Posted by Alan on May 2, 2002, at 14:58:22
In reply to Re: Bunk.........IMHO, posted by n0matter on May 2, 2002, at 13:54:42
> Tina, I invite you to quit your benzos cold turkey for a few days, then return to the forum and share your withdrawal experiences with the rest of us. Anyone who's taken a benzo for an extended period of time should know the horror experienced when you have to go without your medication for a weekend because your Doc isn't in town to fill your script. Or when you accidentally leave your bag somewhere, prescription included, and find yourself the victim of a crippling panic attack because you can't think clearly enough to figure out what to do next. "Bunk", though a very insightful post in itself, just doesn't cut it for me. I'm assuming that your 12+ years experience has given you plenty of time to accept the drug as part of your daily life and probably inspires a defensive attitude when presented with the idea that you're quite capable of living without it should you attempt to pursue that endeavor.
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No one is advocating cold turkey on bzd's.
And the results of disontinuing one's ssri (paxil), antiepileptic, mood stabiliser, even antihypertensive? Discontinuation syndromes! - as seen plastered all over this and other anxiety bboards. All psychotropic drugs need to be tapered as it turns out - a phenomenon not exclusive to BZD's. And most do not have any trouble tapering their drugs. There are a subset for each drug that will have trouble irrespective of the drug. Not to invalidate those people's experience but the "addiction" issue is a red herring and is not eclusive to BZD's.TOLERANCE does NOT = "addiction". Addiction is reserved for narcotics, alcohol, etc. PLEASE read my link about addiction vs, dependence:
http://panicdisorder.about.com/library/weekly/aa031997.htm
Also a very wise elizabeth of this bboard wrote her own version:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/67768.html
These kind of distinctions are made in medicine every day. Don't overlook them and rely on this "Dr. Breggin" or any other of these anti-BZD sites representing the cult fringe with their half truths and innuendo. Otherwise you will become not only the victim of your disease but the victim of scare tactics diabling one even further regarding freedom of choice when it comes to psychpharmotherapy.
Breggin's is a very strident, political and moralistic group along with all of the other anti-bzd, anti-med, anti, choice groups.
You either believe the science and vast clinical experience or you don't.
Alan
poster:Alan
thread:104735
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020425/msgs/104798.html