[Barto]

Corey’s story is interesting and tragic, and should be read by anyone thinking of taking, or continuing to take, these drugs. However, unless I get much, much worse, Corey’s case is way more severe than mine. I still experience symptoms in ripples, but they are further and fewer and much less severe. On the other hand, I am not as lucky as those who felt better after a few days, either. So maybe I’m somewhere in the middle.

Regarding alcohol though, I think Corey is wrong, even in his own case. He says it was a piece of cake, but he also says it landed him in the ER after two weeks, then further caused him to have “a lot more of these attacks.” Then, before he went through alcohol withdrawal, he went on the benzos. So, he really didn’t experience alcohol withdrawal; he switched drugs to avoid it. I don’t fault him for that. Alcohol withdrawal (both physical and emotional) is really tough, and he was following the advise of a doctor. Also, many factors affect withdrawal severity, such as how much one ingested, and for how long. My point is that it can take a long time to get over alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal should not be underestimated! It can be a real bitch for a heavy drinker.

I was thinking earlier about your story, RUN, and I was wondering whether you weren’t still feeling the affects of alcohol also. Forty five weeks off alcohol is great, but it is not so long that the average bear feels at all normal, especially after having drunk heavily for six years. I don’t know whether you go to AA meetings or not, but, if you do, you will no doubt hear many people within their first few years share their personal experience in dealing with sobriety, and likely none will say they are completely well.

I don’t mean to say that there is nothing wrong with benzos, or that they should be taken lightly. I absolutely think they are bad, bad medicine. They work by depressing the central nervous system; they dumb it down; therefore they likely can only mask symptoms; and their withdrawal symptoms are horrific! Still, if someone cannot function without them, then, well, who am I to say.

I think that benzos are really bad news, and anyone thinking of taking, or continuing to take them, should really carefully consider what they are getting into; and that no one should take them unless all other reasonable forms of dealing with the particular problem have been exhausted. Just my opinion.