Withdrawal without tolerance

[[Fr...]]

I hope someone can explain to me - I read Parkers excellent post, What is Happening in your brain?

 

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

 

and it makes sense that my gaba receptors are affected, and parts of my brain need to heal, but I don't completely understand how this happened even though I never hit tolerance where the drug didn't work? I took Ativan and Klonopin on and off for years, then mostly every night for sleep for about 3 years. It never stopped working as far as relieving my insomnia and calming me down. But I experienced mood swings and cognitive symptoms the whole time I was taking it, and developed nerve pain the last year. I felt I needed to stop taking it because I was dependent on it and got anxiety if I skipped a night or went too long without it, in addition to the cog fog and nerve pain that I (not doctors) blamed on this drug.

 

I know this is a simple concept, but how does the brain change if the medication technically still "works" and yet you have all these difficulties even while taking it? And it still "works" because I know when I have taken a rescue dose, it does calm me and relieves anxiety. Sorry for my dumb question, but it's confusing.