Success stories scare me

[Guest [he...]]

Am I the only one who can't read the success stories?  It's because of the length of time it took to heal, over a year is common, sometimes 2....I know I'm not supposed to compare myself to others because we all heal differently, but geez, 2 years to feel better! :'(

[[Ch...]]

Most people take less than two years to heal and you can't really predict how long it will take to feel 100% again.  Yes, two years is a long time and I was in denial about the length of time it would take me to heal, but now I've come around to the thinking that at least I healed...there are many conditions people don't heal from. 

[[sa...]]

They scare the hell out of me because of the duration.  Also, don't see too many that came off multiple drugs.  Also, an absence of ct's represented.

 

I do agree with Challis though that there are a lot of conditions that people don't heal from.  I pray that I someday heal from this.

[Guest [he...]]

Especially when family members are hinting for me to go back to work, Challis.

I'm with you Satch.

[[ma...]]

Well, I'm almost at two years post-jump and I feel *much* better than at one year. My sleep was still messed up the first year. It took a good six months of normal sleep to really heal.

 

Maybe if you can sleep well it will go quicker?

 

Also I was on klon for 10 years so logically, I have a boatload of receptors to rebuild. That simply doesn't happen quickly.

[[Re...]]

As they say: the people who recover quickly probably aren't seeking out a message board for support or to post their stories.

I only found this place after a week of suffering and wanting to know wtf was wrong with me. If I got over it quickly and didn't feel so helpless, I wouldn't have joined. That being said, I'm planning on the 1 month recovery plan. LOL

[Guest [Or...]]

Am I the only one who can't read the success stories?  It's because of the length of time it took to heal, over a year is common, sometimes 2....I know I'm not supposed to compare myself to others because we all heal differently, but geez, 2 years to feel better! :'(

 

Let me give you the best advice anyone will give you on this forum. IT DOES NOT TAKE EVERYONE 2+ YEARS TO HEAL! The people that wrote those success stories are people that spent copious amounts of time on this forum, making friends, using it as a life line, etc... the ones that just come for occasional advice GTFO once they feel better. They dont bother writing success stories because they are happy with their new found energy and feeling amazing. Why look back? For some people, it is bothersome and they dont want to deal with it anymore or even think back to all of the suffering.

 

If you look at a lot of the success stories, they mention A) Their Taper B) Their Withdrawal. Most people dont taper incredibly fast, which means they come here for support. (Most people taper for well over 5 months), so thats 5 months of history with other people going through the same thing. Then you have the withdrawal, which, for some people is just as terrifying. As they now cant rely on any dose to make them feel better, they come here and post, make friends, feel better (Start to avoid the forums a bit), get smashed, come back here, and because they went through a tough time and had many friends on the way support them that are probobly still feeling like crap, they write a success story.

 

Is it a possibility you will take 2+ years to heal? Yes. Will it likely happen? No. There are videos of several people that ABUSED these drugs and healed within the one year estimated time frame. Dont get yourself caught up in other peoples patterns, symptoms, healing, etc...your time will come. And, when it does, I urge you to write a success story =).

[Guest [Or...]]

Oh, and one other thing...

 

This is just something that I have noticed. But, a lot of the people that take 2 years to write their success story are waiting for EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR SYMPTOMS TO DISAPPEAR. I have seen posts from people being like, "Im 2 years out, have some muscle twitching and general fatigue". Whereas, in reality, they have been going out about life like normal, feel fine otherwise, but just have some minor issues that annoy them. Now there are some very, very unfortunate people that are suffering 2 years out and my hearts go out to them for being able to deal with this for so long. But, dont think that you will be one of them. The odds of you being one of them is SO minute. And, you also have to remember that some of those people took the drug for a LONG TIME. So, they forget what it feels like to feel normal. To react without the presence of a drug. That in itself takes time.

 

There are also people that have underlying disorders that wont be cured just because they decided to taper off of the pill. Some people do have a crazy amount of anxiety, or serious depression, you just cant take what everyone says on an open forum at 100% face value. I feel so bad for writing that, but its true.

 

I believe that after the acute phase, and I havent reached this point yet, so this is only my opinion here, that the anxiety you feel is normal anxiety. People then have to learn to cope with it normally. This gradually dissipates over time as they learn to handle stress, panic attacks, etc...

 

So hang in there =)

[[ja...]]

@[Or...]

 

@helpmom:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=117944.msg1547065#msg1547065

 

[[Ro...]]

Orionbash, I agree completely with your analysis, very well articulated and complete. I also thought about all this factors.

One thing is for sure, this journey is completely different for every body, it is like life is different for all of us, some are rich and some are poor, some are very rich and depressed while some are very poor and very happy, some live long some live less. There is no way to compare. Also perceptions are different, for some, a small twitch is a factor of unhappiness while for others no, and is very true that we have to take into account the underline condition the person has, remember that many people have used AD and AP for very long time.

 

We all are looking for the same answer, how long this agony will last?, and the true is that nobody knows. But we still look b/c we are desperate :'( . One more thing is that many people who does c/t, they have symptoms for few weeks and they don't report their success because it is like a joke for us and for them. You can see the old topics from 2011 and there are so many people who did not have sxs after few weeks and they don't post their success histories.

 

But in general I can say that if depression is not present, you can bear the other sxs easily. Depression is the fore most important factor according to me. Success goes together happiness, laughter, wellbeing feeling, no fear...

[[Ro...]]

@jabba, for sure I am not hooked to this forum because a gastritis 

[[ja...]]

@jabba, for sure I am not hooked to this forum because a gastritis 

Well, I wanted to say that I read many common ailments that do not always think they are due to retire 

[Guest [ba...]]

I couldn't read those stories either when I first joined/jumped.  They sent me into a panic.

 

I suspect that there is a way to write a success story that would be more encouraging and less scary.  Of course, some people would then accuse you of sugar-coating it. 

[[Be...]]

It would also be an idea to sort the stories after recovery lenght

[Guest [he...]]

Well said Orion!  thank you for putting that into perspective for me, and I do have to realize there are some that blame every single symptom on WD.

 

Benzomama I agree, but then unfortunately everyone would be reading only the short healing times, lol.

 

Thanks all for your support, it always makes me feel better, when in a panic.  Hugs!

 

[[Wo...]]

Well, I'm almost at two years post-jump and I feel *much* better than at one year. My sleep was still messed up the first year. It took a good six months of normal sleep to really heal.

 

Maybe if you can sleep well it will go quicker?

 

Also I was on klon for 10 years so logically, I have a boatload of receptors to rebuild. That simply doesn't happen quickly.

 

Are you almost healed maintain ??

 

I'm just behind you at 1 week in to month 23 and I feel like I've been here forever, so many things are better than the first year is some ways but so much is worse in lots of other ways.. Think it's the duration that wears you down and that not knowing how long more it will take, everyone told me because of my short use I would be healed by 6 months but I've seen people on various benzos more than 20 years heal quicker, as they say no rhyme nor reason to any of this invisible hell...

 

Wishing you a smooth landing in the soon to be promised land if I'm reading your post right 👍

 

Woofs

[[pr...]]

Orion,

 

I could not have articulated this better re: success stories. I used to get so freaked our reading Success Stories. When folks talk about a 24-36 month recovery period, how can that be called a success? I think the Success Stories are the most discouraging aspect  of this forum so I have stopped reading them.

 

The other thing I realized is there is no WAY anyone here can be bedbound for 2 years. Do I think symptoms linger for 2 years or even more? Absolutely it's possible. But to be non-functional and in bed for 24-36 months means that the individual is looking for attention OR she has other health problems. I mean, can you imagine being bedbound for 12-36 mos from JUST benzo use? I don't buy that -- those ppl would be on the cover of the Wall astreet Journal if that were the case.

 

This is a 6-18 month recovery process for most ppl barring other healtg issues. No one is bed bound for 24 months. And I will go sp far as to say that a significant portion will heal in 6 mos. Don't let stories of 36-48 mos of required healng time scare you. No way can that be true. Symptoms may limger but you will all be functional well before that.

[[bo...]]

You have just called several posters on here liars. You have no idea what you are talking about. And frankly for people who have only taken these pills for a few weeks, like Orion, I wonder what they are doing on here at all. I find it hard to believe they have any real withdrawal. But guess what I believe them because I take them at their word.

 

This is one of the most obnoxious unhelpful threads I think I jave read on here. If you cant handle or dont believe success stories dont read them. In fact you dont have to read anything on here if you don't want to.

[[pr...]]

Nah, not calling anyone a liar. I just think it is a bit much to be bedbound for 12-48 months. Do symptoms linger? For sure. But non-functional for four years? I doubt it, BARRING other health problems. I wholeheartedly agree that no one has to read anything they can't handle. That's for sure. But Orion's posts was some of the best perspective on why it does not take everyone 2+ years to heal. Happy healing.

[[bo...]]

If people post their stories and say they have no other health problems and are bedbound from wd, and you say you dont believe them you are calling them liars.

[[pr...]]

If 364 respond to the following survey and it shows the vast majority of people heal within 2 years, either there must be some issue with the data collection or you must have issue with the numbers:

 

http://www.benzosupport.org/recovery_times.htm

 

I'll stick to the data-- the vast majority of us will NOT be bedbound for 2-4 years.  The numbers back this up.

[[bo...]]

Now you are Changing your statements. You wrote nobody could be bedbound for two years or more only from wd. NOBODY. You wrote wrote they must be attention seeking or suffering from some disease. Now you change that to"most" heal in two years. Of course thats true. But that wasnt your original claim. If you now wish to recant your earlier nonsense then that is great.

[[ba...]]

If 364 respond to the following survey and it shows the vast majority of people heal within 2 years, either there must be some issue with the data collection or you must have issue with the numbers:

 

http://www.benzosupport.org/recovery_times.htm

 

I'll stick to the data-- the vast majority of us will NOT be bedbound for 2-4 years.  The numbers back this up.

 

Prufrock,

 

You are way past the danger zone in withdrawal symptoms.  I know you are trying to help others alleviate their fears, but don't make it your personal quest to eradicate the timelines of those in severe withdrawal.  I, too, refused to believe it would take me more than 18 months or so to heal.  I am one of the BOO scary stories! 

 

There does seem to be much anecdotal BB evidence that most who are severe/bedridden seem to "turn the corner" at about 24 months.  And I hope I will be there soon.

 

Hang in there. 

[[pr...]]

babyrex,

 

Thank you for your response. You are right- I am trying to stay positive and not dismiss anyone's personal timeline. I was bedbound during a 4 month taper. I am so sorry this has been going 21 months for you. I will be rooting hard for you in these next 3 mos (seriously)!

[[ba...]]

babyrex,

 

Thank you for your response. You are right- I am trying to stay positive and not dismiss anyone's personal timeline. I was bedbound during a 4 month taper. I am so sorry this has been going 21 months for you. I will be rooting hard for you in these next 3 mos (seriously)!

 

Thank you!

 

Do stay positive!  I went for many months of hopelessness....you are well on your way and EVERYONE agrees it gets better and better after acute.  Don't let it beat you down.  You've got this.