Managing the Fear of Benzo Withdrawal (Part 1 of 3) - a podcast by D E Foster

Experts agree that reducing fear and anxiety is critical to success during benzo withdrawal. But how do you do that? In part one of this three-part series, I introduce fivekey areas of focus for creating a stable mindset during withdrawal. The first of these is taking responsibility. It's your body and your recovery — you should be in charge. Learn how to work with your doctor as a partner and take control of your own health and healing.



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This podcast is dedicated to those who struggle with side effects, dependence, and withdrawal from benzos, a group of drugs from the benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine classes, better known as anti-anxiety drugs, sleeping pills, sedatives, and minor tranquilizers. Their common brand names include Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Lunesta, Valium, and Xanax.Episode #3



Welcome to the first segment of our 3-part series on Managing the Fear of Benzo Withdrawal. This series is derived from a chapter in my book titled,"Managing the Fear,"which focuses on reducing the fear, anxiety, and stress during benzo withdrawal.



Before we dive too deep into our featured topic, we chat a bit and cover a couple of questions in our Q&A section on withdrawal.



Featured TopicToday’s featured topic: Managing the Fear - Part I



In my opinion, fear, and the stress and anxiety related to that fear, cause more distress and more complications during withdrawal than anything else. And this fear is not some natural psychological fear. It's chemically enhanced. On top of the original anxieties we had before our dependence on benzos, we now have a damaged nervous system that can't process fear correctly. A system that can send us into a panic state — both psychologically and physiologically — at the least sign of distress.



Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety and not signs of brain or nervous system damage. People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery. — Prof. Ashton, The Ashton ManualThis series is broken down into three separate parts:



PART I - Series Introduction / Taking Responsibility for Your Own RecoveryPART II - Keeping Positive / Maintaining Mental and Physical ActivityPART III - Having Kindness for Yourself and Others / Finding Acceptance of Your ConditionINTRODUCTIONThe first step to finding a positive mindset for withdrawal is realizing that fear — and obsessing about that fear — makes your symptoms worse. It makes your withdrawal harder. Learning how to accept the fear but reduce the rumination is the real goal here. I found five key areas where I improved my ability to manage anxiety. They are responsibility, positivity, activity, kindness, and acceptance.



RESPONSIBILITYI now have a say in what happens to me. I'll never take another prescribed medication without doing my own thorough research. I'll never go through another medical procedure without fully understanding all the risks and weighing the pros and cons. Once I realized that I was in charge, I also knew that I couldn't do this alone. So, I built a support team to help me through this difficult time. Taking responsibility means taking the lead in your recovery. You're in charge, and that's a good thing.



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The Benzo Free Podcast is a community podcast and we need your input to help it grow and improve. We don't know what you want from this podcast if you don't tell us. So please, check out our website, take a look at the book if you like, and let us know what you think.You can learn more and leave feedback in the following ways:



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