I’ve received many phone calls lately from people who have family members insisting that they “listen to their doctors” even when the doctor’s advice is harmful. I too, had family members insist that I’d be better off following the advice of a trained, educated professional, instead of following the advice of people who had experienced benzo withdrawal—strangers on the Internet. I’m writing this post in hopes that it can be shared with family members to educate them about the plight of people in benzo withdrawal.
First, it’s important to understand that most of the medical community is woefully ignorant about the dangers of taking a benzodiazepine. I know that it is hard to believe that in this day of age when information/knowledge is shared with a keystroke, that they aren’t aware of the suffering that benzodiazepines can cause, but that is the reality. (There is one doctor who is an expert in benzo withdrawal, Dr. Heather Ashton. However, many doctors in the US ignore or discredit her work.)
Those of us who have experienced withdrawal symptoms have been harmed by our doctor, whom we trusted. We took a pill that he or she prescribed. We took that pill in good faith, believing that it would help us. At some point, we realized that we were being harmed by the medication—slowly poisoned—our GABA receptors being destroyed throughout our brain and body.
When we turn to our doctors for help to get off of the drug, they often suggest that we taper too quickly, or that we go to a detox or rebab facility (where we will be taken off too fast), or that we stop taking the drug (which can be fatal), or that we begin taking other medications to help with the withdrawal symptoms, which can backfire and make us worse. Often, we are told that what we are experiencing is not withdrawal, but instead that we have developed a new mental or physical illness. We are sometimes told that we are addicts, when in fact, we are chemically dependant on the medication. The mismanagement of benzo withdrawal patients by the medical community can lead to dire outcomes. That is why so many people in benzo withdrawal are extraordinary cautious, and rightly so, to blindly put their trust (again) in doctors.
When doctors prescribe benzos with no clear understanding of how harmful they can be and then proceed to give erroneous advice on how to navigate benzo withdrawal, they do double damage. When family members insist that we listen to medical advice that we know is contraindicated in withdrawal, it adds to our distress. What we need most from family and friends is unconditional love and support.
We need to have control over how we taper or how we manage our benzo withdrawal symptoms once off. We do better when family members educate themselves about benzo withdrawal instead of them putting their blind trust and faith in the uneducated medical community. We do better when family trusts that we are doing our best, following the guidelines of the benzo withdrawal community, and Dr. Heather Ashton, to heal from the damage the medication has caused.
Jennifer, what are some of the medications that doctors prescribe to help with withdrawal that actually make things worse? 💜
Since everyone is different, there isn’t a way to list the medications accurately. What might make someone else have a flare in symptoms, might be a medication that someone else says helps dampen symptoms. It’s generally thought that we would be better off if we can avoid other meds, especially ones that work on GABA. Antidepressants can make some feel worse, including tricyclics and Remeron. Antipsychotics don’t seem to help benzo withdrawal symptoms, but some doctors like to prescribe them. Most psych meds need to be tapered, so if you are thinking of starting a psych med to see if it helps in withdrawal, please be aware that you may have to experience another withdrawal from that drug. But for some people, the dampening of benzo withdrawal symptoms may be worth the trade-off. Only you can decide what’s right for you. Please do your research on any medication a doctor may want to prescribe for you in withdrawal. My post was to let family members know that we shouldn’t blindly take another pill. We must all do our research. benzobuddies.org is a good place to ask others what their experiences have been like with a medication (or vitamin,supplement).
Thank you for the information, Jennifer! When I was in the hospital, “safely” Withdrawaling from a high dose of Klonopin, I was prescribed gabapentin. I was taking off The benzo in three days., I had no idea and obviously the doctors didn’t either!! It’s almost been two years and I am bedbound with tremendous nerve pain. Most of the other symptoms have subsided. I still take a low dose of gabapentin because it seems that when I stop taking it, I experience disturbing thoughts. I don’t know if that’s withdrawal from the gabapentin or if the gabapentin is helping me from having disturbing thoughts. I have wondered if maybe this very long withdrawal that I am experiencing is, in part, due to me taking gabapentin Do you think it’s normal for me to be in this much pain two years out? I am literally bedbound and need help taking a shower. I haven’t had a break from the pain in about six months.
I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering so much. I do know others who are taking a very long time to heal and they are not on any other meds. I truly don’t know if gabapentin hampers withdrawal or not. Many people take it in hopes that it will help with anxiety or pain, but it doesn’t seem to cure either; people still suffer. Only you can decide if you want to reduce the dose or not.
My thyroid is very overactive and my doctor is concerned. Do you know if this is caused by withdrawal or could be contributing to it.
Do you know much about carbimazole? Getting more thyroid tests done but it has been overactive for a while now.
I am a physician who is starting second attempt at withdrawal. Trust me, docs are ignorant of the addictive nature of benzos and withdrawal implications.
Here is a helpful post regarding what docs need to know about benzo withdrawal (from a reputable physician) that I have shared with colleagues https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2018/03/10-tips-help-patients-benzodiazepine-withdrawal.html
Thank you for sharing. I agree with the article except when it comes to other meds. Of course, they do dampen withdrawal symptoms, however they do not erase them, and often adjunct meds make us worse. Or, we become dependent on them and must face a withdrawal from them. I hope People are very careful about jumping into other meds. You used the word “addicted” in your reply. Most of us are not addicted, we are chemically dependent. There is a difference
“Addictive” used in the sense that the drug causes chemical dependence and withdrawal syndromes. I did not intend to imply that those of us who have taken benzodiazepines on a long term basis are addicts. My apologies.
Got it! :). Keep healing.