Springtime

[[...]]

Oh Gardie!!  :smitten:

 

I just found your Success Story and was so happy to read about all your updates! I know life is by faaaar better than it once was, I hadn't realized you were at such a stage of your Healing - how this fills me with gratitude and happiness for you... yes, HEALING comes to all of those who make a commitment to seek it, and it seems that 'walking-off' is the nicest way to do it... kinder and gentler to our brains and CNS. It's already hard enough for our physiologies to re-upregulate and repair all the damage these drugs do, so giving them time, space, love and acceptance must be the best way forward, when one can do that. I am so happy that the dark times of your life (or was that survival?) are now behind you and that your healing has become your reality, Gardie! That is the miracle we all know about here on BBs, we read about it, we read about it happening to strangers, to our Buddies and Friends, and one fine day... something unfolds within our own story. No matter how long this takes, no matter how this happens... what matters is that we commit to this journey, once in our life. And we heal once and for all. Then it is up to us to decide what to do with this chapter of our lives. But one thing is certain: it takes us somewhere we could never have traveled hadn't we come through those windy roads. Those are our Stories. This is our Reality. This is Who we are. And that is BEAUTIFUL 💖 The Miracle of Life, the Miracle of being reborn again 💖

 

Very Happy Belated Birthday!! 🎉🥳🥳🥳🎉

 

Your Friend Julia 🥰

[[ga...]]

Oh Gardie!!  :smitten:

 

I just found your Success Story and was so happy to read about all your updates! I know life is by faaaar better than it once was, I hadn't realized you were at such a stage of your Healing - how this fills me with gratitude and happiness for you... yes, HEALING comes to all of those who make a commitment to seek it, and it seems that 'walking-off' is the nicest way to do it... kinder and gentler to our brains and CNS. It's already hard enough for our physiologies to re-upregulate and repair all the damage these drugs do, so giving them time, space, love and acceptance must be the best way forward, when one can do that. I am so happy that the dark times of your life (or was that survival?) are now behind you and that your healing has become your reality, Gardie! That is the miracle we all know about here on BBs, we read about it, we read about it happening to strangers, to our Buddies and Friends, and one fine day... something unfolds within our own story. No matter how long this takes, no matter how this happens... what matters is that we commit to this journey, once in our life. And we heal once and for all. Then it is up to us to decide what to do with this chapter of our lives. But one thing is certain: it takes us somewhere we could never have traveled hadn't we come through those windy roads. Those are our Stories. This is our Reality. This is Who we are. And that is BEAUTIFUL 💖 The Miracle of Life, the Miracle of being reborn again 💖

 

Very Happy Belated Birthday!! 🎉🥳🥳🥳🎉

 

Your Friend Julia 🥰

 

Hi, Julia!! It's so good to see you. Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. You are an inspiration! :smitten:

[[Ca...]]

Its like a Turtle family reunion here..!!

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

 

Heya Julz..

🦘🦘🐊🐊🐸🐸💚💚

[[ga...]]

Its like a Turtle family reunion here..!!

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

 

Heya Julz..

🦘🦘🐊🐊🐸🐸💚💚

 

:thumbsup:

[[ga...]]

.

[[ga...]]

Update: I am almost 2 years off of benzos. I am still tapering other medications. I had a lot of emotional blunting from the benzo that I have noticed recently has begun to lift. My memory has also improved in the past year. It still isn't what it used to be, but then I'm no spring chicken!

 

One more note: I recently found out that I have sleep apnea which probably is a major contributor to my sleep issues. Even so, I have managed to get off the benzo and taper my Seroquel (alternate sleep med) to less than half the prescribed dose. I have also tapered my gabapentin (for nerve pain and anxiety) way down. Everything is easier off the benzo.

[[Pa...]]

Gosh I'm sorry to hear about your sleep apnea but managing to taper so much of your Seroquel and Gabapentin is a huge accomplishment and I agree, everything is easier off of the benzo. 

 

Thank you for updating your success story, I'm happy to hear you've connected with your emotions again. I remember the first time I was able to puddle up after mine lifted, I felt human again and it was wonderful.  I'm still grateful.

[[ga...]]

Gosh I'm sorry to hear about your sleep apnea but managing to taper so much of your Seroquel and Gabapentin is a huge accomplishment and I agree, everything is easier off of the benzo. 

 

Thank you for updating your success story, I'm happy to hear you've connected with your emotions again. I remember the first time I was able to puddle up after mine lifted, I felt human again and it was wonderful.  I'm still grateful.

 

[[Ca...]]

   

 

You continue to inspire Gardie..!!

 

 

[[ga...]]

   

 

You continue to inspire Gardie..!!

 

 

As you inspire me!

[[Ji...]]

Thanks for sharing. I also love gardening and just today went out and kinda reconnected to the nature. Time flies, I planted a soursop tree 7 years ago and just ate my first fruit! I'm 4 months off(I think). It's wonderful that I never think about Valium anymore, the withdrawals symptoms are nearly all gone, just a bit of insomnia now and again.

[[ga...]]

Thanks for sharing. I also love gardening and just today went out and kinda reconnected to the nature. Time flies, I planted a soursop tree 7 years ago and just ate my first fruit! I'm 4 months off(I think). It's wonderful that I never think about Valium anymore, the withdrawals symptoms are nearly all gone, just a bit of insomnia now and again.

 

I'm so glad to hear you are benzo-free and enjoying nature again. I'll bet that first fruit was wonderful.

[[St...]]

I looked around my yard and garden this spring and wondered why they were in such a sad state of neglect. Then I remembered. This time last year I was pushing to finish my benzo taper. I was mostly just surviving day to stay, sometimes moment to moment. I can't say I had a lot of hope, just a determination to get the drug out of my body and the "chemistry lab" out of my kitchen.

 

Here I am 9 months after my jump with the energy and interest to put things right in my garden and in my life. I still have some lingering symptoms, mostly anxiety related, but my life no longer revolves around coping with them. The phobias are all gone. My thinking is much more clear. My memory has improved. The deep, dark depression is gone. The flashbacks are gone. I have begun to reconnect to community and move on with my life. The pandemic has put that part of my recovery on pause, and that's hard. But when we get through this, and I know we will, I will pick up where I left off and get my life back.

 

For those of you still tapering, I thought this day would never come, but it has. And it will for you, too! Figure out a taper that works for you and stick with it. One day you will be posting your success story here, too!

 

 

Progress Log

 

Easier Taper Support Group

 

 

 

 

edit: fixed link

 

I'll be so excited to garden again!

[[ga...]]

On 4/30/2022 at 7:36 AM, [[S...] said:

Quote

 

 

 

[[St...]]

I looked around my yard and garden this spring and wondered why they were in such a sad state of neglect. Then I remembered. This time last year I was pushing to finish my benzo taper. I was mostly just surviving day to stay, sometimes moment to moment. I can't say I had a lot of hope, just a determination to get the drug out of my body and the "chemistry lab" out of my kitchen.

 

Here I am 9 months after my jump with the energy and interest to put things right in my garden and in my life. I still have some lingering symptoms, mostly anxiety related, but my life no longer revolves around coping with them. The phobias are all gone. My thinking is much more clear. My memory has improved. The deep, dark depression is gone. The flashbacks are gone. I have begun to reconnect to community and move on with my life. The pandemic has put that part of my recovery on pause, and that's hard. But when we get through this, and I know we will, I will pick up where I left off and get my life back.

 

For those of you still tapering, I thought this day would never come, but it has. And it will for you, too! Figure out a taper that works for you and stick with it. One day you will be posting your success story here, too!

 

 

Progress Log

 

Easier Taper Support Group

 

 

 

 

edit: fixed link

 

I'll be so excited to garden again!

 

You will! 

 

Thanks! Are you planting anything new currently?

[[ga...]]

I looked around my yard and garden this spring and wondered why they were in such a sad state of neglect. Then I remembered. This time last year I was pushing to finish my benzo taper. I was mostly just surviving day to stay, sometimes moment to moment. I can't say I had a lot of hope, just a determination to get the drug out of my body and the "chemistry lab" out of my kitchen.

 

Here I am 9 months after my jump with the energy and interest to put things right in my garden and in my life. I still have some lingering symptoms, mostly anxiety related, but my life no longer revolves around coping with them. The phobias are all gone. My thinking is much more clear. My memory has improved. The deep, dark depression is gone. The flashbacks are gone. I have begun to reconnect to community and move on with my life. The pandemic has put that part of my recovery on pause, and that's hard. But when we get through this, and I know we will, I will pick up where I left off and get my life back.

 

For those of you still tapering, I thought this day would never come, but it has. And it will for you, too! Figure out a taper that works for you and stick with it. One day you will be posting your success story here, too!

 

 

Progress Log

 

Easier Taper Support Group

 

 

 

 

edit: fixed link

 

I'll be so excited to garden again!

 

You will! 

 

Thanks! Are you planting anything new currently?

 

Actually, I recently moved and there's no garden space here.  But I am looking into community garden plots.

[[St...]]

I looked around my yard and garden this spring and wondered why they were in such a sad state of neglect. Then I remembered. This time last year I was pushing to finish my benzo taper. I was mostly just surviving day to stay, sometimes moment to moment. I can't say I had a lot of hope, just a determination to get the drug out of my body and the "chemistry lab" out of my kitchen.

 

Here I am 9 months after my jump with the energy and interest to put things right in my garden and in my life. I still have some lingering symptoms, mostly anxiety related, but my life no longer revolves around coping with them. The phobias are all gone. My thinking is much more clear. My memory has improved. The deep, dark depression is gone. The flashbacks are gone. I have begun to reconnect to community and move on with my life. The pandemic has put that part of my recovery on pause, and that's hard. But when we get through this, and I know we will, I will pick up where I left off and get my life back.

 

For those of you still tapering, I thought this day would never come, but it has. And it will for you, too! Figure out a taper that works for you and stick with it. One day you will be posting your success story here, too!

 

 

Progress Log

 

Easier Taper Support Group

 

 

 

 

edit: fixed link

 

I'll be so excited to garden again!

 

You will! 

 

Thanks! Are you planting anything new currently?

 

Actually, I recently moved and there's no garden space here.  But I am looking into community garden plots.

 

Oh community spots are cool too! You'll hopefully meet some cool plant parents and grow awesome things in the community. Hope you find one soon!

[[ga...]]

I looked around my yard and garden this spring and wondered why they were in such a sad state of neglect. Then I remembered. This time last year I was pushing to finish my benzo taper. I was mostly just surviving day to stay, sometimes moment to moment. I can't say I had a lot of hope, just a determination to get the drug out of my body and the "chemistry lab" out of my kitchen.

 

Here I am 9 months after my jump with the energy and interest to put things right in my garden and in my life. I still have some lingering symptoms, mostly anxiety related, but my life no longer revolves around coping with them. The phobias are all gone. My thinking is much more clear. My memory has improved. The deep, dark depression is gone. The flashbacks are gone. I have begun to reconnect to community and move on with my life. The pandemic has put that part of my recovery on pause, and that's hard. But when we get through this, and I know we will, I will pick up where I left off and get my life back.

 

For those of you still tapering, I thought this day would never come, but it has. And it will for you, too! Figure out a taper that works for you and stick with it. One day you will be posting your success story here, too!

 

 

Progress Log

 

Easier Taper Support Group

 

 

 

 

edit: fixed link

 

I'll be so excited to garden again!

 

You will! 

 

Thanks! Are you planting anything new currently?

 

Actually, I recently moved and there's no garden space here.  But I am looking into community garden plots.

 

Oh community spots are cool too! You'll hopefully meet some cool plant parents and grow awesome things in the community. Hope you find one soon!

 

[[ga...]]

UPDATE: I have now tapered away all meds except for 100mg of gabapentin at bedtime that is treating restless leg syndrome.

 

I was happy with the healing I had achieved when I wrote my success story, but I have improved still more since then, mainly in being able to focus better and to experience a broader range of emotions, 2 things the benzos themselves had disrupted and the taper had made worse.

 

 

[[be...]]

UPDATE: I have now tapered away all meds except for 100mg of gabapentin at bedtime that is treating restless leg syndrome.

 

I was happy with the healing I had achieved when I wrote my success story, but I have improved still more since then, mainly in being able to focus better and to experience a broader range of emotions, 2 things the benzos themselves had disrupted and the taper had made worse.

This is wonderful news, such a relief, I am sure. I think that healing takes much longer than we think, but it is a great feeling when you can feel the changes.