benzo free podcast

Naftal Benisty is the creator and host of the podcast, “Benzo Tired.” A social worker by trade, Naftal’s personal experience with kindling, seizures, and multiple prescriptions for benzodiazepines steered him into the world of benzo advocacy. In our conversation, Naftal shares his benzo story and the reasons he decided to start a podcast. We also talk about seizures, the indefinite hold, BIND, deprescribing guidelines, medical education, remaining positive, and so much more.

David Powers is an artist, filmmaker, PhD candidate in psychology, and founder of Powers Benzo Recovery Coaching. After a severe car accident, David became dependent on diazepam. Now benzo-free, he helps others through his films, videos, and coaching. In Part II of our conversation, we learn about support, coaching, and membership sites. We also discuss psychology, overprescribing, gratitude, burnout, healing, society, culture, and much more. Please join us for this relaxed a

David Powers is an artist, filmmaker, PhD candidate in psychology, and founder of Powers Benzo Recovery Coaching. After a severe car accident, David became dependent on diazepam. Now benzo-free, he helps others through his films, videos, and coaching. In Part I of our conversation, we hear about David’s personal struggle with benzodiazepines. We also discuss research and funding, the limbic system, GABA, fear, hope, symptoms, and even chat a bit about film. Please join us for

Dr. Anna Lembke is our guest today — and trust me — you don’t want to miss this one! We discuss benzodiazepine tapering, substitution, the dopamine cycle, flumazenil, anxiety, social media, finding a doctor and so much more. Anna Lembke, MD is professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and an internationally recognized leader in addiction medicine, treatment, and education. A best-selling

Two benzo survivors. Two caregivers. Pizza. Cookies. And a covered porch in a rainstorm. What else could you want? Join us for this very special and revealing conversation about living with benzos from two couples who know it intimately. In today’s episode, we share our second benzo chat recorded on our recent road trip. On June 5th of this year, Shana and I joined Steve and Heather on a porch at their home in the great state of Iowa. The evening was delightful. We talked ab

Enough about me — it’s time to hear from you. Welcome to our very first “Benzo Chat.” An in-person, casual conversation with you, the champions living day in and day out with benzo dependence, withdrawal, and BIND. In our inaugural episode, we sit down with Rob in the great state of Oklahoma. We talk online forums, exercise, insomnia, diet, detox, cognitive dysfunction, and so much more. His story is a difficult one at times, but at its core, it’s about hope — and we all coul

Do we truly recover from protracted benzo withdrawal (BIND)? What does that look like? What about from other psych medications? Can we realistically get back to “normal” after all of this? And if so, how? Join D and Dr. Jenn for this intimate conversation. In today’s episode, we welcome therapist and benzo coach Jennifer Leigh back to the podcast. Dr. Jenn has helped many individuals recover from withdrawal and BIND and we’ll get her take on several pressing questions. We’l

Dr. Alexis Ritvo is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is also Medical Director for the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices and Co-Chair for the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group. In Part II of our conversation with Dr. Ritvo, we dive into the world of the benzo experience that so many of us face as patients. We discuss how to find a doctor, the return of emotions, finding

Dr. Alexis Ritvo is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is also Medical Director for the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices and Co-Chair for the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group. In Part I of our conversation with Dr. Ritvo, we dive into the world of benzo advocacy and outreach. We discuss ongoing work in the benzo community including guidance documentation, prescriber ed

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 easing the burden of withdrawal through counseling and tool development. His messages

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 street use in urban populations, and share our concern for prescribed use among th

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 benzodiazepines in the body, and so much more. We also share a story from Chris in Austr