What’s it like being sick while in protracted benzo withdrawal, or BIND? Do you rest or push through it? Do you take medication? Antibiotics? Steroids? What if you’re away from home? And what do you do to avoid getting sick next time? In today’s episode, D shares his experience on the road battling a respiratory virus, along with a wave of symptoms from BIND. He also explores self-care, setting priorities in life, and finding some positivity in the entire experience. I hope y

June 8, 2022 — I have been privileged to be involved with two separate teams publishing research on benzodiazepines in 2022. The first of these was published in April of this year and was the first of a series of papers on the benzodiazepine survey of 2018-2019. That paper was titled: “Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey.” The second team was based in Ireland and was focused on developing guidance for the reduction of benzod

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

May 12, 2022 – Exciting News! The first paper from the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018-2019 was the subject of an article today in Psychology Today. Author Christopher Lane, Ph.D. reviewed and summarized many of the significant findings in the research, in addition to blending in some of the early findings from Hollister and Lader. The first paper on the survey was published on April 25, 2022, titled: “Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Inte

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

April 26, 2022 – The first paper on the Benzodiazepine Survey of 2018-2019 was just published on April 25, 2022, titled: “Experiences with benzodiazepine use, tapering, and discontinuation: an Internet survey.” Our team has been working on this research for three years now, and finally, we have the first paper published in the journal “Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.” And this is just the first, many more are slated to follow. I was grateful and humbled to be par

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

Prof. C. Heather Ashton wrote what many medical professionals — and even more patients — consider the “bible” for benzo withdrawal (BIND). If you are considering tapering from a benzodiazepine, please work with your doctor and read this manual. Where to Find It BENZODIAZEPINE INFORMATION COALITION (BIC) Overview / Table of Contents PDF Version Kindle Version Nook Version BENZO.ORG.UK (Original Source) Online Manual About the Manual Benzodiazepine withdrawal (BIND) is ripe wi

Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) affects more than just the patients suffering from it. Although not in the same way or to the same extent, family members and friends — I’ll call caregivers — are impacted by it as well. As a caregiver, you may find yourself unexpectedly comforting your loved one, dealing with personality changes, talking through symptoms and ways to mitigate them, altering routines, and canceling plans. Along the way, you and the person