RIP.....Prof. Heather Ashton..

[[re...]]

It's very odd. She died two weeks ago, and there's not a word about it in the media, anywhere. No obituary that I could find, and no news stories. Not even CNN has reported it - even though CNN is about to broadcast a show about benzos on October 6. You would think at least CNN would note the passing of this woman, whose very name has become synonymous with the benzo issue. But they haven't, at least not that I can find.

[[th...]]

It's very odd. She died two weeks ago, and there's not a word about it in the media, anywhere. No obituary that I could find, and no news stories. Not even CNN has reported it - even though CNN is about to broadcast a show about benzos on October 6. You would think at least CNN would note the passing of this woman, whose very name has become synonymous with the benzo issue. But they haven't, at least not that I can find.

 

It isn't odd at all. She is inconsequential to the larger news cycle. Nobody knows about her but us. And we aren't a big enough population. CNN broadcasts constantly, I can't imagine them even noticing. I think you are overestimating our influence in the world if issues. I don't think it will always be like this, but now we are mostly invisible.

[[re...]]

It's very odd. She died two weeks ago, and there's not a word about it in the media, anywhere. No obituary that I could find, and no news stories. Not even CNN has reported it - even though CNN is about to broadcast a show about benzos on October 6. You would think at least CNN would note the passing of this woman, whose very name has become synonymous with the benzo issue. But they haven't, at least not that I can find.

 

It isn't odd at all. She is inconsequential to the larger news cycle. Nobody knows about her but us. And we aren't a big enough population. CNN broadcasts constantly, I can't imagine them even noticing. I think you are overestimating our influence in the world if issues. I don't think it will always be like this, but now we are mostly invisible.

 

Then why is CNN about to broadcast an hour-long Lisa Ling show on the benzo problem on October 6? The issue is more important than you think - or at least it seems CNN thinks so. But I agree with you: I can't imagine them noticing either. I'll leave it at that.

[[Si...]]

This heroic woman single-handedly rescued me, and untold others, from the agony of perpetual physical dependence.  I only wish I could have met her and personally thanked her.  -Jeff

[[th...]]

It's very odd. She died two weeks ago, and there's not a word about it in the media, anywhere. No obituary that I could find, and no news stories. Not even CNN has reported it - even though CNN is about to broadcast a show about benzos on October 6. You would think at least CNN would note the passing of this woman, whose very name has become synonymous with the benzo issue. But they haven't, at least not that I can find.

 

It isn't odd at all. She is inconsequential to the larger news cycle. Nobody knows about her but us. And we aren't a big enough population. CNN broadcasts constantly, I can't imagine them even noticing. I think you are overestimating our influence in the world if issues. I don't think it will always be like this, but now we are mostly invisible.

 

Then why is CNN about to broadcast an hour-long Lisa Ling show on the benzo problem on October 6? The issue is more important than you think - or at least it seems CNN thinks so. But I agree with you: I can't imagine them noticing either. I'll leave it at that.

 

I see Ashton being peripheral to the main story: drugs that have a 2-4 week prescription guideline have been overprescribed for years with little medical research being done on the effects.

 

Look, I want Ashton to be up on CNN's front page! I used her manual to learn about the process. My doctor knew to taper me off benzos. She totally gets it. But when I asked her if she knew of the Ashton Manual, she had no idea.

 

I'm not arguing with you, it just doesn't really surprise me that a network the size of CNN wouldn't have her death noted.

[[Qu...]]

Because I’ve been tweeting everyone under God’s sky I’ve made a couple dubious connections and I thought I might tweet this out to see if it gets repeated.  Either way, if anyone cares to take a read and tell me if I’ve made any factual errors or serious aesthetic mistakes, I’d appreciate it. I’ll post it soon.

 

It’s been ~2 weeks since the death of Dr Heather Ashton, pioneering clinician and researcher into benzodiazepines, and still not one word in the American media. As though we needed further proof of the high mountain left to climb in educating the public on the dangers of benzos

 

One day she  will get the biography she is due, but in brief, Prof Ashton opened and ran for 12 years the first and (still) the only clinic devoted to the care and treatment of those debilitated by the extreme suffering that can accompany benzo withdrawal.

 

From her research and observations she crafted what came to be called “The Ashton Manual,” still the indispensable guide for tapering off these powerful drugs. Patients and doctors alike have turned to it over the years. The number of lives it has saved is incalculable.

 

During her life Dr Ashton published over 250 articles and consistently warned of the dangers of overprescribing benzos and other psychoactive drugs. She is a towering, though often undervalued figure, as her accomplishments stretched from the scientific, to the clinical, to the political.

 

There will come a day when Prof Ashton will be celebrated, even in America, but that day will only come when we have learned to listen to her words, which demand we treat these powerful drugs with the greatest respect, and therefore use them sparingly, and with as complete an understanding  as we can achieve of the dangers they may pose.

[[th...]]

Because I’ve been tweeting everyone under God’s sky I’ve made a couple dubious connections and I thought I might tweet this out to see if it gets repeated (Lisa Ling sometimes responds, though I’m sure others have aa better connection). Either way, if anyone cares to take a read and tell me if I’ve made any factual errors or serious aesthetic mistakes, I’d appreciate it. I’ll post it soon.

 

It’s been ~2 weeks since the death of Dr Heather Ashton, pioneering clinician and researcher into benzodiazepines, and still not one word in the American media. As though we needed further proof of the high mountain left to climb in educating the public on the dangers of benzos

 

One day she  will get the biography she is due, but in brief, Prof Ashton opened and ran for 12 years the first and (still) the only clinic devoted to the care and treatment of those debilitated by the extreme suffering  that can accompany benzo withdrawal.

 

From her research and observations she crafted what came to be called “The Ashton Manual,” still the indispensable guide for tapering off these powerful drugs. Patients and doctors alike have turned to it over the years. The number of lives it has saved is incalculable.

 

During her life Dr Ashton published over 250 articles and consistently warned of the dangers of overprescribing benzos and other psychoactive drugs. She is a towering, though often undervalued figure, as her accomplishments stretched from the scientific, to the clinical, to the political.

 

There will come a day when Prof Ashton will be celebrated, even in America, but that day will only come when we have learned to listen to her words, which demand we treat these powerful drugs with the greatest respect, and therefore use them sparingly, and with as complete an understanding  as we can achieve of the dangers they may pose.

 

Very good. Some extra double spaces and some missing punctuation. The rest seems accurate. If you are going to post this to people, you might think about including a link to the Ashton Manual so they don't have to look it up.

[[Qu...]]

Good thinking. I’ll do that. And thanks for the spaces mention, I’m typing this on my phone but I’ll take a look on a real screen before I post.

[[Be...]]

How old was she?

[[Mo...]]

How old was she?

 

90 years old...

 

Here is an e-mail I received from her in 2015...

 

To: Heather Ashton

 

 

Dear Heather,

i realize you must get 100s of e-mails , but this is an exeptional case. Afriend of mine on BB is over 30 months

after detox and hass a terrible symptom....she thinks she must be damaged for life, is in her 40s , doesn't know what to do.

 

Members keep saying give it more time but this could be a different story. please share your opinion....

 

here it goes:

Brain squeezes on the left side.

brain vibration that feels almost like pressurized vibration....like a machine is there pressurized.

the left side is always pulling and her head litterally goes all the way over the left.

 

thank you Heather, hope i'm not a nuisance, god bless you.

Claudia from Austria.xxx

 

P.s. shes been on Benzos for many years....many clueess cold turkeys...kindling ?

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dear Claudia,

 

 

 

Actually  I have been retired for some time - 86 and not in the best of health. I cannot give more than brief advice.

 

 

 

Those symptoms you mention are not uncommon in benzo withdrawal - vibration, being pushed/pulled to one side, etc. I have seen many patients in withdrawal with similar symptoms. There are many  GABA/benzo receptors in the cerebellum and related brain structures subserving balance.  See pp  34 and  41 Ashton Manual.

 

 

I think these symptoms will graduallyl subside - see Manual for advice, but she could see a neurologist if she wishes to be reassured.

 

 

Best wishes,  Heather Ashton

 

 

 

[[Co...]]

Hello all,

 

I too would like to offer my condolences to Prof. Ashton's family. It has been many years (probably the best part of ten) since I communicated with her, but I recall well her generosity with time and her patience in explaining the issues at hand (some of it at time when I still felt pretty foggy - so, patient indeed). In particular, she provided me with some feedback when I asked with what she thought of my 'overview of the three supported methods of withdrawal', how to differentiate between paradoxical and inter-dose withdrawal effects (obvious, after it was explained to me), and other benzo-related matters too. I also know that she received a lot of email from those going through withdrawal asking for her help/feedback and they often would receive detailed replies.

 

I tip my hat to Prof. Ashton, a great doctor, pharmacologist, researcher and caring lady. She will be sorely missed by many thousands of people.

[[Lo...]]

It's very odd. She died two weeks ago, and there's not a word about it in the media, anywhere. No obituary that I could find, and no news stories. Not even CNN has reported it - even though CNN is about to broadcast a show about benzos on October 6. You would think at least CNN would note the passing of this woman, whose very name has become synonymous with the benzo issue. But they haven't, at least not that I can find.

 

It isn't odd at all. She is inconsequential to the larger news cycle. Nobody knows about her but us. And we aren't a big enough population. CNN broadcasts constantly, I can't imagine them even noticing. I think you are overestimating our influence in the world if issues. I don't think it will always be like this, but now we are mostly invisible.

 

Then why is CNN about to broadcast an hour-long Lisa Ling show on the benzo problem on October 6? The issue is more important than you think - or at least it seems CNN thinks so. But I agree with you: I can't imagine them noticing either. I'll leave it at that.

 

The mainstream narrative around benzos has been very one-dimensional and very linear for many decades. And for some reason or another, so many people cling to that narrative. Anyone who challenges it to a level that Prof. Ashton challenged it is probably perceived as a threat to the widespread narrative about them and is most likely not going to see much coverage on a mainstream cable news station. I am surprised that CNN decided to air the Lisa Ling show about benzos at all.

 

There were tranquilizers before benzos (meprobamate aka Miltown aka Equanil), and I'd highly recommend the historian's Andrea Tone's book "Age of Anxiety...." to anyone who wants to know how and why the current narrative about benzodiazepine tranquilizers has become what it is today. The book may not offer any definitive answers, but it gives some amazing insight into how things got to this point and why.

[[Be...]]

Claudia, I know pretttydaisys had that head pulling all the time.  I wonder if she was able to read that email you got from Dr. Ashton?

[[Qu...]]

Sometimes things get made for the weirdest reasons. Someone’s dad gets sick with something, or a plane that goes down had someone’s niece on it. I remember Michael Moore being asked why his movies got made if they were against corporate interests and he had an interesting response. It went something like, it’s becaise they make money and capitalism will act even against itself in the pursuit of profit. Plus, when you have to fill 1000 channels with content 24 hours a day eventually you have to tell he truth about a few things. Doesn’t mean anyone else has to follow up though. Random thoughts....

 

I feel like the only way this would get covered in a massive way quickly is if a few influential people find out they have it ina serious way. Like the years long debilitating way. Because we are a culture obsessed with personality. So if Taylor Swift started doing daily videos about her microtapering.

 

Or if Ivanka came out and said that decades of use is the reason for her fathers cognitive decline. That would do something.

 

Otherwise it’s the slow grind. But this is a huge accomplishment and it’s going to help a lot of people, freak out a lot of people, and force a lot of doctors to get with the program.  It’s a strange synchronicity that the cause Dr Ashton worked for is about to get some real attention a few weeks after her death.

[[no...]]

Sometimes things get made for the weirdest reasons. Someone’s dad gets sick with something, or a plane that goes down had someone’s niece on it. I remember Michael Moore being asked why his movies got made if they were against corporate interests and he had an interesting response. It went something like, it’s becaise they make money and capitalism will act even against itself in the pursuit of profit. Plus, when you have to fill 1000 channels with content 24 hours a day eventually you have to tell he truth about a few things. Doesn’t mean anyone else has to follow up though. Random thoughts....

 

I feel like the only way this would get covered in a massive way quickly is if a few influential people find out they have it ina serious way. Like the years long debilitating way. Because we are a culture obsessed with personality. So if Taylor Swift started doing daily videos about her microtapering.

 

Or if Ivanka came out and said that decades of use is the reason for her fathers cognitive decline. That would do something.

 

Otherwise it’s the slow grind. But this is a huge accomplishment and it’s going to help a lot of people, freak out a lot of people, and force a lot of doctors to get with the program.  It’s a strange synchronicity that the cause Dr Ashton worked for is about to get some real attention a few weeks after her death.

 

adroitly put. 

[[Mo...]]

Claudia, I know pretttydaisys had that head pulling all the time.  I wonder if she was able to read that email you got from Dr. Ashton?

 

Yes Becks....it was Pretty who asked me to contact Dr Ashton...

[[Pi...]]

Thank You so much Dr.Heather Ashton for you incredible work and saving so many lives! Your legacy will live forever. My condolence to the family! RIP Dr. H. Ashton!

 

Pi236

[[Mo...]]

Wayne Douglas.....a member of BB....just posted this on FB.

 

'' In Memory of Heather Ashton,

I first came to know Heather in January 2009, during my benzodiazepine drug damages case in the Tokyo District Court.

Despite a public notice asking people to refrain from making personal inquiries, she responded to my desperate plea for help, kindly providing information that withdrawal reactions can occur whilst still taking benzodiazepines exactly as prescribed without any changes in dosages.

We stayed in regular contact for six years thereafter, working together on the translation of The Ashton Manual in Japanese, my presentation at the 2014 ISAM Congress, assisting Japanese doctors and the press, as well as working on my book which she kindly endorsed.

We exchanged literally thousands of e-mails, often sharing laughs along the way.

While working on The Ashton Manual in Japanese, I enquired, “Do you mean ‘heavy type,’ as in heavy kind of drug?” “No, I had to laugh…,” she replied, “I meant ‘heavy type’ as in font type: bold!”

Perhaps not such a good example but she’d know what I mean…

Gradually, I came to know a very special person, learning more about her tireless efforts in helping individual sufferers worldwide, by telephone and e-mails, where international medical systems had been failing.

I could only imagine her sitting in her upstairs office at home responding to the many hundreds and thousands of requests for help that kept flooding in from various countries, and yet she did her best to respond, the whole time writing medical papers, giving presentations, advising international governments and so on.

Looking back, I find it difficult to imagine how she ever found the time to read through all the chapters of my book, giving valuable feedback, but she did.

I now realize that my initial writings left a lot to be desired. However, she always believed in me; I’m sure no one else would have had the patience or the willingness to give up one’s time to assist in such a way.

I came to know Heather as an incredibly learned woman with broad knowledge in areas not only concerning medicine but also science, literature, philosophy, history and the like, and despite this, she was always so humble and approached people on a personal level that they felt comfortable with.

Running a benzodiazepine withdrawal clinic under the NHS for 10 years, she was a compassionate doctor with traditional values. She sat and listened to patients, enriching her knowledge about the implications of prescribed benzodiazepines.

As humble and gracious as she is, Heather was always quick to point out that it was the patients themselves who first became aware of the risks associated with these drugs.

While presenting at the ISAM Congress in Yokohama, back in 2014, I had the opportunity to meet with Chaobang, her grandson who was studying in Tokyo at the time.

Talking about Heather’s commitment, he said, “I think she’ll continue as long as she’s able…,” and indeed that’s exactly what she did.

Held on 11 July, World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) is established in Heather’s honour, and I hope this global initiative will continue to grow, enabling others to carry the torch, as the spirit of her legacy lives on.

A truly special woman of her time, she will be dearly missed. Thank you so much Heather.

With the deepest of respect and admiration, may you rest gently in ever-lasting peace.

Love always,

Wayne

P.S. The last couple of years have been exceptionally difficult, but I somehow have to get back to completing the book. Setting out once again, with much higher stakes and greater challenges ahead, I know that Heather will be watching over. With a much-needed turn of fortune, hopefully we’ll get there somehow…''

[[La...]]

Beautifully written and touching. Thanks so much for sharing that, Morreweg.

[[pi...]]

Thanks for putting this here, she was indeed one of a kind, an irreplaceable force in our world. 

[[no...]]

thx Morreweg. copied to share

[[be...]]

Very nice Claudia. Thanks for posting.

[[Mo...]]

Welcome. 

[[re...]]

From a BBC documentary that thinkstopthink linked to earlier,

here's Heather Ashton in 1987, when she would have been

about 58 years old. So poised and articulate.

Have a look:

 

[[Br...]]

From a BBC documentary that thinkstopthink linked to earlier,

here's Heather Ashton in 1987, when she would have been

about 58 years old. So poised and articulate.

Have a look:

 

thanks redevan !