Why stop?

[[Fr...]]

I want to stop bc I haven’t had an organic sleep in over ten years. I hate being in so many meds and the benzos have stopped giving me that relaxed feeling years ago.  But all this discomfort and HELL from WD and tapering, ect begs the question : is it worth it?

 

What are the benefits of not being on a benzo? I’m honestly curious.

 

I’m in the throws of major WD so my mind is racing and I just want to know the benefit of being benzo free. Aside from the obvious of being addicted to it.

 

Thanks.

 

That is a good question especially if you have not had paradoxical reactions to the prescribed medication. Another important question that deserves consideration is: What are the risks associated with w/d'g from and ceasing to use the prescribed medication?

 

Best Wishes

 

For me the main reason is the fear that they could stop prescribing.

 

I agree with Valiumnomore

I was wanting to taper but it was ultimately my Insurance that put my taper plan into action and QUICK action. I was on 5mg daily for the last two years (before starting taper). The Insurance would only cover 3mg daily PERIOD. My shrink at the time appealed it, they denied the appeal twice. So I started my taper that next week with a different shrink.

 

I'm now down to 2mg (.5mg 4x daily) and my insurance is refusing to cover that. They will cover 3 .5mg 3x daily (but not 4x daily).

So the headache begins again.

 

I'm currently paying out of pocket

 

I too believe doctors will be scrutinized on how they prescribe benzos and the length of time they are prescribing them.

I feel like it is going to be like the opioid crises. Doctors are going to start to adhere to new prescription guidelines throwing a lot of desperate, unknowing patients into unwanted withdraw (or rather, put on a rapid taper).

 

This is why I am getting off slowly now, so I can take my time.

 

Best of luck to you

[[Me...]]

That was my thoughts until valium stopped working and I went into tolerance withdrawal - then you're taking the benzo and still having withdrawal effects. If I'd known about this before it happened to me, I would have gone off the drugs long ago but I thought everything was fine - until it wasn't. Benzos are only supposed to be taken for a short period of time - weeks not months or years. The fact that you are on this forum asking this question seems to indicate all is not well.

[[va...]]

I want to stop bc I haven’t had an organic sleep in over ten years. I hate being in so many meds and the benzos have stopped giving me that relaxed feeling years ago.  But all this discomfort and HELL from WD and tapering, ect begs the question : is it worth it?

 

What are the benefits of not being on a benzo? I’m honestly curious.

 

I’m in the throws of major WD so my mind is racing and I just want to know the benefit of being benzo free. Aside from the obvious of being addicted to it.

 

Thanks.

 

That is a good question especially if you have not had paradoxical reactions to the prescribed medication. Another important question that deserves consideration is: What are the risks associated with w/d'g from and ceasing to use the prescribed medication?

 

Best Wishes

 

For me the main reason is the fear that they could stop prescribing.

 

I agree with Valiumnomore

I was wanting to taper but it was ultimately my Insurance that put my taper plan into action and QUICK action. I was on 5mg daily for the last two years (before starting taper). The Insurance would only cover 3mg daily PERIOD. My shrink at the time appealed it, they denied the appeal twice. So I started my taper that next week with a different shrink.

 

I'm now down to 2mg (.5mg 4x daily) and my insurance is refusing to cover that. They will cover 3 .5mg 3x daily (but not 4x daily).

So the headache begins again.

 

I'm currently paying out of pocket

 

I too believe doctors will be scrutinized on how they prescribe benzos and the length of time they are prescribing them.

I feel like it is going to be like the opioid crises. Doctors are going to start to adhere to new prescription guidelines throwing a lot of desperate, unknowing patients into unwanted withdraw (or rather, put on a rapid taper).

 

This is why I am getting off slowly now, so I can take my time.

 

Best of luck to you

 

I think the same and I hope it doesn't catch me before I finish my taper, as I can't even taper now after a bad bad crash. Fingers crossed.

[[...]]

I would not classify the "Ashton Manual" as peer reviewed scientific evidence, and to accept it as such may be detrimental to one's very existence. By extension, to accept the "Ashton Manual" as a path to one's "healing" may be detrimental to the well being of one's family & loved ones. best wishes

 

That study was published in the British Journal of Addiction and has been cited 180 times since. Ashton's work is cited in modern, high circulation psychiatry journals like JAMA Psychiatry, and not simply to be dismissed. She was an underrated scientist and did the best she could with few resources.

 

I don't know what your own experience is, but I can say I tried to taper at least 5 different times and failed and gave up until years later when I was finally able to get all the way off. The consequences were pretty extreme, but I'm very happy with the decision, nonetheless. I didn't realize how badly I was impaired by the drug because the disability had proceeded so slowly and insidiously. I suspect the same is true with many people.

 

The fact that doctors have never bothered to find out the long term consequences of benzodiazepines despite widespread prescribing and use is a pretty good indication of the true level of responsibility and ethical duty the medical profession actually possesses (ie close to zero). The idea that there needs to be a disclaimer at the bottom of the website for people injured by the medical profession that we should let them have the final word on health advice is a disgrace. The only reason that exists is because they eliminated the competition and monopolized the market for healthcare through legal threats and intimidation. Now we face the prices of a monopolist, the unchallenged propaganda of the healthcare industry masquerading as science, and the moral self-righteousness of a profession that clearly has no idea what it is doing, but is convinced that, whatever "care" they are providing, it must be good.

 

Preach that shit!