Are Supplements Good Or Bad?
The topic of supplementation can cause quite a heated debate in the benzo community. Some feel that their tapers and/or their recovery period off benzos were greatly helped by certain supplements. Others feel passionate about strict supplementation avoidance because supplements made them so much worse. So which viewpoint is correct? They both are.
First, let me be honest and say I’m in the avoidance camp. Almost every supplement I took backfired on me. Some backfired in really big ways. So I operate under the condition known as “once bitten, twice shy.” But my experience isn’t everyone’s experience, and I respect that.
Do Your Research
A reasonable approach to taking supplements is to first do your research. Does the supplement work on GABA receptors? Have others in the benzo community been adversely affected by taking it? If so, you may want to avoid it. Or, at least avoid long-term use. The thinking in the benzo community is that the GABA receptors need to rest from being manipulated so that they can recover from the benzo damage. Supplements such as Valerian, Kava, Chamomile, Kavinace, Phenibut, and CBD, to name a few, work on GABA. People who take these, especially on an ongoing basis, might report that they help withdrawal symptoms, but might find it difficult to stop taking them. We have to be aware that what helps now may present a challenge down the road. Or, maybe not. That’s the challenge with supplements. We don’t always know the outcome from taking them. We don’t know 100% if they hamper healing, or not.
Diagnosed With A Deficiency
Some people have been diagnosed with vitamin decencies. Their doctor wants them to supplement. But taking some of the more common vitamins/minerals such as B, D and magnesium can rev some people up. (That was my experience.) One way we can attempt to supplement is to taper up slowly to the dose our doctors suggest. Some have been successful with this strategy.
No One Size Fits All
Just as Withdrawal symptoms are unique to every person experiencing them, so too are the reactions to supplements. It’s up to every individual to decide if taking a supplement is worth the short and/or long-term risks. And we in the community do well to share information regarding our experiences with supplements but to avoid forcing our viewpoints on each other, creating fear and resentments. Of course, it’s understandable why some people get upset with others who choose a supplement that they feel was responsible for their setback, or wave. It makes sense that the person wants to warn others. But again, all we can do is share our experiences and avoid rupturing our relationships with others who don’t take to heart what we’ve shared. Equally, it can be frustrating when someone feels that a supplement was the magic wand for their recovery. They want others to jump on board with it and may get upset when they don’t.
Walk Our Own Paths
In a nut-shell, everyone going through withdrawal has to find their own way. All we can do is share information and let everyone decide what’s best for them, and not create bad feelings should someone decide to walk a path different than our own.
I’ve been honest about my path. I avoid supplements. But if you choose to take something that the benzo community has experienced as making symptoms worse, or possibly hampering healing, I’m not here to judge you. We’ve got to stick together and get through this with the help of each other’s support. Judgment and condemnation don’t belong in our community. Love and acceptance do.
Thank you for this non-judgmental, balanced post, Dr. Leigh. I admit that I don’t share much on forums about what I believe has helped me because of reactions from others when I first joined. Those reactions “triggered” my nervous system – anxiety, fear, guilt, frightening insecurity,etc. – that then triggered physical symptoms. I may have gone too far the other way; I do want God to use my journey for others. I began my journey off meds with a supplement that I believe God led me to and gave me hope as I had tried several times to wean off without any success. I have had to decrease dosage and then been able to increase again and felt better. I wonder if your post this morning is God’s way of nudging me to share more – not necessarily about supplements. Our journeys are so, so unique and yet hearing the similarities can be comforting too. I will do my best to trust Him for that “nudge”. Anyway, thank you, I am encouraged.
Thank you SO much for this information!!
I am so grateful for the work that you do
You are very welcome!
Thanks again for your helpful info, Dr. Jenn. To take supplements or Not take supplements has been one of my most challenging issues. I have known for several years that you do not encourage taking them but in my road to get healthy again I have probably purchased hundreds of dollars in vitamins and supplements. A big waste of $!! I am becoming more aware that they haven’t helped me to get back to health and strength again. I want to search for some of your older blogs about this subject just to refresh my memory. You have been a lifesaver to me and so many others. Love to you!!
My benzo wise psychiatrist is very against supplements. In fact he’s wary of them all. Those that he believes are cross tolerant to benzos include Kava Kava, Passion Flower, Chamomile, Lemongrass, and Valerian Root, among others. He is also not a fan of CBD and marijuana. He lets me be in charge of my own taper, but is against supplements. There are many people I know who take quite a few of them and are still very ill up to nine years out. One is on 51 a day. Since he’s successfully tapered well over 100 patients off them, I’m inclined to go with him. My taper has gone very well until I reached the lowest doses of Valium. Now insomnia is very problematic for me.