My Benzo Story
On November 14, 2015 I took my last Xanax, a medication that deeply affected my health, relationships & life for 15 years.
Out of desperation and lack of knowledge of the potential adverse effects — I stopped taking my prescribed Benzodiazepene medications cold turkey (absolutely not recommended) and the results were a harrowing withdrawal experience, that quite literally took me to hell and back.
The journey has been a fucking whirlwind, to say the least.
And 7 years later, with protracted withdrawal syndrome, this experience has continued to deeply affect my life, my health & my career. If I had known this would be the outcome, I would never have accepted these meds in the first place.
In this video I share my story more in depth, what I’d like to see change regarding prescribing and handling of these meds, and a little bit about my vision for a more holistic future of medicine.
It has always been important to me to speak up about mental health. And it has become part of my mission to raise awareness around the potential harm of Benzodiazepine use and this medically induced epidemic.
“Once initiated, Benzodiazepenes can be very difficult, if not impossible, to discontinue, due to significant withdrawal symptoms compounded by the underlying PTSD symptoms.”
— VA / DOD PRACTICE GUIDELINE: MANAGEMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS
RESOURCES
THE SANCTUARY FOR EMBODIED WITHDRAWAL
Coming Soon. This will be a space designed to provide hope, inspiration, and support throughout your journey of withdrawing from pharmaceuticals.
A non-profit organization, a group of patients and medical professionals, seeking change by educating and partnering with doctors, mental health providers, journalists, lawmakers, researchers, the benzodiazepine-impacted community, and society at large.
Their deep personal understanding of the medical and social needs of the benzodiazepine impacted community informs all of their advocacy, from education and outreach, to lobbying for more research and the passage of informed consent laws that equip doctors and their patients with knowledge about the risks of using these drugs in a non-emergency context.
REPORT ADVERSE AFFECTS TO THE FDA
Make your voice heard and report your adverse effects or injury from benzodiazepine use to the FDA. The more reports collected and shared, the greater potential for change to be made.