I’m Jennifer Leigh, PsyD
Benzo Withdrawal Coach & Educator
Helping You Heal & Thrive
Individual Coaching
Book a 15-minute check-in, or a 30-minute or 60-minute session for education/support.
Mornings With Jenn Support Group
On a budget but need support?
Mornings With Jenn offers over 9 hours a month of live support.
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Mornings with Jenn, A Unique Support Group For Benzo Withdrawal
I’ve got a new Youtube channel for people in Benzo withdrawal!
Come and check it out.
The Ashton Manual
Dr. Ashton’s manual is the guidepost most people use for tapering and education.
Benzo Withdrawal Tapering Journal
A tapering journal for keeping track of your daily doses, symptoms, and more.
Benzo Withdrawal Journal
Already benzo free? This journal is for you to take notes of your recovery.
Soul Reminders
Little Chats With God, a book of tender stories to sooth a weary soul.
About Me
Like you, I took a benzodiazepine as prescribed. I hit tolerance (when the drug damages the brain and more is needed) sometime in the mid 1990’s and didn’t know what was wrong with me. I visited doctors—cardiologists, neurologists, internists, audiologists, therapists, etc.—none of them told me that the cause of my ill health was the benzo.
I stayed on the drug for many years, growing more and more sick and disabled.
October 2010, I began to taper off the drug and became bedridden. Many doctors who claimed to know about benzos tried to help me but they all harmed me.
Eventually, I was cold-turkeyed off the drug by a specialist who told me I would be fine. He was dead wrong. (Do not stop your medication abruptly as it can be life-threatening to do so.)
I have blogged honestly and openly about my recovery. It’s all here, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the wonderful richness and beauty of life after benzo withdrawal.
As my brain and nervous system returned to normal, I focused on achieving true well-being— a vibrant life without any mood altering substances. I found the way to go from barely surviving to thriving! I’d like to share with you what I have learned.
The Blog
Comments are moderated. Please think before you post, as your words will be public and I will not be able to remove them at a later date.
A Bird Outside My Window
Deep in the throes of benzo withdrawal, I sat at my front window, peering out on a world that I no longer felt a part of. Derealization made everything surreal and distorted. I thought my heart might break from my longing to be healed, to be normal again. Tears pooled...
Three Helpful Types Of Distraction For Benzo Withdrawal
Sometimes, when the night falls after a quiet day and I'm cozy on my couch, I allow myself to journey back in time. Back to when I was in benzo withdrawal. I suffered. I suffered horribly. Pain, burning, twitching, dizziness, and fatigue coursed through my body. Wild,...
What I Wish The World Knew About Benzo Withdrawal
This month, October 2020, marks my ten year anniversary of being involved in the Benzo withdrawal community! I can't believe that much time has gone by. When I started my healing journey to get off the Benzo I took (as prescribed) for almost 18 years, there were only...
The Power Of Safety In Benzo Withdrawal
Deep in the clutches of benzo withdrawal, my mind tried its best to convince me that everything was dangerous. From petting my cat to walking past the cabinet where I stored peanuts to feed the squirrels (what if I had become allergic to the nuts, even at ten feet...
Coping with Benzo Withdrawal In Today’s Turbulent World
I had an extremely traumatic withdrawal experience. I'm thankful that it's over. I'm thankful too, that I didn't have to deal with the chaos that is going on in the world today while I was recovering. The added stress is a big challenge. How do you cope with benzo...
Do HDAC Inhibitors Upregulate GABA Receptors?
I had just gotten into bed after a long Saturday that saw me checking off a bunch of my Gotta-Do list when my phone started pinging. Message after message came in from a benzo buddy across the country. It was late his time, but clearly his excitement kept him from...
Answering The Big Brain Question In Benzo Withdrawal
What is the Big Brain Question? At your first inhalation, after you were born, your brain began "scanning" the environment (people, places, and things) and "asked," "Am I safe?" This action, the determining of safety or danger, will go on your entire life. (Safety, it...
New Things Are Afoot!
I'm way overdue for a blog post. My apologies. It's been a busy past few weeks. I'm excited to share with you that I am extending my coaching practice to anxiety sufferers who are not on a benzodiazepine, in hopes that they will avoid going down that dangerous path. I...
To My Black Benzo Buddies. I love You. I Am Listening.
This is not a typical post from me. It may be triggering for some. Read with caution. I have pondered and prayed for days—what's the right thing to do in the wake of the murder of George Floyd? Do I write about it or not? After all, it's not benzo related. But my...
Dear Friends And Family, This Is Benzo Withdrawal
Chances are, most of our friends and family members have never experienced benzo withdrawal. They have a hard time understanding what we experience. They can't appreciate how much effort it takes to get through a day or to hold onto the hope that we will heal. This...
Coping With Waves.
Healing from the damage caused by taking a benzodiazepine doesn't happen linearly. It's not like recovering from a bad cold— each day getting a bit better, a bit brighter, after the peak of the infection. Healing comes in what is known in the benzo community as...
Withdrawal Trauma + The Pandemic. Why Predictability Is IMPERATIVE
The definition of trauma is to be unable to do anything to change the situation. i.e., the loss of control or a sense of helplessness. In benzo withdrawal, we feel traumatized—feeling that we have no control over what our bodies or our minds are doing— we don't have a...
Most Popular Blogs Posts
What We Wish Family And Friends Knew About Benzo Withdrawal
If we had been diagnosed with cancer, our family and friends would know that we are sick.They'd make us casseroles, take us to our chemo appointments, and call us to see how we are doing. After all, cancer is a serious matter, They would be concerned. But family and...
Can We Stop Fearing Fear?
First, it's important to understand that we feel fear in benzo withdrawal because the medication we took downregulated our GABA receptors. We don't have the necessary "equipment" to produce calm in our bodies or our minds. We aren't fearful because we lack backbone or...
Seven Suggestions For Practicing Acceptance
At 36 months out, I got slammed with the mother of all waves. It hit after I had been making measurable strides back to health and wholeness. I was out in the world more. I was writing again. Laughing. Going out on a few dates. I even created the curriculum for a...
A Letter To Our Doctors
Dear Dr. It is understood that many doctors are not properly educated about Benzodiazepines. Please allow me to arm you with some basic facts to better work with your patients. First, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Jennifer Leigh. I have a...
Questions? Get in touch…
This website is not intended to be medical advice. It neither diagnoses or treats any illness. It is for education only. Please consult a trained medical professional if you have any concerns about your health or well-being. Readers of this website take full responsibility for their decisions and actions and hold Jennifer Leigh,
