Dan, I continue to be proud of you, not only for what you have gone through to get to where you are, but also for what you are doing to help others. You are my hero and I love you!
Thank you Avo! I’m humbled and honored to be of service today. In the world of friendship you’re a North Star. Thanks for always being an amazing support, fishing buddy, and all around abiding, true friend. Love ya too!
Never stop making videos Dan. If you have experience with other drugs like for example opioids, which i struggle with it would be nice to see a video on that.
You people are worthy of a normal beautiful life, so don't beat yourselves up, your exactly where your meant to be. I'm 50 and weaning off valium down to 4mg, thank u God Almighty ❤❤❤. You GUYS Rock you got this...😊😊😊😊
Great video Dan! And a great way to put it “an antidote for life”. Benzos gave me the illusion that I could tackle absolutely anything. And for a little while that’s exactly what I did. Now it’s a matter of relearning and reliving without those substances. As hard as it is I do believe it is possible. Thank you for giving hope and showing it is possible! And a great story about you challenging a fear of yours. I hope all is well.
Hi, Paul. Absolutely. We are most definitely relearning day by day, moment by moment, how to live w/out that illusory“antidote.” Sending love and healing to you. ♥️
I so relate. I was able to excel on my job, drive around, make friends! Benzodiazepines saved me. They were amazing until I got off. And I started in the 80s when nothing was known about the dangers upon discontinuing
Very relatable. It made me feel invincible. Untouchable. Powerful and confident. For a decade and a half. Until a suprising and terrifying paradoxical effect took hold and brought me to my knees. This experience has been both a horrifying curse and a astonishing blessing. Please be gentle and patient with yourself; Nothing lasts-neither the joy nor the woe-and as we continue to heal, the suffering lessens, we create space and before you know it? Joy is on its way. We can actually experience it deep-down, promise. ♥️
When I first tried benzos as well, I felt a false sense of well-being and fixed issues I didn't have the coping skills to handle. I believed they changed me almost the first time I took them from what I remember. I am still sometimes not convinced that I am going to actually heal even though I believe I am. The duration of time while not functioning properly is absolutely maddening. Talk about teaching patience!!!
“…maddening.” This is a perfect adjective, B. Unfortunately! :-/ We are healing and we continue to breathe Together. ♥️ You and Dan both have Birthdays around the corner, YAY!!! 💪🏻🥳
@@donna6165 Just got done speaking with Dan and went really well. It is beyond helpful to have friends that understand. I have been really struggling the past few weeks but dammit I am making it to 1 year come hell or high water. That's cool we can have quite a few celebrations coming up. Hope you are doing well Donna Much Love Bob
@@bobbobarino6213Ahh, so joyful to hear you and Dan got to connect, B. I know you’re glad you checked in; we are Here for one another and yes, we are 💯 celebrating the 1 year and 8 year Birthdays of two awesome humans in the next few months. 😌 Keep reassuring yourself, loving yourself, taking good and kind care as well, brother. Time is passing and we are healing. Granted, this behemoth was unexpected for each of us, an unwelcome and horrible kind of “gotcha!”; we’d never, ever, ever have chosen, but Here we are. And, we’re okay, B, because we made the Decision to be our healthiest and most VITAL selves w/out Big Pharma psych lies. Look at us goooo! 🕺🏻We are strong and disciplined and determined. So proud of Us all. Going to write our Jaclyn tonight. I miss her still, Bob. ps: I Love. Us. 💪🏻🙏🏻 pps: We ride the waves, my Awesome friend. I feel you and we got This. ♥️
@@donna6165 Hey Donna yea was great to connect with Dan. I tried sending Jaclyn a message and haven't heard back. I assume she is having a rough time and I wish her the best. I get so sick of this benzo crap sometimes. How cool is Dans 8 years coming up. Awesome!! Gives me something to aspire to as with you 4.5 years. I can't believe I am going to actually make one year. What a journey this has been. Have a great night and hopefully you hear from Jaclyn. Much Love Bob
I never had anxiety until I started taking benzos! Two years off now. Now I’am a turtle without a shell!! I’ll be getting a new one soon! Thank you again for the great videos. ❤️
The problem is that im still drinking... Dont know what to do. If its good bad i must work ( 9-17 )cope with life etc. But if somebody asked me to choose benzos or alhohol i would choose Alkohol for sure!!!!
Hello, that’s a delicate dance. Alcohol is oft referred to as “liquid benzo’s.” I understand, tapering/withdrawl/healing from Benzo damage; it is the most challenging and life-altering event most of us will ever face. I’ve been Benzo-free for 4.5 years. Alcohol should be avoided; it affects/damages the same body systems-works VERY similarly-it is why benzos/alcohol are referred to as “messy drugs.” :-/ I wish you the very best on your healing Journey. Dan and this Space of compassionate support provides real insight and tools based on direct experience. Sending love and strength and patience to you. ❤
@@donna6165 thank you... What you say is 100 💯 true... But sometimes is really hard when you need to cope with social experiences, toxic people on work around that try to suck you what already sucked... It's a roller coaster... Alcohol is definitely NO NO! But if I could stay at home just and meditate and relax... Need to be involved in REAL LIFE 😢
@@niksy4 I do understand. And, as I’m living in this Wild World too, and was once under the delusion that benzo’s made the world “ more Real.” Sure, they made it “easier to cope” but not in any meaningful way. Life is filled with joy and woe and we are made for it. 💪🏻 I wish we had more Practice being in the world withOUT that crutch… :-/ I feel like I’m playing “catch up.” Do you know what I mean? I still struggle with my sleep-over four years out. Oye! I do so empathize. “I am healing; “ that’s my mantra that keeps me hopeful. And staying the Course. Even on the very hard days. ♥️ The false cocoon that kept me separate-ended up making my life 10 times harder and a million times LESS real as-trust me-nothing is as real and stunningly beautiful-eventually- as being benzoFree. Maybe I was fortunate alcohol was never for me as I believe strongly, alcohol will only complicate and lengthen your recovery from benzos. So sorry. :-( I feel you, 💯.
Dan I ran out early I’ll be 10 days I’m early I didn’t realize I was irresponsible and took 3 instead of 2 sometimes like like I’m prescribed . Do you recommend anything ? I have gabapentin but that’s it . I got 10 days until next prescription. I’m so scared of what’s gonna happen cuz I been through it twice and it was so horrible horrible .
Over the years antidepresst wouldn't work so they would cold turkey me put me on another one I didn't no you shouldn't cold turkey now I'm paying the price.i got severe akathisia and susdicle thoughts
Big up Dan, great video again mate, hope you are well, how much did you actually used to drink and was you still drinking a bit when you went into that facility, ive been meaning to ask you before?
Hey Paul! Great to hear from you. At my height I was drinking lots of hard liquor. It’s hard to say how much because it was probably different each night, but suffice it to say I was sick every morning and most of the day until I started drinking again in the evening(or sometimes in the mornings too). It was miserable. By the time I got to treatment I wasn’t drinking as much, maybe a few beers.
@@philosophicalfishing Ditto mate, i smashed the hard stuff in my 20.s and 30,s now prob a beer or two and a couple of shots of whiskey so i class that as a good step forward
@@philosophicalfishingInteresting, Dan…I have a friend who looks in the mirror and repeats to herself: “ I am 30, I am 30.” 😳 ( she’s not 30, lol) I applaud the effort, but like you, Dan, I feel healthier and better on every level-EVERY-than I did in my 30’s when I didn’t realize we have all we need inside of us. Already. ♥️ Big Pharma tried to school me, indeed, but 4.7 years ago, I took back The Big Desk, brother. 💪🏻
Not sure I heard you correctly You were on benzos for 13 years and you successfully came off them in 9 days? You must have the constitution of an elephant
You are very fortunate. It's unbelievable that after 13 years of use you emerged unscathed from withdrawal and were able to kick them in only 9 days. I'm one of the lucky ones too I guess. Took me a year however to taper off klonopin but the taper went well. Was absolutely terrified when I started my taper having heard all the withdrawal effects from benzos. There is a video of a man describing his experience of being bedridden for two years tapering from klonopin In addition to the mental effects he could not physically raise himself. Some people can never get off of them. The majority of doctors prescribe them to patients with no concern whatsoever as to the potential hell ride patients may have to endure Upon stopping the drug. It's as if they are unaware but surely they know. Kickbacks. The average doctor I heard makes 70000 annually at the expense of the patients potential suffering. Some who's suffering may never end. There are people who have been off them for years and still have symptoms. Again I can't believe you successfully came off them in only 9 days after your prolonged use. God bless
820 days off still tinitus still broken sleep 6 hours take metapralol succinate 75 mg and ivabradine for fast heart rate feel some energy lost when I feel normal all physical symptoms gone
I have not had that done. I did have my heart extensively checked out because I was worried it was damaged by pounding so hard for so long, but other than being slightly enlarged, it was fine.
@@philosophicalfishing they ask me to do that now because of my constant Tinnitus...and unfortunately I think that they ( in my case one Dr. ) Is not so so educated about this problems...😔 I pray to God she will not put more labels and drugs on me.
@@philosophicalfishing Dan was your heart pounding after you came off or whilst you were on benzos, i thought the propranolol would of stopped that, it does for me?
I escaped detox in the woods of twin peaks California ❤😂 Dan can I please ask you a big favor my doctor wants me to take that Sam-e. Could you explain your experience with it since you were diagnosed as bipolar also we are supposedly not supposed to take it. He also told me to take it with certain methylated vitamins. Do you do that also that way your homocystine does not build up? I am going to try to start again with a 200 mg one time a day. The first day I took it I did notice a difference. I don’t know if it was placebo effect but I felt so much freaking better but it wore off about 2 pm. I have seen other people that have to take it two times a day and they increase their dose in ranges from 200 all the way up to 1800 mg is there anyway I could email you on this I am not seeking medical advice I just know me and you have a shit ton in common and I thank you so much for your time I thank you for everything that you’re doing and that you’ve made it through. I hope that you are 100% healed in a very bad car accident the day before yesterday and should’ve died from it but I’m still alive. For some reason I just gotta make it through this depression, and losing my family
I never was functioning with benzos. I became very sick from them (had that huge amount of oxazepam to panic attacks after trauma) and was shocked when realised I was hooked up with them. And when the rapid taper started I started to have that devistating brain lock. Had that one time when I had 10 mg of valium first time and it took my awful witdrawl symptoms away, also brain lock and then was two weeks normal, exposer helped and i was normal me but the taper was too quick and went badly wrong and brain lock came back. Then one ct, then prescriped klonopin to get relief for a while and then taper but it didn't help and after six months I said to my new doctor that I think I am in tolerance witdrawl and now i have tapered from total amount of diazepam 60 mg of valium (klonopin crossover) to 8 mg. I'm homebound, can't function with brain lock, agoraphobia, dp/dr, can't be with anybody because of panic telling (was the same when I tapered oxazepam and that panic telling and everything went away for two weeks with that first 10 mg of valium and I exercised, had my relationships back, everything) and am so sick and in bad withdrawl symptoms. Waking up to death and brainlock and that truth I'm homebound and can't do anything and suffering. I tried to do yoga for months being brain locked but now I'm getting much less sleep and having pain and dizziness and can't do anything. I have been in this benzo hell and brain lock for two years. Up and down doses. Having tolerance and kindling. I had GAD over ten years and I never took benzos to that, I was social, active, grateful person before I had trauma and panic attacks (like 20 a day) and right away in 90 mg of oxazepam. I don't know how to survive from this and get my life back. I have good life ahead if I heal. I know I have told this many times, I'm desperate of this brain lock and not understanding normal things and normal life. I have a support person but she had benzos from street and much less than me and she had the same brain lock, homebound etc. but she tapered very slowly and got rid of them and the whole time didn't last as long as I have been in this hell and her brainlock went away. I have been mistreated by doctors and forced to take meds in hospital that I didn't want to take and they didn't help. Can I heal? My body, brain, cns, soul, everything is so traumatised and exhausted. I'm fighting. I can't believe I was in spring 2021 very healthy, having normal relationship with my partner and other people, positive, loved life. Thank you for all your work.
I’m sorry, it’s such a horrible thing to deal with. Nobody should have to go through what we do. There’s no timeline for healing, as everyone is a little different. Just stay with us, and keep going. I hope you have a window soon.
@@philosophicalfishing Can I heal? Am I only one having brain not understanding normal things and being totally disconnected from people and world so that if I go somewhere I can't understand anything and feel like I'm in a different reality from people? Those started when I started to taper quickly and then nothing helped but that first time I had 10 mg of valium (and got rid of 15 mg of oxazepam that was left) and brain lock and terror, dr/dp and went away and I had a good chance if I would have then had a slow taper like now. But with too rapid taper everything bad came back. And since then I hqve had brain lock, panic telling etc and nothing has helped. And I had to start this slow taper because I was last summer with klonopin try the same, having brain lock and telling I'm not in this reality and I haven't had one normal day. This all went once away by having bad withdrawl symptoms off, there is a one proof it is withdwal but it has continued so long I'm afraid I have a permanent brain lock damage, and am I the only one who has this bad brain lock that I don't understand how people can be with each other and drive cars, go to store etc? I'm not like this at all. I had those awful panics and then had huge amount of oxazepam started to say I don't understand anything. Can I heal? Is this normal for benzos? Thank you.
You allways talk really well. Say things that’s really interesting. I’m on benzodiazepines 8 years. It happened when I broke my neck. I’d get panic attacks. I’m wanting to get off of them. But I’m so afraid of the Side affects. I allways feel bad no energy. Scared. I’m jumpy. Shake over anything. If anyone knocks on the door I wouldn’t answer it. I’d get a panic attack. I got No life. Scary. 🥲
@@philosophicalfishing Do you think I could do it on my on. Are have to be in rehab. Since it was 8 years now. I can’t do anything go nowhere. Afraid I’ll panic. I don’t like people around me. I got no life. I gotta do something.
I wouldn’t go to rehab because they will most likely detox you rapidly and that’s not advisable at all. The best method, by most accounts, is to follow the “Ashton Method” which can be found in the Ashton Manual.
