Author: Christy Huff, MD

It’s been a year since I took my last dose of a benzodiazepine. I had shared publicly about my journey off benzodiazepines during my taper (see here and here), and since many have asked me…

In hindsight, I should have never accepted a Xanax prescription from my doctor. What followed was catastrophic — rapidly developing tolerance and physical dependence on the drug and a prolonged illness. Three-and-a-half years later, I…

Since the advent of the internet and rise of social media, patients can connect and compare their experiences with prescribed drug withdrawal. A problem that was once considered rare is a worldwide epidemic that is…

“Alice Woods” is dying of metastatic breast cancer, but she cares little for awareness efforts like pink ribbons and catchy hashtags like #stage4needsmore. You see, Alice has akathisia due to an adverse effect from discontinuing…

A printable version is available here As physicians, we are experts at prescribing medications. However, we often fail miserably when it comes to recognizing adverse reactions and tapering medications. It’s something that is simply lacking…

Christine Anne Narloch passed away on June 16, 2017 at the age of 48 after a long struggle with benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome that ended in suicide. Her husband, Mike, describes her as “an intelligent woman…

“Masha’s” father’s life was destroyed because he followed his prescription for Ativan.  She contacted the Benzodiazepine Information
Coalition to share his suicide note, hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of prescribed benzodiazepines.  She states that “My father is dead.  He hanged himself in 2015.  He was taking Ativan for anxiety, as was Chris Cornell (lead singer of Soundgarden).  In light of Cornell’s suicide, also by hanging, I feel a duty to share my father’s suicide note.  If this letter speaks to you, please share it.”    

Arthur Shapiro and colleagues published a randomized, double-blinded study in the 1983 Journal of Psychiatric Research entitled Diazepam: how much better than placebo? assessing the effectiveness of diazepam versus placebo and weekly psychotherapy in the treatment of…