"Tranquilizer Detox Withdrawal Can Last Years"

[[Ma...]]

I'm thrilled to see the article, and saddened to see so many commenters dismiss the suffering as that of ill-informed "dimwits" who didn't do their homework. But hopefully the positive outcome of news stories like this, is that a few people learn something, they pass it along to a few more, who pass it along to a few more, and the learning process begins.

 

Hi Colin,

Well Done! you've done all fellow benzo sufferer's proud 

 

i agree with azdamay...brilliant article but some of those comment's made me feel quite sick..to think there are people who actually believe we're to blame. it makes me wonder what we're up against.

does the psych industry have such power's that they can make everyone believe these drug's do no harm? ( everyone except us that is. ) whilst making us appear to be the ones who've brought it on ourselves. 

 

 

 

Thank's for everything you do Colin.   

 

 

Mackie 

[[Ma...]]

 

I suppose the main thing is that anything that helps get the message out is a good thing. After all, I should suppose that a fair few people will visit the ABC News website.

 

Exactly! You did a grand job, Colin. Anything that keeps the benzo issue in the news is good....The publicity, via tabloids or otherwise, is gonna bring other sufferers here and help them break free of the crap, too.  It's all about spreadin' the word and pointing people in the right direction...

 

PS: Colin, you have a face!  And a very nice face it is! 

[[Co...]]

Vic here ,Well done Colin I admire what you have done and wish you well. This is obviously a lifetime story for us and would take ages to write.I wish I could do more to help all benzo sufferers. We have lost so many years because of Benzos and you can not get them back. Over the years we have lost so many friends and lost out on many family get togethers.All of this needs to be brought out into the media and what you have done is behond excellence. With my dear wife so poorly she needs me 24/7.we all have to give up so much in life because of these poisonous drugs. Someone needs to be brought to justice for making people ill. Dont it just make you livid.Bless all you buddies luv Vic  

 

Hi Vic,

 

Thanks for your kind words, but all I did was explain a little about what happened to me. Unfortunately, small stories like this don't make a lot of difference, not by themselves. I'm sure that prescribing practices for benzos will change radically (they have already changed some), but I don't bank on it being any time soon.

[[Co...]]

Colin,

 

Thanks for stepping up and helping to educate the public about the dangers of these drugs.

 

Great job!

 

Sandy

 

Hi Sandy,

 

I didn't do much really. Though, it is not the sort of thing I enjoy, so did take it did take bit of effort to go ahead with it.

[[Co...]]

I'm thrilled to see the article, and saddened to see so many commenters dismiss the suffering as that of ill-informed "dimwits" who didn't do their homework. But hopefully the positive outcome of news stories like this, is that a few people learn something, they pass it along to a few more, who pass it along to a few more, and the learning process begins.

 

Some of the comments were very disappointing, and remind me of the inane comments often seen at youtube (the thing that I really loath about youtube is the quality of commentary). I must the visit the article today to see what further comments have been added.

[[Co...]]

Way to go Colin!  I'm proud of you, boy.  The article is good enough and effective - I'm sure it will do some good out there...

 

Yeah, it was good enough. It is amazing how differently we will read an article when it is about ourselves! And yes, it all helps.

[[Co...]]

Hi Culin,

Well Done! you've done all fellow benzo sufferer's proud 

 

i agree with azdamay...brilliant article but some of those comment's made me feel quite sick..to think there are people who actually believe we're to blame. it makes me wonder what we're up against.

does the psych industry have such power's that they can make everyone believe these drug's do no harm? ( everyone except us that is. ) whilst making us appear to be the ones who've brought it on ourselves. 

 

 

 

Thank's for everything you do Colin.   

 

 

Mackie 

 

Those commenters only embarrass themselves, but they might put off people reading the comments for valuable contributions. Not even I can be bothered to read through them. I will head back over to the article and try to give the comments a quick skim.

[[Co...]]

 

I suppose the main thing is that anything that helps get the message out is a good thing. After all, I should suppose that a fair few people will visit the ABC News website.

 

Exactly! You did a grand job, Colin. Anything that keeps the benzo issue in the news is good....The publicity, via tabloids or otherwise, is gonna bring other sufferers here and help them break free of the crap, too.  It's all about spreadin' the word and pointing people in the right direction...

 

PS: Colin, you have a face!  And a very nice face it is! 

 

I am far more happy with the article since they edited it for corrections.

 

'My face': 

[[de...]]

This article scared the absolute living hell out of me. Lasting for years, jesus christ, I will not survive it - I am not made that way. Although I am glad there is attention to it, it devastates me completely. I feel like all hope is gone - I don't want to live my life this way. and these people responding on line ( not here ) but to abc are so frickin judgmental. It seems like people in my state where it's still bad after 10 months or so are the long term sufferers. as these other people are seeing improvement over time. I cannot suffer this way for years I cannot.

[[Co...]]

Hi DD,

 

You will be OK. Look, very few people suffer very protracted withdrawal symptoms, and for those few that do, it is not all bleak either. I could go back on clonazepam any time I wish, and it would, in all probability, wipe out my protracted withdrawal symptoms. However, even though I'm probably an extreme and rare example, I feel so much better off clonazepam than on. I would not have said this three months after I quit, but I did feel somewhat better by the six month mark. I continued to improve, and was never tempted to take clonazepam again. Even in an extreme case, there is still a perspective to maintain.

 

It is one of the things that troubles me most about stating my own experiences. As owner of this site, like it or not, people tend to take more notice of my experiences and comments. My experiences are my own, and no one else's! I was in a total fog when on benzos, totally unemotional (especially by the end), and too confused to even realise it. I quit clonazepam because I had become tired of the accelerated withdrawal-break-reinstatement regimen that would take three months months out of every year. It was only by quitting that I realised what else I had lost. So, although I, of course, regret that you have been frightened by reading this, people who have not yet taken benzos need to be made aware of the potential dangers. Ask yourself this: does Colin appear to be a total basket-case? I am irritated and frustrated by the protracted problems, but I could not have run this place when on benzos, or during the first year (or more) of my withdrawal. The most simple HTML syntax (the stuff that makes up webpages) was beyond me at first.

 

When I first registered benzobuddies.org, I was much improved, but still pretty fogged. I found the most simple of things bewildering when trying to set up this site. There are lot of technical things I must manage to make here work, and there is no way I could have done this 12-18 months after I quit. But, I do manage them now! Even in the most extreme cases, there is still improvement. It also should be remembered I have, what is, at times, a rather debilitating neuro disorder. It is not as bleak as the article made it appear. I did suggest some additional comments and material, but they were not interested, sighting 'word count restrictions'. Yeah, right!

[[Lo...]]

Great job on the article, Colin. I didn't want to say anything earlier; was waiting for you to be happy about what you said (after they made the corrections). We've already seen some join BB and refer to the article. Even if it helps one person, it will be worth it. Of course, we want it to do a lot more than that!! Thanks for all you do on/for BenzoBuddies. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for starting it up in the first place. I know we are ALL grateful to you.

 

Lori

[[bo...]]

Colin

good job, I know that getting the word out is obviously important to you , otherwise why the site. hopefully people will notice, especially MD's. There the ones that need to be convinced of wd's from harmless little benzos

Bobers

[[Li...]]

Colin,

 

Congratulations on the article!  It's good to see this issue getting some press in the U.S.

 

I saw some of the comments, and while they're upsetting, not surprising. After all, little more than a month ago a mental health professional essentially told me that it was MY fault that I became "addicted" to benzos (in her words, I "chose" to do so) and that she didn't want to "clean up someone else's mess." Luckily I have better help now, but even those in the mental health profession can pass judgment on those of us struggling with withdrawal! If I ever have to change doctors again I'll print your article out and bring it in with me.

 

Liz

[[Pe...]]

DD,

 

You have to remember - this article detailed three people. That's it. Three. Now, think about this:

 

How many people come off of these drugs? Hundreds of thousands per year.

How many people come off these drugs and come to message boards? Maybe 1000? Probably less.

 

This means that thousands upon thousands of people get off these drugs and stay off, without coming to a forum or reporting it to anyone. This doesn't mean they're having an easier time, it simply means they don't feel the need to have an outlet or they simply don't know about it. If you were to write an article that chronicled all of the people who got off the meds, you would certainly find a greater variety of stories and not ones that will scare the bejesus out of you. We are all going to have bad times and good times, but we all heal and that's something that the story doesn't bother to cover.

 

I also felt the story was horribly skewed and thus is a major disservice to the community. It serves as a parable by which to scare the living hell out of people and thus didn't help me much. However, it is not representative of the problem as a whole, it simply related how the folks in the story had to deal with it and while the suffering is very real, I don't think it is typical (Colin, don't be offended by me, ok). We all heal differently, but they should have at least provided different facets to the tale that give more HOPE.

 

-pete

[[el...]]

Petey,

 

In a way though, it did a service to the general, non benzo community. It warned people of the possible, though rare, outcomes. This may help people make a more informed decision when and if they are prescribed a benzo.

[[Be...]]

The purpose of the article was to highlight the dangers of benzos, particularly to the 10% or so that suffer protracted (1+ year off ) symptoms.  If it discourages one person from starting down the benzo path, that's a positive thing in my book.

[[Ja...]]

Well, opinions will pile upon opinions until there is reasonable research done about it.  I have not seen any data that indicates that only 10% of people have a hard time coming off benzos and if there is any I would like to review it because I simply don't believe it.

 

Whether or not people go to a forum to look for support is a topic of its own and if one was to think about this for a minute, it would be reasonable to conclude that most do not go to a support forum because they trust Doctors and don't believe withdrawal can be the issue. Some people even believe they give themselves the panic attacks and all of the other symptoms because the Doctors have such authority over them that they do not believe anything else but what a person with DR title in front of his or her name says to them. I was one of them and I hardly consider myself an ignorant person.

 

If I was not working on my PC everyday and very familiar with which sites to trust on the Internet and only God knows where I would be on right now with my taper or if I had run into the belief that medication might be for life.  A large number of people are older than myself, hardly know where to go on the Internet for help, and would much rather trust their Doctors than a web site they have never heard about.

 

Now, with the ABC note about benzos, I think that it's a step towards giving this site and others mentioned there more credibility, but then there will always be Doctors and even other people saying "Those are odd cases, don't read into that stuff (i.e. don't think for yourself )".

 

The system is what it is and one article will hardly make noise to change anything, but any follow up stories and discussions generated by it on "trustworthy" media sources might bring on more attention to the problem, which is over-prescribing benzos for a long term use and very often when they aren't necessary.

 

Pills over therapy is cheaper anyways (Yet another topic of its own).

 

Jarocho

 

[[Be...]]

Well, opinions will pile upon opinions until there is reasonable research done about it.  I have not seen any data that indicates that only 10% of people have a hard time coming off benzos and if there is any I would like to review it because I simply don't believe it.

 

I think you misunderstood the article and my comment.  The assertion wasn't that only 10% have difficulty coming off benzos.  Here's the statement from the article:

 

"Stratyner said 10 percent of people who quit abruptly may experience a "syndrome" of withdrawal symptoms that extend long after the drugs leave their bodies. This change can reverse, but for a small proportion of people, it can take months or years to recover. "

 

Hope that clears things up for you.

 

 

[[de...]]

Regardless of what the article said - it is noone's fault as to how we react in this state. I saw a woman wrote in in comments to that article that said she had nine years and very little change. I will forever make myself crazy if I continue to dwell Someone described the attachment to the negative as almost a subsidiary of this condition. A condition in itself as part of the fear. I am glad I can send this article and say see! I just wish it wasnt me.

 

and in all honestly - I cannot reason it out in this state, so I am not going to. All I know is that a celebrity is dead because of this drug and the lack of knowledge about it and that could have been me also.

 

It gives me hope, colin, that your cog stuff cleared up so well. That I will look forward to. I am working with Allison Kellaghar now as she is in Colorado and I need the help to get through.  I believe she was in the article. So I will try and keep my focus on the positive.

[[Ja...]]

Well, opinions will pile upon opinions until there is reasonable research done about it.  I have not seen any data that indicates that only 10% of people have a hard time coming off benzos and if there is any I would like to review it because I simply don't believe it.

 

I think you misunderstood the article and my comment.  The assertion wasn't that only 10% have difficulty coming off benzos.  Here's the statement from the article:

 

"Stratyner said 10 percent of people who quit abruptly may experience a "syndrome" of withdrawal symptoms that extend long after the drugs leave their bodies. This change can reverse, but for a small proportion of people, it can take months or years to recover. "

 

Hope that clears things up for you.

 

 

 

Again, where is the research that shows the 10 percent claim?  Not arguing with you, but I think it's a valid question...the article did help though and I'm glad Colin was the first person they mentioned.

 

Jarocho

[[Pe...]]

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it will prevent many from ever considering a benzo, but I'd like it if these stories could present a wider scope and let other know that this Hell does come to an end. For those in an overload of w/d symptoms, it is likely to cause extreme feelings of dread and that just snowballs...

 

It is a great article, to be honest, I just wish it had a wider scope.

 

-Pete

[[Be...]]

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it will prevent many from ever considering a benzo, but I'd like it if these stories could present a wider scope and let other know that this Hell does come to an end. For those in an overload of w/d symptoms, it is likely to cause extreme feelings of dread and that just snowballs...

 

It is a great article, to be honest, I just wish it had a wider scope.

 

-Pete

Agreed. 

[[Bl...]]

Colin -

 

Thank you for an excellent article.  I was discouraged by the ignorance of many of the commentators.  Hopefully there will be more articles like this one and slowly people will learn the dangers of these drugs.