The majority of the symptoms experienced in withdrawal are physical and they go away with time. Coping techniques will not make the withdrawal symptoms go away but they can make the symptoms easier to tolerate. There is no one-way to cope with drug withdrawal. Each person’s withdrawal is unique and each person is unique in the techniques from which they might benefit. The following are tips and resources that some of the group members have found to be especially helpful for dealing with the problems encountered in withdrawal.
Coping with Derealisation and Depersonalisation
Coping with Anxiety - a set of resources.
More free relaxation exercises
Emotional Freedom Technique for Anxiety - a personal recommendation
Coping Statement for Anxiety - by Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D. An article on the Anxiety Network Website.
Understanding Anxiety - anxiety is a normal part of benzodiazepine withdrawal which goes away with time. Understanding the various symptoms of anxiety can help prevent people from becoming fearful about what is happening. This is a link to a website about the Linden method of dealing with anxiety and contains a good description of the anxiety symptoms.
How to Cope with Anxiety, Remember A-W-A-R-E *Adapted from: Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective, by Aaron Beck and Gary Emery*
Coping with Derealisation and Depersonalisation
Understanding Derealisation and Depersonalisation - an article that describes the symptoms of derealisation and depersonalisation. Source unknown.
Coping with Derealisation and Depersonalisation - a link to the Depersonalization Community Website. This site has information, a forum and a chat room.
Sleep Resources - a list of CD's and DVD's that others have found useful in dealing with insomnia.
Sleep - Our Number One Project - tips and resources
Sleep Restriction Therapy - from the Medscape Today website.
Panic - What You Fear the Most Cannot Happen by Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D. An article on the Anxiety Network Website.
Handling Fear and Panic - strategies for coping with stress. An article on the website Anxietypanic.com
Stopping
Negative Thoughts - a technique to help with negative thoughts.
Use
Thought Stopping to Reduce Anxiety
Coping in General
Understanding The Flight Fight response and the Relaxation Response - the antidote to the fight or flight response
A letter: Coping with withdrawal - written by one group member to another
My Benzopedia - a set of members coping strategies
Benzodiazepine Recovery Tips - by Janet Currie of the Psychiatric Medication Awareness Group
Crisis Survival Stategies - some tips. Adapted from Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder by Marsha Linehan. 1993 The Guilford Press.
12 Concrete Steps to Health - by Tom Oates Jr. reprinted from The CFIDS Chronicle, Summer 1995
Mindfulness of Thought - some people going through the withdrawal process have found the concept of mindfulness very helpful. This is a link to an article on mindfulness on the Anxiety Panic hub website.
Meditation - meditation is something that helps some people especially as they get out of the acute withdrawal stage. This is a link to the Insight Mediation Center Website. It has free courses in meditation and free downloadable guided meditations that may be useful.
Finding a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist This site has a list of CBT therapists. We do not know if they are benzo wise or not.
How to Choose a Counselor by John Breeding
The 10 Principals of Psychological Well-Being By Pankaj Sapkal
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This leaflet is for anyone who wants to know more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It discusses how it works, why it is used, its effects, side-effects, and alternative treatments. If you can't find what you want here, there are sources of further information at the end of this leaflet.
Will Day's Benzo Support. This web site is offered as a resource for those recovering from, or interested in, the illness and withdrawal syndrome caused by prolonged use of ‘benzoes’ - benzodiazepine tranquillisers and sleeping pills. This site also offers a Benzo Recovery telephone support and information service see ‘Will's Support Service'. Will is located In Melbourne Australia.
Inspirational Quotes - to read when things are difficult.
"the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt - A living philosophy from the Wise Turtle.
Keywords:
benzodiazepine, withdrawal, dependency, addiction, valium, klonopin, ativan, xanax, ashton, withdrawal, side effects, tolerance, symptoms, support, protracted, alprazolam (Xanax), bromazepam (Lexotan, Lexomil), chlordiazepoxide (Librium, Nova-Pam), clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril), clorazepate (Tranxene)diazepam (Valium, D-Pam, Pro-Pam), estazolam (ProSom), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), flurazepam (Dalmane), halazepam (Paxipam), ketazolam (Anxon), loprazolam (Dormonoct), lorazepam (Ativan), lormetazepam (Noctamid), medazepam (Nobrium), nitrazepam (Mogadon, Insoma, Nitrados), oxazepam (Serax, Serapax, Serenid, Benzotran), prazepam (Centrax), quazepam (Doral), temazepam (Restoril,Euhypnos, Normison, Sompam), triazolam (Halcion, Hypam, Tricam), anti anxiety medication, sleeping pills, prescription drugs, cold turkey withdrawals, psychiatric medications, prescription drug side effects, protracted withdrawals, drug interactions, guide to taper off drugs, benzo help, sleeping pill withdraw, withdraw off sleeping pills, withdrawal off antianxiety medications, klonopin withdrawal, withdrawal program, ambien withdraw, taper off benzodiazpines, taper off sleeping pills, tapering