Success Story - Life is Peachy 2 YEARS LATER

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I always wanted to come back and write my sincere thank you’s to everyone who contributes to this wonderful site. I live in Australia and we have very limited resources available for Benzo withdrawl. I felt terribly misunderstood by doctors and the rest of society. I referred to this page daily for support. There were days when I didn’t get out of bed and a lot when I spent most of the day in bed - this page was my lifeline. 

I took Valium for 5 years. Never more than 20mg a day. It all but destroyed my entire life. My business was failing, I lost my best friend, all my other friendships, I stopped talking to my family, I lost the will to live more than once, I was stressed and anxious beyond belief, hated myself and everyone else, I stopped caring about anything. 

BUT. I stopped and you can too

Please find support. Even if it’s just this site. Hopefully there is someone in the real world as well for you. Even just one person who has your back. 

This is going to feel like hell but you are GOING TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK. It’s worth it! You’re worth it! 

Ok as promised.. 

I followed the Ashton Manual and it took me around 4 months. I ended up jumping at 2mg on my doctors recommendation and I was fine. I realised that I was actually feeling worse taking tiny doses just because I was scared to stop. I guess everyone is different. 

My anxiety was horrendous during the withdrawal phase. I was ok when I was alone but awful in social settings. I have endured social anxiety for years and only JUST now is it improving. 

Things I stopped doing - drinking alcohol, drinking caffeine, fasting. All of these things either increase adrenal / cortisol or deplete dopamine. I’m very sensitive to caffeine and I noticed a massive change. Even now I only occasionally drink real coffee and if I have it for more than a few days I feel my anxiety creeping up.

Things I started doing; taking a lot of supplements and eating extra well, high quality and strength magnesium, D3 and K2, liver capsules, vit c, saffron. Lots of fish, eggs etc. Grass fed beef and lamb, lots of slow cooked body nurturing foods, bone broth. 

I started taking Zoloft - 100mg now and I wish I had started sooner. A note on this. Start slow and work your way up - again doctors don’t really tell you this. It takes a while to work but slowly you feel better and better - give it a few months. It worked for me and I know others have had a lot of success. I can speak very highly of it. 

I started seeing a clinical psychologist who specialises in EMDR alongside CBD therapy. It took me a while to find one I actually felt was right for me - keep looking till you find the right one!

I started being KINDER to myself! It was easy to be angry and ashamed of yourself but it makes everything worse. 
 

I really wish everyone out there the very best. I will never forget how terrible I felt and I am so very thankful to be on the other side. Life really can be beautiful again!!

 

hi @[ap...] I’m sorry I don’t know how to reply. Yes I still take the Zoloft and it’s really helped me. I personally don’t have an issue taking it as I believe I need it. 
 

hi @[Hu...] I started taking Valium because I was having anxiety attacks. It was sort of by accident as I could source it without a prescription and had no idea how bad it would be. The whole time I took it I thought I needed it 😔

Edited April 9 by [...]
More progress updates

[[Re...]]

Hello @[...], Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your success story. For many of us these are the source of hope!

I hope we will hear more about your journey soon. 

RR

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[[Co...]]

Hello @[...]. Thank you for re-joining BB and writing your Success Story. And thank you for words of encouragement to members still going through this.

I look forward to hearing more from you when you return.

Good night.

 

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Hello @[...], it's good to hear positive stories like yours. I hope you will share anything that helped you.

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[[ap...]]

[[Hu...]]

Thanks for your story Mon,

So you took Zoloft. May I ask why you started using Diazepam in the first place? Because of an anxiety disorder?