What has adding a benzodiazepine done for your life/to your life?
Say anything you want be it positive or negative,thanks
I take cogentin for side-effects. It works.
@77nick77,you mean cogentin help with your social anxiety?
No. I used to take prolixen. One of the side-effects is stiff limbs. Cogentin got rid of that stiffness and I am on resperidone now and my doctor tests me for stiff limbs still.
I think that benzos are necessary for certain people with serious anxiety issues - they make great emergency type meds as well. I never was addicted to street drugs - nicotine in the past and caffeine yes.
When I saw one of my first psychiatrists he prescribed me Klonopin to take as needed, and I did, taking a small dose when needed. My last psychiatrist said that I can take it everyday and I did - now I am addicted, meaning I am physically dependent on them - I have to take it everyday, if I stop I will experience Hellish withdrawal symptoms.
I plan on getting off of this stuff with the help of my current psychiatrist. she is an addiction psychiatrist as well, so she can help me I am sure - the bottom line is benzodiazepines make great meds on an as needed basis - the problem is that I need to take them everyday, because I have a lot of anxiety. And now I am physically dependent on them.
Taking SSRIs or Buspar or any other non addictive medication is the better choice
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I haven’t taken a benzo in a long time. Last time I was on one, it did nothing for my anxiety except put me to sleep. That is unacceptable for me, as I work 60 hours a week.
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I took klonopin for a while, but my pdoc took me off it when I told him I had given a couple of my pills to this girl who was jonesing for heroin. It was a little rough coming off it, but now I’m okay. I o.d.’ ed on benzo’s trying to get stoned. Those pills are stronger than I thought.
I have nitrazepam for sleep. It works really well. I sleep for 8 hours straight. I don’t use it every night. I use it when I have too many sleeples nights that might turn into another episode. I also have Stesolid for anxiety. 30 pills in the bottle, lasts about a year. I only use them when I really can’t manage the anxiety at all.
I used to rely on benzos for anxiety. I have found a suitable treatment for anxiety in the deployment of a good antipsychotic instead. I got to the point where 4 mg of Xanax was not helping me, and I abandoned ever being treated by them since. For me, they cause more problems than what they solve. The last thing I need is to become dependent on them.
I only use stesolid (Swedish name) when I have so much anxiety it feels like my chest is exploding or that I’m having a heart attack for hours
i take ativan to stave off having a brush with catatonia again. it’s odd to me that it helps that, but it does. it’s also odd that ECT would help catatonia, but, again, it does. it’s an odd thing, i suppose. but anyway, i take a pretty hefty dose of ativan daily for keeping it at bay.
i also have xanax for panic attacks but i don’t like taking it so largely don’t.
I was on Xanax for anxiety. I was taking more and more… it was creeping up there.
So I got tapered off a bit and put back on Valium. I’m trying very hard not to let that creep. When I’m in new situations and I’m just not doing well… benzos will keep me a bit more calm and quieted down so I don’t jump out of my skin in public.
But as I’ve been trying to use other techniques to calm myself… I find that when I’m starting to have a hard time… I try to do other things before just grabbing for the pills. I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not. But it’s been helping me.
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That’s awesome you do that J! I’m in an anxiety group and am learning a ton of coping skills and try to do them before reaching for a benzo. Although sometimes a panic attack will strike without warning and when I start having difficulty breathing I do take a Klonopin right away. Panic attacks haven’t been striking as much as they were, so sometimes when I have anxiety all day and nothing is working I will take one. I am SO grateful my new pdoc prescribes something for the anxiety. Those panic attacks are so scary I call them terror attacks. My anxiety triggers my psychosis so once I take a Klonopin the demon calms down too and I feel like everything will be okay. I know about all the dangers of taking a benzo but the risk is worth the relief. A panic attack is only supposed to last 10 minutes but mine last for hours. So if I have three attacks in one day the whole day is one big panic attack. 
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It sounds like you and I are in the same boat. I’ve had a few panic attacks just hit me. Snuck up on me and got me from behind… yes… then I do have to take a valium and I try to get myself back into my skin.
I think I’m sort of lucky when I can see one coming and then I can breathe, think it through, use the calming techniques.
Same here. I hate it… especially when I can SEE I’m not in danger… but I just can’t get my brain to calm down. I really hate that sort of torn away, on edge, can’t breathe feeling. Even with my meds then… It doesn’t seem to help when I’m already at that point.
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I became addicted to benzos it was horrible withdrawing from it the worst withdrawal severe
I only take benzos now if im so depressed I wantto do something stupid then my doc puts me on them for a week.
yeah I like them TOO much. so stay away.
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I wish my son could be trusted with–something!
He has terrible anxiety–but he abuses. **