Benzo-Wise: A Recovery Companion now republished as "Recovery & Renewal" Paperback – April 3, 2010

If you are starting or contemplating benzodiazepine withdrawal, DON'T READ THIS BOOK! The author's experience is the worst extreme of withdrawal. It will only scare the living daylights out of you! Not only did I not find it helpful, I found it detrimental. I was terrified after reading it. I found nothing reassuring about it. A much better source of information about benzodiazepine withdrawal is benzo.org.uk, which makes available the Ashton Manual for withdrawal. As is noted on their website, you should "Calm your emotions. Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety ... People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery." I've known a number of people who have successfully tapered and stopped benzodiazepines without experiencing undue discomfort. Another good website is willbenzo.com. This website notes that "it is only a minority of patients who will experience severe withdrawal illness."In general, reading horror stories experienced by others during withdrawal is a bad idea. It is, however, a good idea to be familiar with possible withdrawal symptoms so that you can be aware of these should you experience them. But while it's good to inform yourself, it's also important not to scare yourself!During my first withdrawal attempt, because I wasn't knowledgeable, I tapered much too quickly and experienced a number of puzzling physical symptoms (nausea, achy joints, mysterious rash, sensitivity to sound, high blood pressure). And yet, because I didn't know I was supposed to be scared, I experienced absolutely no anxiety! I had tapered quickly over a period of three months and had no idea that the variety of physical symptoms I was experiencing were due to benzo withdrawal.Withdrawal can be done safely and it isn't necessary to experience withdrawal hell. As noted on benzo.org.uk, "There are two very general rules ... the slower the taper, the milder the withdrawal symptoms ... the smaller the cuts you are able to make, the milder the withdrawal symptoms."The bottom line is this: each individual is different and will experience different withdrawal symptoms. I am not a physician but have learned the following from my own experience: Pay attention to what your body is telling you because it will let you know if you are tapering too fast or too much. It's okay to slow down or pause your taper if symptoms become too intense. Give your body time to catch up. What's the rush? You'll also want to reduce the size of your reductions when you get to lower doses. Some experts recommend no more than a 10% reduction at each taper. You may need to space these out at longer intervals as the size of the dose gets smaller. As one website noted, "Take the taper one day at a time. Tapering is not a race. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, take as much time as you need to be as comfortable as possible. It may not mean you will be symptom-free, but symptoms will be more manageable so that you can remain functional. Those who taper slowly generally have a much easier time of it and a quicker recovery period afterward."Again, I'm not a doctor and my advice is based on my own experience and advice that I have gleaned from several good websites. But don't just take my word for it. Inform yourself by visiting reputable websites BUT DON'T READ THE HORROR STORIES. Your story will be different from theirs.

Out of complete ignorance, I stopped a rather high dose of benzodiazepine cold turkey. I told my doc that it wasn't working for me, and she told me to just stop taking it. Within days I was in agony. I returned to my doctor, and she insisted that benzo withdrawal doesn't last more than a month, and that I would be fine in a couple of days. It has been 5 months, and while I have healed, I am no where near "fine". About a month ago I had a particularly difficult time with a few symptoms, and came across this book upon recommendation from a colleague. I was preparing for a trip overseas, and was struggling with crippling fear and anxiety, as well as with other, more physical symptoms. I ordered this book for some reassurance, and it was one of the best decisions I have made. The author tells her personal journey with poise and positivity. As horrible as withdrawal is, the author never dwells on the negative. Reading this book is an uplifting experience, and offers hope where it often feels like none can ever be found. Included are coping techniques, and breathing exercises that I find invaluable in moments of fear and panic. Also included is a VERY in depth symptom list. I often find myself referring to this when some strange new symptom pops up, or returns. If you are thinking of getting yourself off of your medication, of course, check with your doctor first, but also pick up a copy of "Benzo Wise". There is some great information on how to safely taper off of your medication in this book as well, and that is perhaps the most important information of all. Get the book, share it with your doctor, and go from there. I can't thank the author enough for putting her story into words. It has really helped to get the word out that benzo withdrawal is indeed very real.

As someone just one month and one day off Klonopin, this book is truly a lifesaver. I was prescribed and took 1/2 of the smallest possible dose of this poison, but took it for three years. Before that, Xanax. I was already on a medical leave for severe symptoms that began in "tolerance withdrawal" when I began my discovery that these symptoms are coming from this medication. I suspected it, but reading Benzo-Wise has finally convinced me. I found great support online, but Frederick describes my symptoms in her own life with a frightening specificity. Her writing is easy to read. I loved her journal entries both during the worst times and after she got well.Frederick's honesty and compassion are clear from first to last page. She wants to help. Even though I have now read an enormous amount of information about this devastating situation I'm in, Benzo-Wise will stay by my bedside as a source of comfort. My best friend said it isn't good for me to read horror stories about withdrawal. On the contrary, at 2 a.m., when I am convinced that there is something else wrong or I will never get better, I read in Frederick's book that she and others feel exactly that way, and I can breathe again.It took her a long time to get well. But she did, ultimately, get well. She is a gentle and kind cheerleader, and I am very grateful that she created this important work for those of us who walk (sometimes crawl) this winding path to healing. It truly helps. As an adjunct book, I highy recommend  Hope and Help for Your Nerves (Signet)  by Claire Weekes. It really shifted my thinking in a simple way (also listed in Benzo-Wise as a resource book)..

I found the book extremely helpful and comforting, the author knows exactly how one can feel coming off tranquillizers as she as gone through the same experiences as me.I know that from my own withdrawal i constantly dip in and out of the book, because it gives me the comfort that there is some one holding my hand going through withdrawal together.This is an excellent buy for anyone that might be suffering withdrawal symptoms like myself, as it is very informative about the affects tranquillizers can have on the body.

The book is well worth the read. It cleared up some of the confusion and also helped calm some fears. I even ordered 2 by mistake and returns were simple and hassle free.