Educating the Un-Educated

The benzo journey can be a very lonely one. Most of what is happening to you is inside and other people can’t see it. It is very common for people going through withdrawal to find that their family and friends have no understanding of the problems that are being encountered and this makes it difficult for them to be sympathetic. It is also common for people to find that their doctor does not acknowledge any form of withdrawal syndrome past that which occurs in the first few weeks. The first line of defence is to try and educate the significant others in your life so that they understand what is happening. The best way to do this is to ask them to read

The Ashton Manual by Professor C. Heather Ashton

The FAQ

Extracts from Medical Journals by Dr. Reg Peart

"These extracts demonstrate that iatrogenic (medically induced) dependence on benzodiazepines can cause very significant physical, mental, and social decline that is at least as serious as other drug dependencies, e.g., alcohol and illegal drugs. Benzodiazepine dependency is not benign as many incompetent doctors want to believe as an excuse for doing nothing about the problem."

Then you might print out the information here:

1. "Analysis of Adverse Behavioural Effects of Benzodiazepines " by Dr. Peter Breggin

2. "The Benzodiazepines Toxicity, Cognitive Impairment, Long-Term Damage & The Post Withdrawal Syndrome " by Dr. Reg Peart

"There is a great deal of misinformation, mythology and ignorance surrounding the benzodiazepines, their uses and problems. The attitude of denial by many has a severe impact on patients trying to get help from doctors, treatment for dependency, DLA and other benefits, and help for legal actions.

This paper is an attempt to bring together apparently diverse aspects in a format that hopefully will be informative and a source of further information for those seeking help and compensation for the destruction of their lives."

3. "History of Benzodiazepines: What the Textbooks May Not Tell You " A talk and PowerPoint display by Professor C. Heather Ashton. Another talk that may be of interest is Overprescribing of Benzodiazepines.

4. "Addiction: Benzodiazepines in Particular" by Dr. Ray Baker

Dr. Ray Baker. “From 1993 to 1997 he represented Canada on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, North America’s credentialing body in this specialized area of medicine. He served as principal author for the British Columbia standards of practice in Addiction Medicine, adopted as policy by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C.”

If after this the significant others in your life can’t or won’t understand what is happening – and this happens a lot – then it is often less stressful to try and manage what is happening yourself or turn to the various support groups who will understand.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website was not compiled by a doctor or anyone with medical training. The advice contained herein should not be substituted for the advice of a physician who is well-informed in the subject matter discussed. Before making any decisions about your health or treatment you should always confer with your physician and it is always assumed that you will do so.

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Last updated 21 July 2020