Symptoms: Brain zaps, emotional blunting, cognitive impairment, depersonalization/derealization, suicidal ideation, severe anxiety/panic
Due to anxiety I was unable to sleep. In a 15 min telehealth visit I was prescribed seroquel. Within 3 doses I could barely remember my name and landed in the ER with serotonin syndrome. For the next 2 months I experience severe panic attacks that would last 7 hours, after which I could rest for about 45 minutes before it started again. During this time the psychiatrist tried 20 (yes Twenty) medications ranging from SSRIs to benzodiazepines. Finally a maximum adult dose of Xanax was prescribed. I was cured immediately. This dose was prescribed for a year and a half. Until it's effects began reversing.
This was treated by the head of psychiatry in Columbus, Ohio as breakthrough anxiety. Ultimately the prescribed plan included 5 medications, one of which was Valium prescribed at 15 tablets per day. Knowing exactly 0 people who do well taking 5 mental health medications, I decided I would wean off them.
I found the BenzoBuddies community and a protocol known as the Ashton Manual documenting the issues revolving around benzodiazepines.
The wean down process from Xanax/Valium was by far the worst. A 5–10% dose reduction caused hallucinations, seizures, deep suicidal thoughts, vomiting, weeping…etc. This would last 3 days until it felt almost tolerable. Then it was time to reduce the dose again. I endured this cycle for 10 months in order to wean off Valium. Then the SSRI wean down started and took another 8 months. By the grace of God and my dog I survived.
Every psychiatric professional I spoke with dismissed my symptoms and suggested I continue taking more medications.
5 years later I take no medication and no longer struggle with anxiety.
You can and should wean off these medications, however it WILL take far longer than you think and it may be the most difficult time in your life. But you can be free on the other side.