Hi, I'm Tiona

October 8, 2026··

I’m a terrified mom looking for support for my 16 yo son who has been on many different meds recently and is kindled, with sensory gating and extreme insomnia. He’s so great and I’m feel I’m losing him. Please help us. Sending love

Klonopin — .82mg — 2 months — holding | .2mg clonodine — 2.5 months — holding | without clinician

3 Replies

Mcat1d ago

Mirtazapine · holding

Welcome. That sounds so tough on both of you. There's lots of good info in the threads on the Tapering forum and educational stuff in the resources section, too. It can be worth reading up on the Surviving Antidepressants site (no longer active, but still readable). It's not always easy to find the info you need, but there is a lot of it embedded here. Also, useful if you can give more details about which drugs he's on and whether he's tried coming off any, leading to WD. You mentioned him possibly being kindled, so it sounds like you have some knowledge already.

Mirtazapine — 0.12mg — 3 years, 7 months

⭐

Catina12h ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @Tiona, I'm so sorry to hear about your son. Can you provide some more details about his situation so we can help him best? He's so fortunate to have you! I'll provide some links that I think might help: https://taper.community/thread/f76a3f22-7cb8-40d6-9fd8-bd7bf50f3657 https://taper.community/resources/blog/how-to-sleep-during-benzo-withdrawal https://taper.community/thread/ecea5d5c-ab7a-43f4-80b2-994bbee9fbf8

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.

anne noni moss10h ago

NavigatorPaxil · holding

YOU ARE NOT LOSING HIM. He's in pain. I've been there...Klonopin was my first tapering experience. the Insomnia is very painful but it will not kill him or cause serious damage...UNLESS YOU BELIEVE IT IS THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD. It is not. Tons of addicts and alcoholics, not to mention new parents of colicky infants, lost months and months of sleep. ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE. POSITIVE THINKING is a must. All the fear mongering in the medical/psychiatric professions is there to make us reach for more drugs. HE IS YOUNG. He will heal. You are in the right place and there are steps to take to ease his suffering and its a lot of waiting. I'm not saying it will be easy. Easy does it. Remain calm. Keep getting information. We are here with you!

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

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