Has anyone ever explained the actual physiology of withdrawal?

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That is my question. Has anyone ever explained what is happening in our brains for this to be such a long long non-linear back and forth withdrawal process? Anyone have any links to this explanation? Did Dr. Ashton ever explain this? I know about GABA but why is it taking so long for so many to heal?

[[Sa...]]

There are theories but I don't there is any conclusive evidence on this subject. Kind of hard to gauge precisely what's going on in the brain at the microscopic level when the subjects are living. Speculation is all we have.

[[of...]]

There are only theories. We know that benzos effect gaba a receptors.. I'm not sure if anyone really knows what happens though.. Its not as simple as gaba in my opinion. Gaba effects so many things... Gaba is connected to so many systems.. Its difficult to fathom. Gaba is the one system that shouldn't be manipulated. Its so sensitive and carries so much importance.. To just strip-away gaba from the brain during withdrawal seems very dangerous to me. You're literally exposing your nerves to non stop stimulation. . that alone could have a dominoes effect on health and mental function

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Thanks sahtest for replying.

 

Thanks offeverything as that does make some sense.

 

This is my layperson's take here from what I read in the past........The brain did not need to make as much dopamine and other calming agents when we dosed it with a benzo for whatever time so the brain made less of these calming agents or stopped making them all together. Then we remove the benzo and the brain is kind of naked with nothing to calm it until the brain realizes it needs to compensate and do something so the brain is acting crazy by calling on different actions in the nervous system and getting it wrong and eventually getting it right.....anyhoo this is the gist that I got from reading on it.

 

 

[[of...]]

When your gaba is down regulated your glutamate is upregulated (excess stimulation) .. People going through withdrawal from gaba experience glutamate toxicity or excess glutamate.. Glutamate stimulates the nerve cells.. Gaba calms the nerve cells. Gaba antagonizing doesnt cause dopamine to down regulate.. Excess stimulation causes nerve exhaustion which makes it impossible for your brain keep up with the demand of glutamate

[[be...]]

When your gaba is down regulated your glutamate is upregulated (excess stimulation) .. People going through withdrawal from gaba experience glutamate toxicity or excess glutamate.. Glutamate stimulates the nerve cells.. Gaba calms the nerve cells. Gaba antagonizing doesnt cause dopamine to down regulate.. Excess stimulation causes nerve exhaustion which makes it impossible for your brain keep up with the demand of glutamate

 

Yes, thank you. That is much better said. So it is the glutamate that is causing a ruccus huh?   

 

Where is dopamine and why doesn't dopamine calm us?

[[Re...]]

I'm not sure if you read this but it's another perspective . Like off everything said we can only speculate though

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

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Thanks so much Remy. I was actually trying to summarize that exact post. I read it many months ago. A long but great one.

 

An excerpt from Parker's post answered my dopamine question.

 

 

The process to reverse this takes a while.  GABA receptors have to UPregulate and effectively "reopen" or "grow back".  Glutamate receptors must DOWNregulate, or effectively "turn off" or "prune back".  And IN this mix, all the smaller monoamines (neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) must somehow find a way to synthesize in the mix.  Through weeks and months the body is rebuildling millions of neurons, and changing pathways, rebuilding GABA, downregulating Glutamate, rebuilding serotonin, rebuilding dopamine, rebuilding norepinephrine.  And ALL the enzymes and hormones that need to be made are attempting to be made while this is going on.  Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR streel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.