Benzo tolerance??

[[gr...]]

Hi guys,

 

I have a curious question here.. is there such thing as tolerance to benzos (as opposed to dependence) ?

 

I had a 4 week stint with klonopin, where i was talking every day - it was torture when i went CT for 4 days, and then i stepped back into .05 and then slowly worked my way down to crumbs over the next 2 weeks. I was on 2mg for the first 2 weeks. Then 1mg for a week, then .05mg a week before stepping off.

 

The 0.5 I took at the end of my 4 days withdrawal was like heaven when I felt it coming on.

 

I've since successfuly come off them completely, and I have mostly beat my anxiety and depression with magic mushrooms instead.

 

When I first started with Klonopin, I felt great on them. So relaxed, no stresses etc.. even a bit euphoric.

 

After being off of them for 1 month, with little axiety, I tried taking again on certain stressful days (unlrelated to the reason I started on them), and they did ZERO - over the last 2 months, I have taken here and there, no more than once a week, with 0 noticable effect. Today I was feeling particularly anxious, and 2 did nothing.

 

I understand dependence - that the more you take, the more you need, but if I have been off them for a month with no anxiety, this MUST mean my gaba receptors have recovered normally (else I'd have residual anxiety withdrawals, right?), so I do NOT have physical dependence, my body just does not response to them any more..

 

I'd be interested if anybody can shed some light of this?

 

I realise that is might be an inapprorpiate question, as this is for people trying to get off the rubbish, not wondering why once they're off them, they stop working.. BUT you guys are probably the most knowledgable.

 

Thanks in advance!

G

[[br...]]

 

Please , in the name of all of the kindled sufferers out there, count you lucky stars and NEVER take any form of a benzo again.

Right now you are having no side effects at all. Lucky You. You have recovered from your experience.

If you take more benzos you will probably kindle. Kindling is when your body remembers taking the drug and the recovery when you stop is much much harder. 

[[gr...]]

Hi Brave Rabbit,

 

What does Kindling mean?

 

I don't plan to abuse these things - I have seen what they can do - they really fried my brain at once point, but luckily I'd not been taking them for TOO long.

 

I have a lot of respect for them (or disrespect) - I was just more interested in the mechanics/science behind what I find quite weird..

 

Thanks

G

[[br...]]

 

For more detailed info on benzos and kindling look up on the web Dr Heather Ashton 'Benzoids how they work in the body' This is the definitive work on benzos and will describe  kindling in detail to you. Also look up Kindling on this site. Just type it in in Search.

[[gr...]]

Ah okay - No I don't plan to ever go through withdrawals again because the first time was so traumatic! I just don't understand how 2mg of Klonopin doesn't do anything to me, while 0,25mg works for some people, and as I mentioned before, I don't have dependence as I can go a month without them and anxiety