You will heal too!

[[ce...]]

Hey, Cedar.  How are you?

Hey SZ. Doing okay. It's kindof a gray day today.

 

How are you?  How's the taper going?

 

 

[[sa...]]

Hi Cedar,

 

The title of your blog is so good, so true. I love it when I get on and I see it in the list. Its like a beacon of hope. We all question it at one time...more likely many times but to read it over and over and know if one could heal so could we. I feel healed, I am so grateful to be through that nightmare, and just wanted to post here real quick for anyone struggling who opens your blog in hopes of finding the secret, or the compassion that it illicites to let them know that I, too have healed, and they will too.

 

You will indeed heal. The symptoms will fade in time. Time, befriend it. Accept it.  There is no way out but through, and those that can see through the fear will be safe.

 

I hope you don't mind me posting this here, but this was very helpful to me early on:

I originally found it on another BB's page, and Danni found the credit for me which is posted at the bottom...

 

Benzodiazepine Recovery Tips

 

1. Recovery from being an accidental addict to benzodiazpines is serious business. It takes time for the central nervous system to heal and for neurotransmitters to stop being sensitive. None of us had the faintest idea that this kind of situation lay in front of us. So we are dealing with shock at what has happened as well as the real physical and mental/emotional symptoms of withdrawal.

 

2. Recovery is not linear, as it is with other illnesses or injuries. If we cut our hands, we can actually see the cut heal and the pain diminish over time. In benzo withdrawal we can be well one day and very sick the next. This is normal and we have to look at our healing differently.

 

3. Recovery is an individual thing, and it is difficult to predict how quickly symptoms will stop for good. People expect to be completely better after a certain period of time, and often get discouraged and depressed when they feel this time has passed and they are not completely better. Most patient support programs tell clients to anticipate 6 months to a year for recovery after a taper has ended. But some people feel better a few months after they stop taking benzos; for others it takes more than a year to feel completely better. Try not to be obsessed with how long it will take, because every day you stay off benzos, your body is healing at its own rate. If you do not follow this particular schedule, it does not mean there is something wrong or you are not healing. Even if you are feeling ill in some respects, other symptoms may disappear. Even people in difficult tapers see improvements in symptoms very early on. So don’t let these time-frames scare you. The way you feel at one month will not be how you will be feeling at three months or at six months.

 

4. It is very typical to have setbacks at different points of time (these times can vary). These setbacks can be so intense that people feel their healing hasn’t happened at all; they feel they have been taken right back to beginning. Setbacks, if they occur, are a normal part of recovery.

 

5. When people are in recovery, they have a lot of fears. One is that they will never get better. Another is that their symptoms are really what they are like — perhaps what they have always been like. Both of these fears are stimulated by benzo withdrawal. In other words they are the thought components of benzo withdrawal, just as insomnia is a physical component.

 

6. There is no way around benzo withdrawal and recovery—you have to go through it. People try all sorts of measures to try to make the pain stop, but nothing can shortcut the process. Our body and brain have their own agenda for healing, and it will take place if you simply accept it.

 

7. When you are having a bad spell, healing is still going on. People typically find that after a bad spell, symptoms improve and often go away forever. Try to remember this when times are hard.

 

8. There is no magic cure to recovery, but you can help yourself by comforting and reassuring yourself as much as possible. Read reassuring information, stay away from stress, ask your partner, family and others for reassurance, and go back to the things you did at the beginning if you are experiencing really tough symptoms.

 

9. When we start to feel better, it is very typical to try to do too much. We are grateful to be alive and we have energy for the first time in weeks or months. But this can be a dangerous time. When we do to much and take on too much too early, it re-sensitizes the nervous system. It doesn’t prevent healing in the long term, but it can make us feel discouraged. So try to pace yourself, even if you are feeling good.

 

10. You do need to respect your body during recovery, although you don’t need to make drastic changes to your lifestyle. Exercise, in any form is critical—even if you can only walk around the house or to the end of the block. Eating well and avoiding all stimulants is crucial. Regular high-protein snacks can help with the shakes and the feelings of weakness we have during withdrawal and recovery.

 

11. Recovery is all about acceptance, but this does not mean passive acceptance. Set small goals for yourself that are achievable. Try to keep exercise happening. Work at your recovery even if that means accepting you are sick—for now. You wouldn’t be hard on yourself if you were in a traffic accident and had injuries; you would work at rehab. Try to take the same attitude and approach to benzodiazepine withdrawal.

 

http://www.psychmedaware.org/recovery_tips.html

 

My heart breaks as I see so many new BB's arriving still yet...but I know that once they land here, their chances of recovery increases to 100% with the support of those that get it, and support tirelessly. When one is not on there will be another to champion. Benzo recovery is hard to do on an island...it takes a village and I found that amazing support here.

 

Be well, snuggle up, and heal.

xoxo

Sarah

[[ce...]]

Fantastic Sarah! I'm really glad you posted this. Post it everywhere often!!!   

[[Sk...]]

Hey, Cedar.  How are you?

Hey SZ. Doing okay. It's kindof a gray day today.

 

How are you?  How's the taper going?

Thanks Cedar.  My dater is going very well.  I was thinking of reducing my dose 2% every 4 days instead of 2% every 5 days.  I guess I can try it and see how my body reacts.  I just don't want to be on the benzo too long.  I don't like it in my body anymore.  I figure tht is not a drastic taper speed up.  I know you are going to have input on it though. 

 

-SZ-

[[ce...]]

Hey, Cedar.  How are you?

Hey SZ. Doing okay. It's kindof a gray day today.

 

How are you?  How's the taper going?

Thanks Cedar.  My dater is going very well.  I was thinking of reducing my dose 2% every 4 days instead of 2% every 5 days.  I guess I can try it and see how my body reacts.  I just don't want to be on the benzo too long.  I don't like it in my body anymore.  I figure tht is not a drastic taper speed up.  I know you are going to have input on it though. 

 

-SZ-

Go for it Skyzone! I'm amazed at how well you've been doing. And, I know how you feel wanting to get the heck out of dodge with this stuff.  I sincerely hope you do well and get well soon! Also, I love it that you keep us updated on your progress. If it ever gets too terrible, you'll know exactly what to do. You've got this my friend!

 

Love,

Cedar

[[...]]

Hii cedare, iam 13 months off now every thing same expet last week ihave bid stress on me from the bussiness and the life igot anexity but light not like before idontknow that from the stress or sit back symptomes

[[ce...]]

Hii cedare, iam 13 months off now every thing same expet last week ihave bid stress on me from the bussiness and the life igot anexity but light not like before idontknow that from the stress or sit back symptomes

Hi Hoda! Yeah, I remember some very stressful events set me back too. With time it will get easier to handle the stressful things in life better.

 

Glad you stopped by to say hello! 

[[...]]

Hi cedar,it does feel like I have a setback because I have a depression with sensitive from sound I cannot take any noise field it makes me feel really really angry and depressed so do you think that's normal?after all this time of feeling normal?

[[...]]

Sarah , thank you for ur poste its realy help

[[sa...]]

Hi Hoda,

 

So welcome on that post. It helped me when I read it when I first started and as I questioned my recovery, which I did every day seems like.

 

I know your other question was for cedar, and Im sure she will get back with you, too, but I just wanted to chime in on that noise and it making you angry. Yes, it is common in wd symptoms. I have read it many times from others and experienced it myself. As I look back and do not have that symptom now, I see how out of sync it felt. Everything was so loud and it did make me uncomfortable and the emotion that resulted many times was indeed anger. I just wanted to should "SHUT UP"! It was a lesson in patience for me, to realize that I really just needed to move myself to a place where I could be more comfortable. That was part of healing. The world wasn't going to change for me, I was the one who was healing and I needed to find a place to do that. In my room, sometimes with my headphones on so I could choose what I had to listen to, or just white noise.

 

My hearing was so off the chart I could hear my neighbors having a conversation through the shared wall. It was crazy. A busy restaurant would send me reeling, I couldn't follow a conversation there at all as all the other conversations were just as loud as the one at my table. To think back, its hard to believe it was so overwhelming.

 

I went to a very busy and noisy Italian restaurant over the holiday and at first that anxiety feeling came over me, but subsided within minutes. What a relief. It should pass for you, too in time. Hoda. I can't see where you are in your recovery, but once the benzos are out and your CNS has a chance to recover, you will enjoy a quieter life too. In the meantime, spend as much time where you are the most comfortable if you can.

 

Hang in there.

Warm hug. 

Sarah

 

**hi cedar....

[[...]]

Thx sarah, ur nice person, yea iam now 13 months off benzo ,I was okay since 6 months ago I felt 99 percent normaland now this week I got a lot of stressand yesterday evening I got this depression and I couldn't take any noise so I was wondering is that set back with the stress I haveafter all this time of being normal.

[[sa...]]

Bless your heart, Hoda.

 

You know, life stressors can make your irritable, too. If you have a lot going on, that angry feeling can pop up. That's more likely what is going on, you think? If you are trying to think about solutions or just the situations that are causing you stress, that can make the noise around you seem more intolerable then if you are relaxed.

 

Stress is a part of life. Actually, stress is a result of your response to life. Life will have ups and downs and all around, how you deal with it will affect your stress level. It is an art to learn to decide how to handle a situation and no one has all the answers. Only you can decide what needs tending to, what needs accepting and what needs ignored etc...

 

Personally I think stress is just as dangerous as smoking, and with that said, learning some stress reducing techniques has much merit. It doesn't have to be complicated. It can be as simple as choosing not to think about it for an afternoon and go do something more relaxing even when at first it feel irresponsible. It will clear your head so you can better come up with solutions.

 

I tout yoga as a great stress reducer. Somethings are just going to happen, that are uncomfortable, hold on and get through it as comfortable as possible. Recently my son and I went through a very difficult life challenge and my intent to keep him as comfortable as possible helped me see that I needed to do some of the same for me. So if you can't figure out what you might need to find some relief from stress, think what you might do or suggest for someone else (not sure why it is easier to suggest or someone else or help someone else rather than ourselves, but it works for me) and do that.

 

The loud sounds could be withdrawal symptoms, Hoda, but even if it is, using the same coping strategies i it is not will be helpful regardless.

 

If I were you, I would google Stress Reduction. See what other ideas that you can implement would be. Life is hard, it just is. There is no rainbow at the end of withdrawal or life for that matter, but you can make your own little rainbows by intentionally choosing to do so. Is it easy at first? no? Feeding stress is as bad habit that many humans have. But once you get in the habit off feeding your happiness more, it will come more easily and you will be happier for it regardless of life's stress.

 

Hope this helps a little,

Sarah

 

[[...]]

Sarah , thx my friend, yea ihave a  lot of stress, from my business,and other problems in the life,it doesn't help with this withdrawal,but it's surprise me of the police time I feel this depression it was weird it's mixed with anexity, and sensitivity, after iwas normall

 

 

 

 

[[sa...]]

You are welcome. Normal is overrated. LOL. It also doesn't really exist I don't think. Either way, some coping skills for stress will serve you well. Trying to figure out why, might not be as important as figuring out how to find a comfortable place to get through it.

 

Hang in there.

Sarah

[[...]]

Lol,comfortable I do not have any comfortable now if you think is hard and stressful and not easy I'm trying Juno what's going on with me start to think I'm still didn't recover yet what's make me don't feel good so I'm just confused

[[ce...]]

You know, loud sounds, like noisy neighbors, etc. still bother me at times.  Noise can cause stress as the nervous system may still have some recovering left to do. It's amazing how long it can take for our CNS to heal fully.  Stress, noise, bright lights, lots of commotion, heat, cold, all pound on our nerves and leave us feeling overwhelmed and weak sometimes. But I've noticed that as much as some noise irritates me, I can still crank my stereo now (couldn't while in wd) and rock out! 

 

Have a Happy Valentines Day Hoda, Sarah, Skyzone and everyone!!!

 

 

[[...]]

Thx cedar, iwill c whats gona happen this daues

[[Sk...]]

Happy Valentin's Day, CedarTree!

 

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/valentine/skywriter.gif

[[be...]]

Happy V day Cedar!!

[[ge...]]

  happy valentines!

[[ha...]]

Thank you so much--I read your encouragment over and over.  It gives me a smidgen of hope in what completly feels hopeless.

 

God bless you for sharing your arrival on the other side !!

 

hanging in there

[[ce...]]

Hey everybody! Thanks so much for all the sweet messages. I pray for you all all the time and wish you healing soon!

 

Love,

Cedar 

[[...]]

Cedartree I am so happy for you!!

 

Can you share what helps you with anxiety?

 

[[ce...]]

Cedartree I am so happy for you!!

 

Can you share what helps you with anxiety?

Hello HI47. Thank you. 

 

There are many things that help with general anxiety. Good sleep hygeine, exercise, deep breathing, eating properly, spending time with others, laughter, prayer, meditation, rest, not taking things too seriously, enjoying the little things.  I could go on and on. I've really learned a lot about living in the present moment and not worrying so much.  Our bodies/ minds do heal once we're off benzo's and that has been the greatest gift I've ever given myself. 

 

Wishing you well!

Cedar

[[Sk...]]

Glad you are feeling well, Cedar.

 

Blessings to you!

 

-SZ-