Keep Calm and Carry On Coping

How to Keep Calm and Carry On Coping

After weeks or months of suffering difficult withdrawal symptoms we can become scared, demoralised and frustrated. With no evidence of healing due to the non linear nature of recovery from benzo damage, it’s only natural to fall into despair and fear of never being well. All we want is for it to be over and Now!

A few pointers on how to keep going when you reach those crisis points in your own recovery....

🌹Remember this is a temporary situation. At first you may have hope even if symptoms are raging so this hope carries you forwards. When that hope starts to fade you become increasingly agitated and worried about the time all this is taking so often you may feel there must be something else wrong with you.

It’s entirely natural to hit a wall when you continue to suffer day after day and, for some, no windows or evidence of it ever letting up. You become exhausted and burnt out. Somehow you will find those reserves of energy to keep you going if you read of the success of others, if you don’t add fear to your symptoms and if you understand all this is only a temporary situation which may change any day.

Look for the gratitude for the things in your life; set yourself little goals each day which can move your focus away from symptoms; understand that healing is your, personal journey and will end at the right time for you. Trust you can ride out the storms and reach the other side.

🌹Stop fighting yourself and expecting that you should be well because you were only on a short time, or a low dose, or young and fit. Expectations are usually built on past experiences of what you used to be able to do and what life has conditioned you to believe. Now you are compromised so can no longer do these things and you may look back to the past with envy at the person you used to be.

Always be kind to yourself and look to a beautiful future unhindered by a reliance on pills. The past has gone, let go of the things you took for granted and let the negative feelings pass through you without trying to fix them. Be comfortable with the tough days and accept them the best you can. You are still a wonderful and resilient person much stronger than you know.

🌹Ditch the expectations as friends may recover faster than you but this doesn’t mean you are not recovering. It is difficult when you see people maybe on the drugs much longer than you but reaching their own grand finale much sooner. If you become attached to specific results this only serves to add misery when you haven’t reached them at 6 months/one year/18 months......adding time frames for your recovery only adds further stress. Expectations of how long something can take does not indicate how long it’s going to take for you. Just believe in your own healing and never lose hope.

🌹Fill your mind with love and compassion for others. Even if your loved ones may not understand what is happening for you try and keep in touch with them and accept that only those that have suffered this themselves can truly appreciate what you’re going through. Give them love just the same as you need them and you need their love in return. Staying connected to friends and family is important for your healing.

In the same way giving love, support and understanding to others going through benzo withdrawal alongside you, making new friends and sharing experiences will only help you as well as them.

🌹You can’t change what has happened to you so don’t look back and start putting the blame on other people, on other drugs you may have taken, on stopping and starting benzos over the years, on traumatic life events and so on and so forth. It’s too late for all that and blame and anger will only hinder your progress. Try and create a more positive feeling of how you will educate and help others once you are fully well so this doesn’t go on happening. Constant feelings of fight and flight ramp up the stress.

🌹Finally know and believe in a better future for yourself. Don’t creat fear of the unknown such as, ‘I can’t control my anxiety without a benzo’ or ‘I will never sleep without my Z drug or my benzo’. Yes you will if your brain is allowed to recover and not further impacted by these drugs. Find other solutions for your problems such as new ways to help anxiety naturally with mind/ body techniques e.g. deep breathing, meditation, Yoga anything that is calming for you and you enjoy.

It’s normal to feel uncomfortable about the future when it’s unknown but believing in stories your mind makes up isn’t going to make it any easier. Nobody knows what your future may hold so don’t believe in the scary movies of the mind. Tell it that you’re recovering and coming to full health so you can return to a productive and happy life well able to deal with any ups and downs it may hold.

Keep Going everyone and I hope that helps just a little. At the moment I am free of symptoms and sleeping so keeping my fingers crossed. 🌹