I’m prescribed a benzo for bad times.
Is it possible that the benzo could be making my symptoms worse? (Low mood and voices and paranoia)
I have not taken the benzo for 2 weeks and it’s been a pretty good 2 weeks.
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I have never taken it, I just know they are easy to get addicted to and hard to come off, so I never asked for any.
My doctor is not a fan either. I have some gabapentin though for tough situations, and for sleep. I plan to come off it for sleep. I don’t feel it helps much with that, but it’s great to take it in a crisis to calm down.
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@Mr_Hope Thank you for the information!
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I no longer take my Klonopin
Well I’ll take a low dose only during extremely stressful or emergency situations.
I like to be alert
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Thanks @Wave
I like to be alert too. I know what you mean.
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I wish i never heard of benzos. That’s what i was told “triggered” my sz when i was abruptly taken off xanax when i was 33. I was given them for insomnia from erratic shift work. They worked great at first but i payed a high price for it when i stopped and ended up in the psych ward for 2 weeks with withdrawals then forced to take strong haldol injections monthly for 6 months.
Do I still take them? Yes i think so. I’ve been on a low dose Zyprexa for over 20 years.
It’s chemically similar to benzos. And a Canadian Govt. website says olanzapine and clozapine are benzos.
Not a fan. I was taking Klonopin for a little while, but it lost its effectiveness. Same for Ativan.
Definitely not a long-term solution.
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When I got addicted to benzos they lost their effect pretty quickly and made anxiety even worse. But I’m pretty sensitive to things like that. I’ve read about people doing fine on them.
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I take a tiny 0.25 mg dose of Klonopin for anxiety as needed. I maybe take it once a week so I don’t get dependent on it and it doesn’t lose its effectiveness
I was on Clonazepam 0.5mg a day for a year for anxiety caused by Abilify and it was hell on earth when I tried to quit. They (benzos) can mess with your memory too.
I take supplements to cope with my Abilify anxiety now and don’t need benzos.
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Lorazepam is on my file as a PRN.
I used to take Clonazepam for about 5 years.
They’re definitely useful and good for the symptoms they treat. But they can becoming addicting, and if you’re not careful you’ll slowly build a tolerance for high doses.
Be careful on them.
A reminder for this thread to stay recovery focused with benzos. It is so far. Thank you.
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Benzos never helped me, was like taking sugar pills.
I take 1.5mg of Klonopin a day. 
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They handed out Ativan like candy in the hospital. I got addicted to it. When i got out i flushed the small supply they gave me cuz i knew that i would take one as soon as the anxiety attacks started…well, it took 2 weeks of constant panic attacks before my body and mind returned to normal. No Ativan, no panic attacks. I think the panic attacks were the addiction talking, trying to get me to take another Ativan. No thanks, I’ll do without…
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luckily my pdoc and doctore gp won’t prescribe me any benzo’s…i saw my ex wife go through withdrawals and it was quite a ride…wouldn’t take them if I was you…there are mental coping skills I use to fight anxiety and panic attacks…learned through therapy.
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I take klonopin. I have tolerance but they help me. I’m trying to take less but I need 2mg a day.
Without them I have terrifying anxiety.
I wish I could live without them.
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i have lorazepam for when i need it. But i don’t take it often.
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I used to take lorazepam but only in the hospital. I didn’t wanna take it when I left once I learned they were addictive
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My doc offered them to me as an alternative to propranolol but I refused. I’ve heard the addiction and withdrawal is really bad. I also am usually a heavy user so I didn’t want the problem