Psychosis during withdrawal/recovery.

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I have bipolar disorder but I never had a psychotic episode until benzos. Every time I quit benzos I've had a psychotic break. (I wish it actually felt like a break.) I thought this time would be different because I weened more slowly and 6 months passed before the episode so I didn't think it would happen this time. It's terrifying. This time I believed my partner and everyone around me was trying to poison me or stab me in my sleep. I was also hallucinating. Dissociation and phobias are other things I never experienced before benzos and now they pop up frequently. Has anyone else experienced psychosis from benzo withdrawal/recovery? I'm feeling pretty alone with this.

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When i first got off benzos, after a fast dry cut taper. I 100% believed aliens were communicating with me telepathically and where planning to come take me.  So i can relate to what you are experiencing .

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Thanks for sharing Remy. It's really scary. It's good to know I'm not a complete freak of nature.

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Thanks for sharing Remy. It's really scary. It's good to know I'm not a complete freak of nature.

 

Yeh it is really scary but you just gotta roll with the punches.  Don't  take every thought that comes into your mind for truth and you'll be alright. I have had all kinds of scary thoughts and ideas while recovering and what i notice is the more attention you give them the more powerful they become in your mind. So just let them come and dont fight them and they will leave you. Finding something else to fixate your mind on when this happens is another way to cope with this.(cooking,cleaning,walking,funny movie etc.)

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You have any movie recommendations?

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I had very weird thoughts during WD. But the fear of them just amplied them.

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I'm sorry you're experiencing psychosis, but was happy to find this thread to help me understand my mom.

 

When Loma Linda Behavioral tried to taper my 81 year old mom off benzo's, they started her on Remeron and Seroquel and she went completely psycho.  I came to visit and she was washing her clothes in the toilet.  She thought she was in jail or in a warehouse.  She's never been the same and then didn't even get her off the Ativan.  She's now 4 months off Ativan and is chasing shadows and paranoid thinking everyone is out to get her.  It's the saddest thing ever to watch.  I have heard the brain (especially at that age) is so hard to repair - it might take 6 months to 2 years - so I'm not giving up on her.  I'm just not sure if she has a serious psychological disorder or it's benzo withdrawals/age or if it's just straight up dementia at this point.  Very sad.

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I'm sorry you're experiencing psychosis, but was happy to find this thread to help me understand my mom.

 

When Loma Linda Behavioral tried to taper my 81 year old mom off benzo's, they started her on Remeron and Seroquel and she went completely psycho.  I came to visit and she was washing her clothes in the toilet.  She thought she was in jail or in a warehouse.  She's never been the same and then didn't even get her off the Ativan.  She's now 4 months off Ativan and is chasing shadows and paranoid thinking everyone is out to get her.  It's the saddest thing ever to watch.  I have heard the brain (especially at that age) is so hard to repair - it might take 6 months to 2 years - so I'm not giving up on her.  I'm just not sure if she has a serious psychological disorder or it's benzo withdrawals/age or if it's just straight up dementia at this point.  Very sad.

 

That is so hard and I'm very sorry for both you and your mom. I know it's scary, confusing and sad for my partner to care for me when I'm in psychosis especially when I'm paranoid and my delusions are about him harming me. Please don't give up on her. I hope every day that my partner doesn't give up on me. I would likely be institutionalized or homeless if he did. This has made me so sick physically and mentally that I can't take care of myself. I'm sending love and healing brainwaves to you both. xoxo