. — SteemCN

I am prescribed a benzo by my psychiatrist, which I've been on for eight years for generalized anxiety disorder. I long ago stopped feeling like I needed it, but trying to get off of it is brutal....the withdrawal symptoms, even when tapering, are worse than what put you on it in the first place. I've asked my doctor about getting off of it with his help, but he just tells me since I never dealt with the underlying anxiety, it's best to just keep taking the benzo. He's not interested in helping me quit, and keeps prescribing it. Granted, you CAN'T just stop a benzo cold turkey....it can kill you in worst case scenarios, because the withdrawal symptoms can be pretty bad. So, I'm tapering off on my own, and from what I've read online, it could take years to do it without any bad side effects.

This is something my doctor prescribed me, and it helped. But, he didn't tell me physical dependence can happen in as little as a couple of weeks on it. My grandmother was on a benzo for 35 years, and could not be tapered off when her doctor finally tried after 20 years on it. I don't want that to be me.

I read where the singer, Stevie Nicks, got off the same benzo I'm on, and she'd been on it as long as I have. She said it was the hardest thing she's ever done. After trying it a few times myself, I have to agree. I don't know how people do it.

Back to tapering VERY slowly. It's the only way.