This presentation was recorded live at the 2021 Annual Meeting for the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, and is presented here on our channel courtesy of that organization. Please visit their website via the links below. Presented at… Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention – 2021 Annual Meeting October 28, 2021 Presented by… Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) Watch the Video …on YouTube Chapters 0:00:00 Introduction 0:00:5

I recorded a video for Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) about a month ago for their video series. This week, BIC posted it on their channels including Instagram and YouTube. You can check it out below. D 🙂 Watch the Video BIC’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL_uDNwRWNmbEaZBENj-iFg. SUMMARY Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be an isolating experience. Many of us seek support from those who are closest to us, only to be met with frustration, rejecti

This past Wednesday, September 23, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new boxed warning for benzodiazepines, the most common class of anti-anxiety medication which includes Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Valium, and many others. This announcement warns of serious risks of abuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions from these drugs. It’s a significant announcement, and one that’s left the benzo community abuzz. But what does this communic

Jordan Peterson is a psychologist and author from the University of Toronto. While his political views have created much controversy in recent years, it’s his dependence and rapid detox from benzodiazepines that triggered today’s blog post. Several listeners to the podcast have alerted me to this topic and although stories in the news are not our typical focus, I felt this one needed some clarification. *** Caution: This post includes descriptions of extreme withdrawal method

This post is about something called the wibber gibbers, and how to avoid them. Confused? Hang with me. I’ll explain. I just returned from another road trip. I seem to be doing a few of those lately. Whenever I travel, I always take a few books with me, both audio for the car and in print for evenings in the hotel. My latest one isHow to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie, originally published in 1944. When I read books for research, I have my process. A paperback

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

In a recent article in CNN travel, “Sleeping pills and planes: Embarrassing tales from 35,000 feet,” by Sandee LaMotte, the author tells the story of passengers who take Ambien, or other sedatives, on long flights, and behave in bizarre and sometimes dangerous ways. These behaviors can include sleepwalking, childlike behavior, disrobing, fondling other passengers, becoming aggressive, and even urinating in the cabin. While the extreme acts are rare, they are becoming more fre

OPINION The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approved a new drug in March 2019 to treat postpartum depression. The drug’s name is brexanolone, and it is marketed as Zulressso by Sage Therapeutics. On June 17, 2019. the DEA placed brexanolone on Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act, the same schedule as benzodiazepines. The reasons for this action included the risk of extreme sedation and sudden loss of consciousness, which can be lethal in some cases. Simila

OPINION When the FDA released its latest warning on Z-drugs, I quickly wrote up a blog post on the subject and even published it. But, before I posted it on Facebook, I re-read it as I often do, and something concerned me. I immediately removed the post and decided to re-write it in a different context. Here’s the recent announcement from the FDA on Z-drugs. I’ll follow with my opinion. New FDA Boxed Warning for Z-drugs On April 30th, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrati