CONGRATULATIONS! We made it! Episode 100! Thank you all for getting us here. Pour the champagne (non-alcoholic of course), gather around, reminisce a bit, and let’s celebrate. And how do we do that? Well, with stories of success, of course. In today’s episode, we share several positive stories from individuals who have struggled with BIND (benzo withdrawal) and who have found success. We also look back at our past 99 episodes, share a new research publication, and provide a f

What do we call this condition so many of us have been dealing with for so long? Benzo withdrawal? Protracted Withdrawal? Persistent Benzo Withdrawal? Benzo Toxicity? Benzo Brain Injury? Or something completely different? In today’s episode of the podcast, we introduce a new term to many of you — Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND). We look at what it means, where it came from, and why we believe it’s important? We also answer a couple of questions and shar

Benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction (BIND) can come with a barrage of expected, unexpected, and even sometimes bizarre physical and psychological symptoms. Neuroadaptation and neurotoxicity has caused the central nervous system to become hypersensitive and over-reactive to everyday stimuli, leaving these symptoms in its wake. The following is a list of possible side effects reported by individuals who have experienced difficulties during benzodiazepine withdrawal

The following list includes most benzodiazepines, z-drugs, and thienodiazepines on the market today and lists their generic name followed by other information, if available, including the most common brand name, other brand names, market focus, speed of onset, half-life, and equivalency. The Ashton Manual is the primary source for the data on this page, supplemented by other sources as listed in the references section at the bottom of the page. Values for half-life and other

Benzo usage, withdrawal, and BIND can be very confusing experiences. Along with tapering schedules, substance boundaries, and a variety of known and unknown symptoms, there is also a collection of both medical and non-medical terms that are often unknown to the average person. We hope this glossary may help clarify this issue and perhaps start to create a sense of clarity in this confusing time. We need your help We all make mistakes. And that definitely holds true for this w

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 share a story of success. We also announce the podcast’s return to a weekly sch

Professor C. Heather Ashton passed away on September 15, 2019. This page is dedicated to her memory. Funeral Notice for Prof. Ashton Prof Heather Ashton died peacefully in her sleep at home in South Gosforth shortly before midnight on Sunday 15th September. She lived a long, full, and active life: as a loving wife, mother and homemaker to her much missed husband John and their children John, Caroline, Jim and Andrew (plus family dog Rex, also much missed); as a selfless docto

Elizabeth McCarthy, MA, LPC hits the benzo community trifecta. She is a benzo survivor, an activist in the benzo community, and a therapist with a decade of experience working with dependence and withdrawal. In today’s episode, we have an in-depth interview with Liz where we learn valuable insights about resilience, survival, and hope. We also take a brief look at the dark side of an idle mind, discuss the difficulty of finding support in non-English speaking countries, and s