Posted by Chairman_MAO on October 9, 2011, at 20:06:36
In reply to Re: what meds are just as effective as benzo's, posted by jono_in_adelaide on October 9, 2011, at 17:46:56
Anyone who has a steady-state concentration of a benzodiazepine in their system for a long period of time _will_ develop a physiological dependency. It is virtually guaranteed at a high enough dose.
As I said before, complete tolerance does not develop to the anxiolytic effect.
Diabetics have no choice but to take insulin. There are other drugs people can take besides benzodiazepines for, let's say, agoraphobia. Unfortunately, there are very few that actually work as well. Frankly I think the irreversible MAOIs (particularly phenelzine) might be the only other ones. Apparently SSRIs work, but I didn't get the memo. Every one I've tried made me miserable and did precious little for my condition.
You should not feel ashamed using a drug. It is your right, your body. If that is what works for you, great. Just know that you're grossly understating the problem of physiological dependence with regard to the benzodiazepines.
Kicking heroin is a drive in a Corvette on a Sunday Afternoon in the summertime compared to cold-turkey benzodiazepine withdrawal after long-term use.
A year is nothing. It could turn on you in fifteen years. That is true with any drug; the problem with the benzodiazepines is that long-term structural and functional changes occur (people are still arguing back and forth about this in academia but the evidence keeps mounting). Other drugs may stop working, too, but very few have withdrawal syndromes that are so prolonged and are so severe.
I truly hope you never have to taper off of the drug, and that if you do, you have a compassionate physician that will let you do a gradual taper over a year or so.
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:999108
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20111006/msgs/999247.html