifetime of this, is there something more seriously wrong, why me.  You know. 

 

So thank you again for bringing up an issue that has worried me but reading your post has helped to calm me, makes me feel better.  I feel I will get thought this....acknowledge, accept, ignore is my new mantra.  I am a lot older than you but feel good that I do have more productive years ahead.  I am stronger than i think I am.  Thank you for coming back and sharing this sensitive issue.

Bless you, Galea

[[Ca...]]

Dan,

  Thank you for writing of your success. We need these stories! Congratulates on your family, home and university accomplishments. I wish you much joy.

With gratitude,

Cartia

[[Da...]]

Thank you for taking the time to update us! Your post is so encouraging to me. I am just over 3 years off and still have a handful of difficult symptoms. So many people seem to heal and never come back to share their success...it means a lot to those still struggling that you have. Congrats on your healing!

 

Hope

 

Thanks Hope. I think you'll see continued improvement.  It's kind of sporadic and gradual but it does continue to get better.

 

[[Da...]]

Hey Dan,

 

Thanks for coming back and sharing your success with us.

 

Were you ever dysfunctional during all this? and if so, when did you feel like you were able to return to a functioning status?

 

I so happy for you.

 

Thanks,

Causing

 

Hi Causing,

 

There were many times I felt dysfunctional.  Just generally obsessing over my symptoms and worried that I would be forever stuck in pain.  For me, it just faded over time.  About once a year now I will get caught in a rut, where things flare up a bit.  But for no reason I can explain it goes away, and typically the spell is very short. 

 

I think we all heal differently, some much faster than others.  But there is a level of healing that does take place regardless, as long as we stick to what we know works.

 

Thanks Causing.

[[Da...]]

Dear Dan  :  great success story, and so happy for you.  I am coming into my 16 th month and still having sxs but I thank you for bringing up the post traumatic issue as no one seems to mention it.  I think it's very real and many of us face it.  Healing is so long term and gradual.  I seem to wait every day for sx, new or old to appear.  If I feel something new,I get frightened and start to worry, get immediately down.  All this makes it so much worse, I know,but hard to control.  I feel I've become a hypochondriac but at least I am strong enough to steer clear of doctors.  Sxs pass but the whole process of withdrawal weighs heavily on me.  All those benzo questions....is this forever,  am I facing a lifetime of this, is there something more seriously wrong, why me.  You know. 

 

So thank you again for bringing up an issue that has worried me but reading your post has helped to calm me, makes me feel better.  I feel I will get thought this....acknowledge, accept, ignore is my new mantra.  I am a lot older than you but feel good that I do have more productive years ahead.  I am stronger than i think I am.  Thank you for coming back and sharing this sensitive issue.

Bless you, Galea

 

Galea,

 

I do know what you mean.  I think we all have our ways of coping.  Since we have to redevelop these skills, it does take time.  The farther out we go, the better we get at responding to stressors.

 

It sounds though like you have the right attitude and to me, that's a big deal.  Hang in there.  I know it's tough.  It without question, will get better.

[[Da...]]

Dan,

  Thank you for writing of your success. We need these stories! Congratulates on your family, home and university accomplishments. I wish you much joy.

With gratitude,

Cartia

 

Thanks so much Cartia.  It means a lot.

[[Da...]]

Thank you for your post Dan ... reassuring ... and yes ... "the trauma of recovery" ... all the best ...

 

Same to you my friend

[[de...]]

thanks for coming back and sharing how you feel this long after being off benzos..i just started my taper in june after 28 yrs of 4mgs of k..so i love ready good stories..it gives me hope that someday in the not so distant future i will be writing my story

 

 

deep

[[Da...]]

thanks for coming back and sharing how you feel this long after being off benzos..i just started my taper in june after 28 yrs of 4mgs of k..so i love ready good stories..it gives me hope that someday in the not so distant future i will be writing my story

 

 

deep

 

Thanks deep for your kind words.  I am sure you'll be writing about your success in the future.  I look forward to seeing it.

[[mp...]]

Hello Dan. Many congratulations on your achievements and your new (and growing) family. Thank you for taking time to reach out to those of us still here and waiting.... It means the world to fellow buddies to hear from "senior" buddies who have graduated.

 

Continued healing to you for those last little remaining issue, and be well out there in the real world.

 

M.