Dependence + Withdrawal

March 5, 2026··

Been reading a lot of posts and I’m curious about something. How many of you were originally put on these meds for something that was supposed to be temporary? In my case it was a back injury. Doctor gave me diazepam to relax the muscles and help me sleep. Supposed to be short term. No real talk about dependence or withdrawal. When I stopped I thought something was seriously wrong with me for a while… turns out it was just the meds. Curious what others were originally prescribed for. Anxiety? Sleep? Pain? Something else? Also did your doctor ever mention withdrawal at all?

8 Replies

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BasedStaffMar 5

Community AnchorEffexor

Aaa the old benzos for back pain. The oldest trick in the book. I swear pharma just looks for the smallest genral impact they can have to make the drug a one stop solution. Truly insane

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

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Domagoj JuretaMar 5

Welcomer

Yeah exactly… that’s what surprised me the most looking back. It was presented like the most normal, harmless thing in the world. At the time I didn’t question it at all — just trusted the doctor. Only later did I realize how common that story actually is.

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CatinaMar 5

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi Dom, I wasn't put on a benzo or AD for something temporary, but as you and BP have realized it happens all the time. When I was put on a benzo, it was prescribed to me for years and I was never warned of the dangers. Thankfully, I was able to taper off without any major issues. Many are not so fortunate. It has taken years for the medical community to acknowledge benzo harm. Now, the same harm from AD withdrawal is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

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CatinaMar 5

Community AnchorEffexor

"just trusted the doctor" — @Domagoj Jureta

If we put our blind faith in doctors, we're a sitting duck. (Sorry, BP, I know you're a doctor, but you're one of the exceptions! 😉)

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BasedStaffMar 5

Community AnchorEffexor

"(Sorry, BP, I know you're a doctor, but you're one of the exceptions!" — @Catina

none taken i know how they are

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

guava378Aug 30

Community AnchorAbilify · active

"When I was put on a benzo, it was prescribed to me for years and I was never warned of the dangers" — @Catina

Could you please tell me which benzodiazepine you were prescribed, how long you took it, and how long your taper lasted?

- Aripiprazole / Abilify:
17-May-2026 (15mg -> 10mg)
11-July-2026 (10mg-> 7.5mg
17-Aug-2026 (7.5mg -> 5mg)
28-Sep-2026 (5mg -> 3.6mg)
10 months - actively tapering
- Procyclidine 5mg - 10 months - actively tapering
- Propranolol - 20mg - 13 months - holding
- Xanax - 0.25mg - 8 months - holding

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CatinaAug 30

Community AnchorEffexor

"Could you please tell me which benzodiazepine you were prescribed, how long you took it, and how long your taper lasted?" — @guava378

I was on Lorazepam (Ativan). I was on it for many years (not sure of the exact number). I was on a low dose (0.5 mg), which I took once or twice a day. I tapered it over the course of a few months. That was back before I knew anything about proper tapering and withdrawal. Fortunately, I didn't have any severe withdrawal symptoms at all. It actually went very smoothly. I was very fortunate though because I know benzo withdrawal can be extremely difficult for many people. Looking back, I'm very angry that a drug like this was prescribed to me for so many years.

DuloxiAug 30

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

I was originally prescribed duloxetine for fatigue and exhaustion. My GP told me it was a relatively new medication and was well tolerated. If only I had known what was ahead of me. A few weeks later, I decided that I didn't want to take the medication anymore. According to the patient information leaflet, it could simply be tapered off within two weeks. A few weeks after stopping, I started experiencing anxiety at work, followed by panic attacks with hyperventilation. The diagnosis: anxiety disorder. So I was prescribed duloxetine again. At the time, I never realized that all of this might have been related to stopping the medication. Well, here I am 17 years later. I'm now on my second serious, carefully documented tapering attempt. I had tried to stop or reduce the medication several times before as well. And yes, guess what happened every time... "relapse of the anxiety disorder." I had "relapses" when reducing from 90 mg, "relapses" at 60 mg, "relapses" at 30 mg, and so on...

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

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