Valium, Ativan, Serepax, Xanax, Normison, Mogadon - collectively known as benzodiazepines - are common household medicines. Hundreds of thousands of Australians take benzos on a regular basis despite government guidelines recommending only a maximum four-week prescription period.
"The Accidental Addict" by Di Porritt and Di Russell, provides a very up close and personal account of the effect of addiction to benzodiazepines, as well as frank information about overcoming the addiction.
One third of all benzo scripts are given for sleep problems. But it is now known that the hypnotic effects of benzos are lost after three to fourteen days of continuous use... "The reason why I know the physical reaction to the benzos is pretty strong is because all of a sudden they stopped working. For some time I'd have one quarter of a Mogadon and go to sleep within half an hour, wake up and feel fine. Then they stopped working. Sometimes I'd go to sleep, wake up, couldn't get back to sleep so I'd have another quarter. It took me four years to start upping the dose. I'd take the other quarter but it still wouldn't work, and I'd wake up feeling terrible - hung-over and groggy. Then I'd go to bed and I would just lie there in nothing like a sleep - so I'd take another quarter and lie there and still nothing would happen. I used to sleep a lot better than this before I even started taking benzos."
Rational decisions become more and more impossible as people slowly lose the ability to concentrate... "A lot of my work involved talking to people, sorting out problems and things like that, but I was finding it difficult to see people and deal with them. I think that if I hadn't been drugged I would have insisted that I be given another job, but I was doped to the eyeballs and not able to sort things out. I was very confused - I wanted to get married and have a baby, go to university and go back to England, all at the same time!"
Here are some of the things you will find in The Accidental Addict:
A-Z of Benzo Withdrawal Symptoms
Symptoms can be weird and frightening. Read descriptions of symptoms that might worry you expressed in the words of people who have been there.
Head symptoms are common including pain, pressure and strange sensations.
"My head often feels fuzzy like there is a cloud on top of it a lot of the time my head feels as if it is floating - just drifting a little way from my body."
Benzo fatigue is not a normal pleasant sort of tiredness.
"I used to have such extreme lethargy that to wash a pair of socks or knickers was too much for me."
Eyes and driving can be badly affected.
"I could hardly drive at all because I couldn't tell whether the traffic lanes were twenty or two hundred yards ahead of me."
One third of all benzo scrips are given for sleep problems, but it is now known that the sedative effect of benzos is lost after 3 to 14 days continuous use.
"The reason I know why the physical reaction to the benzos is pretty strong is because all of a sudden they stopped working. I used to sleep a lot better than this before I even started taking benzos."
Personal Stories
Read stories of courage and recovery from benzo addiction.
Like Ruth who took heart surgery in her stride but the sleeping pills she was given in hospital led to her first panic attack
Or David who was left a paraplegic after a car accident. While in hospital he was prescribed Valium for muscle spasm and pain
Or Jackie who was first put on benzos for irritable bowel syndrome. Within a short time she became so agoraphobic that she could hardly leave the house. Her story illustrates how benzos can induce anxiety symptoms even when prescribed for physical ailments.
"I tried to analyse the reasons I first started taking benzos, thinking, how did I get started on all this? My health was fine - in fact I was rather a well person. I certainly never thought of myself as nervous. Then I started having trouble with my bowels. The doctor sent me for various tests and told me I had irritable bowel syndrome. He gave me some Librax tablets (benzos) to take. I returned to work part-time when all of sudden I started to get these really strange panic feelings at the office for no reason
And there's more!
The Accidental Addict gives you an overview of:
The Benzo Business. TAA shows how the drug companies marketed benzos aggressively in the 1960's
TAA looks at how it feels to get addicted, to make the connection, to come off the pills and recover, and how it affects your life.
TAA assesses what helps in recovery. Reviews natural therapies such as acupuncture, massage, relaxation. Looks at the role of support groups and provides information
Hey Rikki, Thanks for taking the time to post all this info. I know there's some truth to it, even if not for me. I'm a prescription drug addict and began for good reasons, but continued into addiction pretty much knowingly. However, it was a real eye opener. After a tragic event I was prescribed a great deal of valium, plus supplemented with what I could buy. Used a lot for a year, then quit cold. I didn't really figure out it was w/d at first. Just thought I was still shell shocked and not feeling well. I'm glad I didn't experience anything like everyone here talks about. Have also used some pretty big prescriptions of xanax,w/o too much trouble stopping. However, won't do that anymore. I sure hope you find the method best for you and keep posting here. I really do appreciate you sharing valuable info with us. I'm more of a fiction gal...don't read much else except the news. How are you doing today? Have you started tapering? Hope all is well. God Bless, Beck
