Healing?

[[Ga...]]

Are you healing while you’re tapering or does healing begin only when your taper is complete? Thanks

[[Pa...]]

You're healing all along, as you reduce the drug your brain begins the process of getting your Gaba and Glutamate receptors back in balance.  Each reduction furthers this process and when you're finally off of the drug the process continues until your body is functioning properly again.

 

This post helped me understand the process. What is happening in your brain

 

The process to reverse this takes a while.  GABA receptors have to UPregulate and effectively "reopen" or "grow back".  Glutamate receptors must DOWNregulate, or effectively "turn off" or "prune back".  And IN this mix, all the smaller monoamines (neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) must somehow find a way to synthesize in the mix.  Through weeks and months the body is rebuildling millions of neurons, and changing pathways, rebuilding GABA, downregulating Glutamate, rebuilding serotonin, rebuilding dopamine, rebuilding norepinephrine.  And ALL the enzymes and hormones that need to be made are attempting to be made while this is going on.  Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR streel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

 

[[Ga...]]

Thank you. I was hoping that was the case.

[[...]]

I agree with Pamster, I have definitely healed while tapering. I think what helped me the most are long holds, allowing the receptors to upregulate and the body/brain to heal. Another thing that helped me was to get my health in order and provide the necessary vitamins, minerals, co-factors so that my body can produce gaba, dopamine, and serotonin.