On May 27, 2026, the Smithfield, Virginia Rotary hosted its 3rd Annual Mental Health Awareness Expo. The Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) was proud to participate once again.
Dr. Michael Bohan, a member of BIC’s Medical Advisory Board, attended on behalf of our organization alongside Laletha Shabazz, NP, a doctoral candidate in nursing whose research focuses on benzodiazepine deprescribing awareness. Dr. Bohan and Laletha first met at last year’s Expo and have since continued collaborating on outreach and education efforts. Throughout the event, they engaged with attendees interested in BIC’s mission and in learning more about benzodiazepine deprescribing.
At the BIC table, Laletha Shabazz, NP, spoke with members of the Smithfield Rotary, helping share information about deprescribing and answering questions from attendees.
Dr. Bohan also connected with Colleen Downes of Senior Services of Virginia. She expressed that her organization would benefit from more information about deprescribing. Dr. Bohan plans to follow up by emailing reference materials and visiting the agency alongside Laletha to continue the conversation.
Dr. Bohan and Laletha also met Jay Williams, a psychotherapist with Sentara Mental Health. They discussed deprescribing resources and agreed to follow up to provide additional information and support.
One especially meaningful interaction was with Morgan, who attended the Expo with her husband and daughter. Morgan first learned about benzodiazepine tapering at BIC’s table during the 2024 Rotary Mental Health Expo. She did not begin deprescribing until she met Laletha Shabazz, NP, at last year’s event and began working with her for support. Now, one year into the process, she is nearing the end of her taper. Her visit was filled with gratitude and encouragement as she reflected on her journey.
The event also brought together several members of the mental health and nursing community. Dr. Bohan was joined at the table by Sarah Crumpter, NP, Laletha Shabazz, NP, and Dr. Angela Allen of Focused Psychiatric Services in Smithfield, Virginia. Together, they represented a collaborative effort to improve awareness and support around benzodiazepine deprescribing.
Also present were Carrie Bruce, a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, along with Dr. Michael Bohan, Laletha Shabazz, NP, and Dr. Angela Allen, highlighting the broad network of professionals engaged in mental health advocacy and education at the event.
We hope to attend again next year!
A major problem as I see it is, how do you go to a psychiatrist that isn’t pushing Lorazepam or Ativan I guess you have to ask him? Doctors are supposed to heal not push drugs? If you don’t think they push drugs look at Perdue Pharma.
Is there any way to get help with severe long term effects of attempted tapering online or near Asheville, NC, without being treated like an addict?
I am an 80 year old female who has been on klonopin 1mg,currently .5mg for anxiety for 20 years. I am not myself!… for many years worst part is I sleep about 2 hours a night. My brain has been damaged. I am in good health, this is sleep deprivation and worse anxiety is killing me.
Judith: I really feel for you. I also have brain damage. I am 78 years old an was on Konopin
for 30 years, 1 mg. twice a day for anxiety. 3 years ago I got off of Klonopin because it
wasn’t working anymore. It’s been a terrible nightmare ever since with symptoms that do
not go away. It has wrecked my life. As I’m sure you understand, at our age time is very
precious and we need to be making the most of it but, unfortunately, the terrible symptoms
left over from Konopin prohibit that. Like you, I have a terrible time sleeping and many more
symptoms. Sure would like to hear about some of your symptoms. I don’t know if you
would want to go off of Konopin at this stage of the game but maybe there is something that
might work better. Withdrawing from Klonopin is a horrible experience and possibly worse
than what you are expericing right now. Would love to hear from you.
Judith You are me. I am 79 yrs old. I am not well. Have taken lorazepam for 20 years. My doctor recommended cold turkey after lorazepam blew a hole in my stomach. I truly believe he was trying to kill me. I have had music in my head for 20 years. He told me his medicines are safe. I am dying from Lorazepam I am still cold turkey except a sleeping pill.
So happy to see this. My wife was abruptly taken off diazepam four years ago without tapering by a Tennessee doctor for no reason other than the drug is under a microscope here and he didn’t want to prescribe anymore. Even though my wife found another doctor to prescribe 30 days later, she went through a taper for a year to get totally off the correct way, but it didn’t matter and withdrawal symptoms are still happening, horrific, and BIND continues today with her. She can only function normally a couple days a week. This drug is extremely dangerous. She was on the drug 15 years I believe.
Larry Hunley – Knoxville, Tennessee
Very interested in your support group.I am 70 yrs old and in sever tolerance from being on a 2 x a day ativan 0.5.im still on the drug .but vertigo and termors. I termors benzo belly.do you have a list of drs in the kingwood area or humble texas area that deperscribe .or can you guide me too the group .
Pamela: I just read your post of 6-9-26 on the Benzo. Info. Coalition site. You have some of
the same symptoms I have. I am 78 years old and was on Clonazapam 1mg. twice a day
for 30 years. I went off of Clonazapam 3 years ago and I’m still struggling. I have internal
tremors that never quit and vertigo. I also have cognition problems and my vision had
changed as my depth perception is off. My head also feels very strange all the time and
also feels like it is being squeezed. It is so hard to do any gardening or hiking and I am
now considered a fall risk. I’ve tried so many prescription drugs and parkinson’s drugs
but nothing helps. Are you having some of the same symptoms? Doctors just don’t
seem to be able to help nor does alternative medicine. I would sure like to know what
you are experiencing
Keep up the good work, make some noise. Until we can make the medical community as a whole wake up and get out of denial that these drugs are neurotoxic for 10-25% of the people that take them we won’t be able to stop future harm to unsuspecting patients that are prescribed these drugs without informed consent.
Kudos to all who attended and those who came to share their knowledge.
Would love to know more .I posted above. Will be supporting the bic
Awesome! Thank you!