I have friend who was at nursing school, and she'd get them prescribed for the few occasions where she had to do a presentation, as she would get extremely nervous. She never took them after. Maybe she could've addressed the issue differently, but it worked for her, and she never got hooked. But milage varies, and so on. She also told me that at the hospital, benzos are readily available and they kinda hand then out like candy to manage patients (there doesn't seem to be any rigorous bookkeeping about them).
I also tried a few many years ago, but they didn't really do anything for me. I think they only work if you got anxiety or something, so some underlying issue which -if chronic- is probably not a good fit. Never had any cravings since.
> I think they only work if you got anxiety or something
Probably something to that. I didn't feel much at the prescribed dose. Being curious and foolish, I took 3x. Did feel that. Socially effusive. Good sleep. There was a physical aspect. A warm glow, muscles that felt relaxed rather than stiff. Like waking up in warm sun after a particularly good night's sleep.
People without anxiety, who aren't literally and metaphorically tense, probably get far less of that. But that's what it does for a really anxious person like me, especially with a bit too much. So of course I did it again the next day.
You quickly come to long for, or believe that you're just better off, in that state all the time. But there is tolerance. It stops working like that at the same dose after a few days in my experience. So, take more. I was in big trouble within a month. That's the psychological addiction in my experience, the strong desire or preference for being in that state, emotionally.
I couldn't stop. No physical consequences but intolerable withdrawal mostly of rebound anxiety and insomnia. I eventually got off them with a very long taper. ~5 months with the dose adjusted weekly. No significant physical withdrawal. At the right dose of a long-lasting benzodiazepine, I felt like before I had started taking them, more or less. I did have to learn to deal with the psychological need to be more disinhibited than normal. If I could do that, and not escalate doses, getting off would be possible. It was, and I haven't taken any since the last dose of the taper. I think about that state and sometimes I do long for aspects of it, but they're not really cravings anymore. Only get those for nicotine.
Were you receiving any other kind of therapy for your anxiety during this time?
I tend to see it a bit like “medication stabilizes; therapy heals”.
I tend to see the opioid epidemic (which is comparable to the current benzo problem) as a systemic failure. You were handed a loaded gun and no one taught you how to use it.
Our medical system is designed to be transactional, but the experience of a chronic condition is a narrative.
I’ve reacted differently to different benzos. One did nothing. Another triggered one hell of a mood swing (I’m bipolar). Finally settled on Klonopin, which has a long half-life. It seems to be less.. harsh?
I really only ever tried the ones with a short halflife personally.
Now that I think of it, a benzo actually did help me once, when I got my wisdom teeth removed. Made me a bit more calm about it. But it was fairly tolerable overall anyways.
I've been told that benzos are a good option for someone anxious about flying. They make the flight tolerable and help the person feel comfortable flying in the future. They may only need to learn that there's nothing to fear in flying, and benzos can help them learn that.
I trust the person who told me that, but have heard a lot of benzo horror stories.
I also tried a few many years ago, but they didn't really do anything for me. I think they only work if you got anxiety or something, so some underlying issue which -if chronic- is probably not a good fit. Never had any cravings since.