It was as if I had swallowed a beehive; the tingling and burning felt like hundreds of bees had stung my tongue. Alarmed, I stood in front of the mirror and stuck out my tongue. It looked normal enough. No swelling. No redness. How odd! How could it be that I felt painful sensations yet there was no physical evidence of any abnormality? Add burning tongue to the list of odd benzo symptoms I experienced. It is a benzo withdrawal symptom that affects quite a few people. There isn’t anything one can do for it (like most things in benzo withdrawal). We simply have to wait for it to go away. I chewed on ice chips and big wads of bubble gum to help me to distract from the sensations. I knew when I was overly stressed because the tingling in my tongue got worse. It was my “canary in the coal mine.” I knew when I needed to rest more or to do my best to reel in my emotions.

Formication is another odd benzo withdrawal symptoms that some people experience. It is the feeling that insects (or worms) are crawling under your skin. It’s not usually painful. It’s just creepy and annoying. Rubbing your hands slowly over the parts of your body that are affected is a good way to cope with the sensations. Warm baths or a gentle walk can also be good distractions.

“Teeth twirling” is another strange benzo withdrawal symptom.  For some, it feels as if the tooth is twirling in its socket. For others, the sensation feels as if the tooth is being pushed out of the mouth. Nerve pain in a tooth (or teeth), often severe, is reported by many. Needless dental work has been performed on people who experience dental symptoms in withdrawal.

Another odd benzo withdrawal symptom is the feeling that your insides are vibrating. Called “internal vibration,” the sensations aren’t usually painful, just annoying. It can be hard to sleep when your insides feel as if they are strapped to a jackhammer! (I had this symptom for quite some time and I was quite happy when it finally went away.)

There are so many strange sensations that benzo withdrawal can cause. Head pressure, feeling as if you are being pulled down, feeling as if you are being pulled out of your body, burning skin, and uncontrollable body jerks and twitches scare a lot of people when they experience them. What strange benzo symptom do you have? You may be surprised to learn that many other people have the same symptom! In time, all of the odd benzo withdrawal symptoms go away. Patience, acceptance, and distraction are the best tools to use to cope with withdrawal symptoms. One day, you’ll realize that you’ve recovered and you feel normal again better than ever! Keep healing!