The Benzo Free Podcast

Do have questions about benzos? About your symptoms? About finding a doctor to help you survive this thing we call benzo withdrawal? Questions plague the benzo experience, and some questions are more common than others. In today’s podcast, we look at the top five most frequently asked questions about benzos and benzo withdrawal. We also talk about plans for the new year, find some positivity among...

The holidays can be very difficult for those struggling with benzo withdrawal. So, we decided to dedicate our holiday podcast to you. Your questions, your comments, your concerns. And we’re doing it live — twice! If you can’t make it, or if you prefer to listen to the recorded audio version on one of our podcast carriers, you can do so starting Friday. I hope you will join us, and Happy Holidays t...

The holidays can be very difficult for those struggling with benzo withdrawal. So, we decided to dedicate our holiday podcast to you. Your questions, your comments, your concerns. And we’re doing it live — twice! If you can’t make it, or if you prefer to listen to the recorded audio version on one of our podcast carriers, you can do so starting Friday. I hope you will join us, and Happy Holidays t...

Far too often, we think we are all alone during benzo withdrawal and that no one understands what we are going through. But we’re not alone. The benzo community is active, thriving, and full of people just like you. And we’re making a difference. In today’s episode of the podcast, we share some of the progress being made, visit a few of the key organizations behind this progress, and share some of...

What is it like living in protracted withdrawal, seven years out? What are the joys? What are the pains? What are the triggers? What thoughts ruminate in the mind? Join your host as we pull back the curtain and visit a day in the life. For today’s podcast, I carried the recorder around with me all day so I could share the good, the bad, the fun, the mundane, the contemplations and struggles of liv...

Are setbacks common in benzo withdrawal? What causes them? How long do they last? And how do you deal with them? Benzo withdrawal can be a crazy, confusing roller coaster ride, and sometimes you need a guide map to find your way. In today’s episode, we explore the setbacks many of us face in benzo withdrawal. We look at some of the causes, identify seven common triggers, and share a couple of meth...

Looking to make the best of benzo withdrawal? Want others to understand the severity some of us face? Trying to find calm within it all? Facing emotions and intimacy for the first time in years? This one has a little bit of everything. We recorded today’s episode live! No script. No editing. No plan, really. Just D talking about benzos, withdrawal, and the struggles so many of us face. We also sha...

Dr. Colin Bradley is a physician, professor, and a 2017 Fulbright Scholar. He has studied the opioid and benzodiazepine crises in both the U.S. and Ireland; and was appointed as an advisor to the Irish government on benzodiazepines. In Part II of our conversation, Dr. Bradley shares insights on tapering protocols and timing, discusses the ‘pill for every ill’ culture, and explores methods of easin...

Dr. Colin Bradley is a physician, professor, and a 2017 Fulbright Scholar. He has studied the opioid and benzodiazepine crises in both the U.S. and Ireland; and was appointed as an advisor to the Irish government on benzodiazepines. In Part I of our conversation, we compare the benzo situation in Ireland and the U.S., explore the effects of limitations and litigation on prescribing, investigate st...

Do you have questions about benzos? About withdrawal? About how fast you should taper? Or if your exercise is making things worse? Wonder if you can sue? Or do you just want some tips on managing your fear? Either way, this is the episode for you. In today’s episode, we open our mailbag for questions, comments, and feedback from you the listener. You are the heart of this podcast, and our best epi...

How much do you know about benzos? About withdrawal? About anxiety and insomnia? Want to test that knowledge? Well, this is the place. It’s time to lighten the mood a bit and have some fun. Welcome to our first-ever Benzo Trivia episode. In today’s episode of the podcast, we ask the questions, and you provide the answers. I provide a series of questions in five separate categories related to benzo...

When the dark clouds of benzo withdrawal engulf you, how do you respond? Do you lock the door? Curse the world around you? Protect yourself and hide from life? Or is there another choice? One that takes time but may lead down a better path. In today’s podcast, I am back on the road again and on my favorite trail during a downpour. I used this experience as a metaphor for the choices we make during...

Once we withdraw from benzodiazepines, then what? What are we left with? What are the triumphs and what are the pitfalls? How do we handle the new challenges life throws at us? Where do we go from here? In todays’ podcast, I share another road trip recording from a wooded trail in Kansas. We explore the complexities of life after withdrawal, talk a bit about W-BAD, and by request, I disclose the d...

Should I withdraw from benzodiazepines? Are there always complications from long-term use? Does everyone fully heal? Do others overreact, or become overly emotional during withdrawal? Is this withdrawal, or is it a brain injury? In today’s episode of the podcast, we return to the mailbag and share a variety of questions and comments from our YouTube Channel. We also discuss the recent hiatus from...

How long does withdrawal last? Will I ever be normal again? Will I ever recover fully? These are questions so many of us have asked about benzo withdrawal time and time again. In today’s episode of the podcast, I share some thoughts from the road on my own protracted withdrawal and the recent progress I have noted. I hope you enjoy it. https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/on-the-road-again-progress-...

Is COVID more dangerous if you are on benzos? What if you are in withdrawal? What about the vaccine? Will it elevate my symptoms? In today’s episode, we explore some questions about COVID, listen to a hopeful story from New England, and discuss prescribing practices for long-term use. Please join us for our weekly discussion of all things benzo. https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/covid-and-benzos-...

Is it safe to drive while taking benzodiazepines? Is it legal? Can benzos impair one’s ability to drive a motor vehicle? If so, which type of benzo has the greatest effect? We will provide some research, stories, and a few answers. In today’s episode, we look at driving and benzodiazepine use. We also hear a benzo story of success, talk about benzo belly and stomach distension, learn about a few u...

Benzo withdrawal creates far more questions than answers, and today we address a few of them. We look at the loss of self-confidence withdrawal, deciding how long to pause during our taper, TMJ and muscle tension, and a few other topics. We also share some news of upcoming events. I hope you enjoy it. https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/our-mailbag-tapering-tmj-and-trusting-yourself-bfp078 Video ID...

What’s been going on in the benzo community lately? Any progress on awareness, education, legislation, support? Any upcoming events? Any benzo stories to share? Anything new with the podcast? Tune in to find out. In today’s episode, we share benzo stories from Oregon and Nigeria, we learn about some exciting upcoming events, and we look behind the scenes of the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group and...

Anxiety. Benzos. Symptoms. Withdrawal. Overwhelm. Family drama. Wooded trails. Sleepless nights in cheap motels. Long walks and deep thoughts. What do all these things have in common? If you are thinking a recent road trip — you’d be right. In today’s episode of the podcast, I share a variety of recordings from a January trip to Kansas City. We explore movie quotes and doctor’s notes, F5 tornadoes...

Is this pain part of benzo withdrawal? What about this ache? Or memory loss? Or Confusion? Or Restlessness? It seems incomprehensible that all these symptoms are related to benzo withdrawal. And yet, quite often, that is the reality we face. In today’s episode of the podcast, we look at our symptoms and investigate how to ease the constant worry about each and every one. We also hear a benzo story...

Benzo Brain. Fuzzy Brain. Cog Fog. Memory loss and cognitive dysfunction are common in benzo withdrawal and these symptoms can linger for a long time. Why does this happen? What do the studies say? And what steps can one take to improve things? In today’s episode, we dive into the confusing world of cognitive dysfunction. We also hear a story from Connecticut, share a comment about isolation, answ...

Recorded Thursday, November 12th, 2020 Do you have questions about anxiety? About benzos and withdrawal? About your symptoms and possible remedies? About tips, tricks, and treatments to help you feel better? Or perhaps you just want to say hi. Whether you have been listening to the Benzo Free Podcast for months — or just recently discovered our Easing Anxiety videos — I hope you will stop by on Th...

Benzo withdrawal is personal. It’s intimate. And most of all, it can be very isolating. Fear and loneliness are pervasive in withdrawal and we frequently crave understanding, compassion, and connection. But does it really have to be that way? In today’s episode, I share my thoughts and struggles with anxiety, symptoms, fear, and loneliness from a recent road trip to Kansas City. We also have a que...

Robert J. Valuck, Ph. D., is a Professor in Clinical Pharmacy, Epidemiology, and Family Medicine at the University of Colorado (CU) and the Director of the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention at CU. This is a conversation not to miss. In part 2 of our conversation, we explore benzodiazepine advocacy and the hurdles we face, the use of flumazenil for benzo detox, the mechanisms of benzodi...