loss of self esteem / feeling insecure

[[...]]

I have a very difficult time being around other people.  I feel insecure.  This has been getting worse over the last few months of this taper.  Anyone else noticing a lack of self esteem during taper or withdrawal?

[[No...]]

Ohhhh yes!

 

This is indeed withdrawal.

 

I used to run a successful business with my left hand, be very opinionated, have a great feeling of self worth.

Now I have a problem greeting my neighbor without questioning myself if I behaved correctly. I question almost everything I do, which is nothing like me at all.

 

   

[[Fl...]]

My confidence is close to an all time low. I get a huge jolt of self assurance when I get a full on window so I know that a lot of this is directly from wd but I am pretty sure it's going to take some time to get my mojo back even after I am healed.

[[os...]]

Absolutely, self esteem crashes every day, i have had thoughts that i have ruined my life, depressed etc... yet i KNOW that all of this is temporary, maybe for a long period of time but once i am off this junk i know that life will be good again, i am trying to give myself the biggest break... i have put friends off from flying out from the UK as i cannot predict how i´ll be feeling, it´s awful but this is about "ME" time, i need to have the peace and quiet to get through this... you should too, there is nothing wrong with us, we are just in withdrawal and it will be over eventually. I try and cultivate hope and visualize myself healed, the things i´ll do and how much better it will be to be free of taking pills every day in order to function, that is not what i want anymore and i know i will be far more able to work on my self esteem when i am well again, i think anyone who is sick would feel down on themselves and in many aspects of life, yet we will recover and then we can be all we can be... kind of exciting when you think about it that way eh? Hang in there, you´ll be back and better than ever, just give it time.

 

[[ma...]]

Ohhhh yes!

 

This is indeed withdrawal.

 

I used to run a successful business with my left hand, be very opinionated, have a great feeling of self worth.

Now I have a problem greeting my neighbor without questioning myself if I behaved correctly. I question almost everything I do, which is nothing like me at all.

 

 

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.  Like you Noolie, I was on 1 to 1.5 mg. of Klonopin for 6 years, crossed over to Valium and tapered off that for another 10 months.  I feel like I gradually, and insidiously, lost all confidence in myself, my ability to make sound choices, and basically to handle life.  I second guess myself constantly and it makes being around people extremely stressful.  I stress out before AND after I've been with most people.  I mentally go over everything I did and said--it's crazymaking and I was never like this before Klonopin. 

 

I'm currently doing CBT specifically for social anxiety.  I just started so it's too soon to tell if it's effective or not.  I feel like I have to build myself back up again from ground zero.  You're surely not alone in your feelings mmgc.

 

mal

[[jo...]]

My self esteem is really bad.

I keep making wrong decisions which are glaringly obvious.

I cannot bear to be awake let alone alive.

This has gone on for three years now and I am still not off.

 

I gave up some time ago, which is why I sometimes stop eating and washing.

People wonder why I don't spend time with them anymore, doing the things I used to do.

I hate myself and feel like smashing the place up, and myself.

 

I gave up because I am sick of feeling the same repetitive problems over and over again.

I am even sick of mentioning the word withdrawal.

I come on here to help people or to get support for myself.

 

mmgc, you are not alone in this, and my heart goes out to you, and everyone on this thread.