My Klonopin Recovery

[[To...]]

 

I withdrew from Klonopin about 5 years ago. I don't know if I'm a long hauler. Well I do know that I've developed

mental illness problems. That has confused me about what to attribute my misery to. Is there any way to know if 

I haven't recovered from my Klonopin use? I was on it for almost 20 years. Does anyone recover in a reasonable

time after stopping? I've experienced a lot of anxiety for the last 5 years and it's made life very difficult. Is that also

a symptom of stopping Klonopin? I also have head pressure and facial tightness. Any help is appreciated.

 

[[pi...]]

Hello @[Le...],

Welcome to Benzo Buddies! I’m sure someone in the Long Haul group will stop by and share their experience with you.

You were on klonopin a long time, recovery can also take a while, but I have seen long term users heal completely. 

 

[[No...]]

32 minutes ago, [[L...] said:

Is there any way to know

I have found it very challenging to know what any specific symptom signifies. What I have come to accept, which certainly isn't "knowing", is that I took the drug for over twenty years and changes happened; I tapered off the drug and changes happened; and, I continue to stay off the drug and changes continue to happen.

I accept that for now I am living with a chronic illness. My attention and energy has been used to find a path that helps me to live the most functional and meaningful life I can with this chronic illness. I accept that the duration of these changes is not in my control. My mantra is "it is what it is until it isn't".

I do not sit around waiting for today's shoe to drop. I expect to have a decent day, if not a significantly good one. I go about my day as best I can. I do what I need to do, and then, as much as possible, I do what I do not need to do today.

I have no specific suggestions for your circumstances. I do know that it is possible to find your path through this stuff. 

Be Well. Others may be more specifically helpful.

[[Na...]]

On 05/10/2023 at 19:00, [[L...] said:

I withdrew from Klonopin about 5 years ago. I don't know if I'm a long hauler. Well I do know that I've developed

mental illness problems. That has confused me about what to attribute my misery to. Is there any way to know if 

I haven't recovered from my Klonopin use? I was on it for almost 20 years. Does anyone recover in a reasonable

time after stopping? I've experienced a lot of anxiety for the last 5 years and it's made life very difficult. Is that also

a symptom of stopping Klonopin? I also have head pressure and facial tightness. Any help is appreciated.

Unfortunately no one can say with certainty that, yes this is all from from benzodiazepine use.

However, what you describe is definitely consistent with the sort of experiences that a lot of us in the long hauler/protracted group experience.

Let me ask you this - after you stopped the Klonopin what sort of state were you in? Were you having the same issues? Better? Worse? Other issues that have since resolved? Was there any period after quitting your Klonopin where you felt like you were back to normal?

 

[[To...]]

Sorry that I didn't answer sooner but I didn't see your comments. After I stopped Klon I still had high anxiety which was my most distressing

issue. I think that I've had the head pressure and jaw tightness about the same time since then also. No issues that were resolved. No period where

I felt that I was back to normal. Now I'm having cognitive and memory problems. I also have had sleep problems for about 7 yrs. I think that my mental illness has gotten worse. The high anxiety makes things very confusing