Alcoholism and benzos
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
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Alcoholism and benzos
I'm an alcoholic I stayed sober four years sober in AA with no benzos I actually quit drinking but started my sobriety date after I quit klonopin. I've been back on klonopin four five months I have been relapsing the last two years.Now I'm addicted and abusing klonopin and struggle to get even a week or two off the bottle. I know benzos hit the same recptors as alcohol so how could I ever lose the obsession to drink while taking something that hits the same receptors. I'm prescribed 3mg of klonopin a day today I took 8 or nine I found my moms hiding spot and took five tis morning and past out. Benzo withdraw so hard but I'm gonna do it I think it's so hard to quit drinking while taking benzos.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
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dsmaxis, I am truly sorry for your plight and hope you find the relief you seek from benzo addiction.
However, before this thread turns into a typical broad-brush benzo-bash fest, I feel obliged to again share my experience, which perhaps is an outlier, but is incontestably mine and true nonetheless.
In my final detox 21 months ago (as in preceding detoxes), I was prescribed a benzo (Ativan) to assist with the acute phase of withdrawal.
I continue to use Ativan sparingly, in amounts and frequency never exceeding that which is prescribed, as part of my ongoing efforts to manage the anxiety component of what seems to be an exceptionally protracted post-acute withdrawal phase. In an ideal world my non-pharmaceutical approach — including diet, exercise, meditation, learning better coping skills and attitudes — would be enough on its own, but I’m grateful to have an adjunct for the times it isn’t.
I have experienced no tendency towards increased tolerance and dependence as I did with alcohol, and never feel any urge to take more than the amount prescribed. In fact, I almost always take less.
This is my experience. Your mileage will vary (obviously, the experience of the OP varied quite dramatically). However, it’s worth the consideration of others before jumping onto the pervasive anti-benzo bandwagon and condemning these drugs as universally evil.
However, before this thread turns into a typical broad-brush benzo-bash fest, I feel obliged to again share my experience, which perhaps is an outlier, but is incontestably mine and true nonetheless.
In my final detox 21 months ago (as in preceding detoxes), I was prescribed a benzo (Ativan) to assist with the acute phase of withdrawal.
I continue to use Ativan sparingly, in amounts and frequency never exceeding that which is prescribed, as part of my ongoing efforts to manage the anxiety component of what seems to be an exceptionally protracted post-acute withdrawal phase. In an ideal world my non-pharmaceutical approach — including diet, exercise, meditation, learning better coping skills and attitudes — would be enough on its own, but I’m grateful to have an adjunct for the times it isn’t.
I have experienced no tendency towards increased tolerance and dependence as I did with alcohol, and never feel any urge to take more than the amount prescribed. In fact, I almost always take less.
This is my experience. Your mileage will vary (obviously, the experience of the OP varied quite dramatically). However, it’s worth the consideration of others before jumping onto the pervasive anti-benzo bandwagon and condemning these drugs as universally evil.
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
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I'm on disability so I get bored and take more so I'll sleep the day away I'm not anti benzo I ask my psychiatrist for them cause I had anxiety from drinking. I didn't tell him that I told him I just have anxiety. I'm on disability for schizophrenia and bi-polar and depression which I take medication for each I have been in 15 mental hospitals I'm not anti med I need to take the prescribed amount my mom holds onto my klonopin and dishes it out but sometimes I find her hiding spot by accident like I did today. Mood and mind altering drugs what I here in AA don't take them kind of hard when your schizophrenic it's okay Bill Wilson took acid but not okay to take mood and mind altering substances mostly drug attacks who aren't alcoholic in AA say this the big book says never belittle a good dr or psychiatrist there help can often be indespencable don't here that at meetings. It's not a relapse cause I didn't drink if that a relapse then Bill Wilson relapsed cause he took acid.
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We're pretty good at deflection sometimes, yeah? 
This isn't about Bill Wilson at all.
It's about you.
It's not about medication or benzoes either -
it's about you abusing your medication, and looking for it when it's been hidden from you.
I really hope you'll tell your Dr, if not your mom, and ask for help, dmaxis
D
This isn't about Bill Wilson at all.
It's about you.
It's not about medication or benzoes either -
it's about you abusing your medication, and looking for it when it's been hidden from you.
I really hope you'll tell your Dr, if not your mom, and ask for help, dmaxis
D
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Your right dee74 I told my mom I told my psychiatrist I want to get off klonopin and he said if it ain't broke don't fix it this is before I started to abuse them. I see him January 13th so I'll tell him I'm gonna ween myself off which I was doing I was down to 2.25 mg then I binged. Now if I had the control of my klonopin I use it all up then be in big trouble cause the withdraw so bad I'm hoping to be off it by my birthday in feb 20th.
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I feel for you, that's a terrible cycle to get in. I have never been a fan of trading one drug for another. You are still appealing the pleasure center of your brain merely tricking it to believe nothing has changed.
My main thought though is how after four years you get the urge to go back to alcohol? One thing I became convinced of years back in my own recovery was that I needed some separation from my association with alcohol. I firmly believe daily meetings only reinforce the behavior of a dry drunk. How can you ever begin to forget about alcohol if you are always talking about it?
I'm pulling for you to wean off the benzos as quickly as possible and get back to the sobriety you did so well for so long.
My main thought though is how after four years you get the urge to go back to alcohol? One thing I became convinced of years back in my own recovery was that I needed some separation from my association with alcohol. I firmly believe daily meetings only reinforce the behavior of a dry drunk. How can you ever begin to forget about alcohol if you are always talking about it?
I'm pulling for you to wean off the benzos as quickly as possible and get back to the sobriety you did so well for so long.
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: The Sooner State
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Sounds like you traded one rubber crutch for another. You need to tell your doctor what you are doing. Benzos help with alcohol withdraw...I have no idea what they give to detox from benzos. I know both are considered the most dangerous to withdraw from without medical intervention. Total honesty with your doctor & yourself is the only thing that is going to get you out of this rut.
Left the bottle behind 4/16/2015
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NC
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All I can add about benzos (specifically Librium for me) is that it seemed to totally lose its effect over time, even after being off it for months. My sponsor is recommending toughing it out through tapering off alcohol, which is interesting to me. That did work for me once, but I lost my willpower and just continued drinking after some brief success. His input was - short of shock therapy - every detox center, ER, rehab center, etc. is going to use the same old formula, which may or may not work. He's 30 years sober.
But given that we're not allowed to give medical advice here, take all the aforementioned conjecture as mere opinion.
But given that we're not allowed to give medical advice here, take all the aforementioned conjecture as mere opinion.
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Washington, MO
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Ok, I'll be that guy. I drank on them or shortly after they were gone every time. Yer gonna have to taper off both. Alcohol first--then probably medically supervised redux of klonopin. If you want to be off them you need to find a doc that is on the same page (benzos are bad). They can formulate a safe schedule and possibly give anti-craving meds. You already know how easy it is to find one to write scripts for more benzo's--try going in the other direction.
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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I've had to quit benzos twice.
It's a rough ride, but doable.
I don't touch them now.
Personally, it took physical tolerance to make me realise I needed to stop. And that was on two occasions, so I had to get off and stay away.
It's a rough ride, but doable.
I don't touch them now.
Personally, it took physical tolerance to make me realise I needed to stop. And that was on two occasions, so I had to get off and stay away.
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