Please welcome our new Moderator, Maggiemay

[[Co...]]

Hi all,

 

Maggie has agreed to help us out around here. Thank you, Maggie.

[[bo...]]

Hey maggie:

Good for you, your counseling experience should help, I always thought counselors were best when they could empathize, well your waist deep in this, so empathy wont be a problem. I think to last a long time in the counseling business one has to detatch to keep ones sanity, and that detachment I think effects the efficacy of the counselor.

 

Good luck

Bobers

[[ma...]]

Hi Bobers, I agree with you.  Empathy is essential for effective practice and sometimes it gets lost.  Counselors are first people and can get overwhelmed and drained easily.  It's always important for counselors to first practice self-care and then practice professional care. In addition, having "walked the walk" as well as "talked the talk" is invaluable for any counselor.  When I was in practice, most of the areas I was most effective were the emotional struggles I had gone through myself and healed from.

 

Thanks for your support.  I hope I can do a good job as a moderator.  I still have lots of my own issues but I feel I have the energy and passion to help if I can.

 

Wish Me Luck!

 

Maggie

[[...]]

Awesome... Maggie i was juuust getting to 'know' you a little and BAM! ...*Moderator Status* :)

 

You'll do fine - congratulations.

[[ma...]]

Thanks Ten

 

This is all really new to me as I've never been a part of a cyper support group before.  Sounds like you know about other popular recovery sites and are doing well in your own recovery.  That's great that you have 10 years sober! 

I've been to some AA meetings as a support person and loved the fellowship I felt.   The people there were just so REAL.  The principles and steps are profound and seem to be universally applied to so many of life's struggles. It is an amazing self-supporting organization in which I have a lot of respect for.  (I guess I'm assuming that you attended AA,so sorry if I'm wrong... )

 

I am so thankful for the BenzoBuddie site as there are certainly no benzo support groups in my area.  I live in Southern California so you'd think there would be something here. There should be as so many people are suffering and thus isolated.  I know benzos and alcohol/drugs are not the same thing; however, it seems that many people do have the same underlying issues of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc.  Of course, this excludes the many people who are prescribed benzos for purely medical disorders.

 

I know now that my insomnia (reason for Benzo Rx) was definitely about my anxiety and some PTSD issues.  The benzos were a way I could mask those feelings and continue my day to day life without anyone noticing.  Now, with the help of the Ashton Manual and this great site, I know that I don't need benzos to function.  What a liberating realization that was! 

 

Thanks again Ten for your support.  Sorry to ramble on, but it's therapeutic for me. 

 

Take Care,

Maggie   

[[...]]

"I guess I'm assuming that you attended AA,so sorry if I'm wrong..."

 

lol

Hey don't sweat it... Yeah, I used to attend, a LONG time ago. My story follows no traditional path, Maggie--I actually did all my sober time once I quit going to meetings. Haha, whole other story!

 

"I know now that my insomnia (reason for Benzo Rx) was definitely about my anxiety and some PTSD issues.  The benzos were a way I could mask those feelings and continue my day to day life without anyone noticing.  Now, with the help of the Ashton Manual and this great site, I know that I don't need benzos to function."

 

It's true... you actually become liberated when you free your body of chemical-dependence. It takes time... but the liberation I'm speaking of is just as real as the effects of a benzo.

 

That's the thing about active addiction, see. (Note, I'm not referring to you!) Addicts (those not in recovery) don't feel they can ever regain a sense of "normal" without their drug onboard. It is a deep, abiding, and creeping secret inner fear of all addicts, if you get them to really talk. "In our cups," we are terrified that life may hold little joy or peace should we quit using--and that's the great lie, of course, for in reality the opposite holds true.

 

I'll speak for myself: As I work to rid my body & mind of the expectation and routine of benzodiazepine use, I am freed from the fluctuating blood-levels which pretty much kept me either on edge or guessing... you know--anticipating my next dose. Such is the life of chemical-dependence... you're always coming down from a good feeling, or else just biting your nails in anticipation of the next pill...

 

With recovery, an incredible thing ensues. Slowly (for it takes time, even many months) that old, daily routine fades into the realm of forgotten past! *All* things become easier, and for once, quality of life is not... "dose-dependent." lol

 

Rambling is therapeutic for us all, I guess!

 

Ramblin' Ten

[[Th...]]

Thanks for joining the BB Team, Maggie!

 

Therese

[[ma...]]

Thanks for joining the BB Team, Maggie!

 

Therese

 

Thank you Therese!  Glad to be a part of your great team

 

Maggie

[[ma...]]

Quote from Ten:

 

That's the thing about active addiction, see. (Note, I'm not referring to you!) Addicts (those not in recovery) don't feel they can ever regain a sense of "normal" without their drug on board. It is a deep, abiding, and creeping secret inner fear of all addicts, if you get them to really talk. "In our cups," we are terrified that life may hold little joy or peace should we quit using--and that's the great lie, of course, for in reality the opposite holds true.

 

I'll speak for myself: As I work to rid my body & mind of the expectation and routine of benzodiazepine use, I am freed from the fluctuating blood-levels which pretty much kept me either on edge or guessing... you know--anticipating my next dose. Such is the life of chemical-dependence... you're always coming down from a good feeling, or else just biting your nails in anticipation of the next pill...

 

With recovery, an incredible thing ensues. Slowly (for it takes time, even many months) that old, daily routine fades into the realm of forgotten past! *All* things become easier, and for once, quality of life is not... "dose-dependent." lol

 

Rambling is therapeutic for us all, I guess!

 

Ramblin' Ten

 

You words echo a lot of truth in my own life, Ten.  I can so relate with the "dose dependent" mindset and am trying to change that.  It sounds like you emphasize that Time is a huge factor and that we must be pateint and persistent. I think getting positive feedback and support from people like you helps us focus on the healthy reprogramming thinking vs. the stinkin' thinkin'.  You have a lot to give and thank you for joining our web site.  It would be so great if we could get the word out to other sites that we exist to try to get and help new members.  Do you have any ideas.  As I said, I am new to this and am not schooled on the etiquette of "recruiting" others form other sites.  I'll check with Colin on this subject too.

 

Thanks again for your wonderfully ramblin' words of wisdom.  Ramble to your heart's content as far as I'm concerned! I get a lot out of your thoughts and insight.

 

Take Care,

 

Maggie

[[ma...]]

"I guess I'm assuming that you attended AA,so sorry if I'm wrong..."

 

lol

Hey don't sweat it... Yeah, I used to attend, a LONG time ago. My story follows no traditional path, Maggie--I actually did all my sober time once I quit going to meetings. Haha, whole other story!

 

"I know now that my insomnia (reason for Benzo Rx) was definitely about my anxiety and some PTSD issues.  The benzos were a way I could mask those feelings and continue my day to day life without anyone noticing.  Now, with the help of the Ashton Manual and this great site, I know that I don't need benzos to function."

 

It's true... you actually become liberated when you free your body of chemical-dependence. It takes time... but the liberation I'm speaking of is just as real as the effects of a benzo.

 

That's the thing about active addiction, see. (Note, I'm not referring to you!) Addicts (those not in recovery) don't feel they can ever regain a sense of "normal" without their drug onboard. It is a deep, abiding, and creeping secret inner fear of all addicts, if you get them to really talk. "In our cups," we are terrified that life may hold little joy or peace should we quit using--and that's the great lie, of course, for in reality the opposite holds true.

 

I'll speak for myself: As I work to rid my body & mind of the expectation and routine of benzodiazepine use, I am freed from the fluctuating blood-levels which pretty much kept me either on edge or guessing... you know--anticipating my next dose. Such is the life of chemical-dependence... you're always coming down from a good feeling, or else just biting your nails in anticipation of the next pill...

 

With recovery, an incredible thing ensues. Slowly (for it takes time, even many months) that old, daily routine fades into the realm of forgotten past! *All* things become easier, and for once, quality of life is not... "dose-dependent." lol

 

Rambling is therapeutic for us all, I guess!

 

Ramblin' Ten

[Guest [Vi...]]

Hi Maggie,

Thank you for agreeing to help out around here, you will be a wonderful asset to the team!

 

Vicky 

[[...]]

"Your words echo a lot of truth in my own life, Ten.  I can so relate with the "dose dependent" mindset and am trying to change that.  It sounds like you emphasize that Time is a huge factor and that we must be pateint and persistent."

 

Yes, ma'am. You got it, you got the emphasis. "Time takes time."

 

If you ..."want this life, you gotta walk through a little pain, first" to paraphrase AA.

 

It's easily worth it.

 

Ten

[[Co...]]

It would be so great if we could get the word out to other sites that we exist to try to get and help new members.  Do you have any ideas.  As I said, I am new to this and am not schooled on the etiquette of "recruiting" others form other sites.  I'll check with Colin on this subject too.

 

Hi,

 

Most sites will have some kind of guidance - check their rules!

 

Our rules aren't overly specific, but if someone only joined here to promore another site, the account (and posts) would be deleted as spam. My view is that active members, who make useful contributions, can place links to relevent sites. Some sites are only interested in themselves though, and might view links to other benzo forums as competition or have some other objection. Most sites are reasonable, and will allow links, even in your signatures. If you are unsure, just ask the site concerned.

 

The relevant rules from our site:

 

• Links to websites and posts that are considered promotional in nature will be deleted without notice. All decisions in this regard are to the discretion of the BenzoBuddies Team. These decisions are considered final and are not open for discussion.
  
• No SPAM posting, or hot-linking, or any other activity which compromises the smooth running of the Community.
  

 

The posting useful links to relevent sites by active members of this forum, will not usually be considered as a 'promotional link'. If the member and their posts only exist for the prototion of other sites, then those accounts and posts will be removed as spam.

 

Anyway, back to the question. Placing links back to here would indeed be useful. It helps our site in all kinds of ways. But please, be responsible, check that you are fulfilling the rules of the site concerned.

[[ma...]]

OK Colin,

 

Thanks for the clarification.  Sounds like I need to be very respectful of other sites policies and will try not do anything to go against their sites rules.  I just wanted to think more about ways to get more members, as you mentioned you thought we needed.

 

Maybe I'll just focus on taking care of me right now (I've been having a rough time lately) and being a good moderator.

 

Thanks Again,

Maggie

[[Co...]]

Hey, Maggie,

 

Most sites will allow links, but you should check their rules first, that's all.

 

Take care.