Poppy79

Hi,
I have read a few times on here that benzo withdrawals are much worse than alcohol withdrawals. I am curious to hear from those who have experienced both, how and why a benzo wd is worse? If it indeed is?
Presumably, it would depend on individual levels of addiction for each? And possibly whether anxiety was an issue before addiction took over?
I am interested because I am nearly 5 months sober (from alcohol) and one of my recovery tools is valium to take as and when needed. I don't believe I have a pre-existing anxiety disorder.
Maybe once or twice a week I will take a 5mg tablet, there have been some weeks in the last few months where I would take them more frequently (say 3-4 times a week, usually around 'that' time of the month for females). And some weeks where I have not taken any.
If anyone could share their experiences with me that would be great?
I don't really need anyone to tell me to stop taking them immediately, my doctor prescribes them to me and I trust his judgement.
I'm just wanting to understand why a benzo Withdrawal might be worse than alcohol Withdrawal.
Thanks in advance

Forward12

I think it could be for a few reasons. For many trying to coming off of benzos they truly need them for their anxiety issues, and when they try coming off them, the anxiety comes back full force which can be mistaken for withdrawal.
Another reason as those who abuse benzos often do so taking much higher than therapeutic doses which completely overdrives the gaba receptors, far more than alcohol, so when trying to come off it, the withdrawals can be extreme, and since there is nothing to counter it, slow tapers are the only option.

Poppy79

Thank all for your reply Forward. Makes a lot of sense and I didn't even consider those factors that you mentioned

Grymt

I found alcohol withdrawal very unpleasant physically and benzo withdrawal scary. With benzos I went from a reasonably comfortable space to an unknown. I slowly tapered and was completely successful, about six months. With meditation and talk therapy the anxiety is an occasional, rather than constant, experience today. I tend to use anxiety as a pointer to issues I need to delve into rather than avoid these days.I don't know what going cold turkey with benzos is like.

Poppy79

Thanks grymt, when you mention scary do you mean mentally, as in your thoughts were scary?

August252015

Agree with a lot of these comments. To add just a little, I am 390 days sober and still take ativan (lorazepam) under part of my well-supervised rx routine. My prescription is for one 1MG tablet in the am, and 1-2 in the pm. It is not written "as needed" but as I (and my dr) know my past propensity for taking more of "feel better" drugs that is how I regard it.

Typically, if I only take one I have a low grade headache; barring any other changes that day (less caffeine, less sugar, too little sleep) that seems o be the cause. 2-3 does seem to be my "ok" "sweet spot" - I am currently trying to examine the "why" behind taking them(more than one)....and try to use my other program tools to combat anxiety rahter than "just" rely on the pills, as well as to pay attention to when I really want them- and try to see if I really need them.

Ongoing process and discussion with my dr is my plan- we have not discussed cutting them out completely or how I would safely do that.

A PS, basically, to comparing benzos vs alcohol withdrawal- I went cold turkey from a VERY high daily consumption so there is no way I can imagine quitting benzos (headaches? Climbing the wall feelings? shakiness? Could not be worse than with alcohol and subsequent PAWS) would be worse. Just my two cents there.

Good luck to you!

Grymt

Hi Poppy. I mean anticipatory, before the fact scary. It's hard to say now. The taper was so successful I don't remember any specific sensation or feeling. That anticipation of something was always part of my general anxiety. It was heightened as I set about tapering. I guess I learned quickly enough there was in fact nothing to be scared of.

BTW I went from about 5 to 8 x 5mg tabs a day to about 2 x 5 mg over a few years and when tapering I went down about 2 mg every few weeks till I took none. Very smooth. I had to learn coping mechanisms which went well.

(I'm just in the later stages of buying a house doing my own conveyancing using only natural coping mechanisms to deal with what is quite a stressful time. Never done it before and cetainly could never have done it before.)

icoi87

Hi there I'm not sure I have much of an answer but I wanted to chime in. I'm curious what others will say as well. I'm currently 4 weeks sober from alcohol and still taking a small amount of klonopin as needed. I am tapering the K now (working with my dr) and feel fine. I got off of the klonopin a couple years ago after taking it regularly and I was fine then, too. A little sleepy and heightened anxiety, but I have anxiety to begin with. Sometimes I feel a little nauseas as well but it isn't bad at all. I just wanted to say this because I read a lot of horror stories online about Benzo withdrawals when I got off them last time...and it really terrified me. I'm sure they are terrible... but like my doctor says (and people here have said) I think it's when people take more than therapeutic/ prescribed dose and stop suddenly. Work with your doctor to taper and you should be fine!

As far as comparing to alcohol withdrawals, I don't know. Thankfully I didn't withdraw from alcohol, but I've had some nasty hangovers and I'd definitely say that feeling was worse for me than even a bad day coming off Klonopin.

Poppy79

I also noticed a slight headache in the morning around 2 days after not having taken any. I wonder whether it is a slight wd symptom.

Pajanickah

I am prescribed 2mg of Klonopin a day. Most of the time I try to take 1mg or less. The withdrawal from Benzos is absolutely horrible. With my experience, I'm panicky, dialated eyes, lack of sleep, intrusive thoughts, etc.

It takes a while to get off of them. I, myself have attempted to get off of them for two years, but life situations arrive and I'm back on my prescribed dose. It's a lot like alcohol withdrawal, but substantially lasts longer. I've spoken to people that are still going through withdrawal after a year.

You seem to not be taking enough to go through that. My advice to you is to slowly taper. It's the worst thing that ever was introduced in my life. Benzos are bad and the quicker you get off of them, the better. Do not cold turkey.