What Are #BenzoStories?
#BenzoStories is a series that highlights the real faces of patient harm caused by prescribed benzodiazepines. We share these stories on our social media platforms. You can find a playlist of #BenzoStories on our YouTube channel. Click here to watch.
How To Submit Your Story
Stories that we have already posted can be viewed under the hashtag #BenzoStories.
If you’d like to share your story and help others please consider submitting a video incorporating the following guidance:
Video Requirements
- Length: Your video must be 3 to 5 minutes MAX. Due to Instagramās fast-paced format, we cannot use videos that exceed this time limit, so please keep it concise.
- Orientation: Shoot your video in portrait (vertical) mode on your cell phone.
- Quality: The higher the quality, the betterābut no pressure! Use what you have available. Make sure to reduce background noise, check your lighting, and stabilize your camera.
- Headshot: Please also send a high-quality photo of yourself to accompany the post.
- Release Form: We must receive the completed form below as a written release to use your video.
Rules
- To promote better public understanding and align with our mission, we ask that no addiction-related language is used in our content.
- Please avoid using profanity.
- If you work with an organization that provides patient information or support (such as volunteering for a Facebook group, YouTube channel, etc.), feel free to mention your title and affiliation. We deeply value volunteers and those who dedicate their time to helping others, and weād love to highlight your contributions. However, we kindly request that you do not turn your feature into an advertisement. Please keep the focus on sharing your personal story and experience.
What to Include in Your Video
- Introduce yourself: Share your preferred name for the video and your location (state, country).
- Benzodiazepine Prescription: Which benzodiazepine(s) were you prescribed, and for how long? If you’re comfortable, briefly explain why it was prescribed. This is also a good opportunity to mention if you took the medication exactly as prescribed by your medical professional.
- Experience: Keeping the time limit in mind, discuss some of the problems you encountered while taking or discontinuing benzodiazepines. Briefly describe what happened and how these medications have affected your life.
- Current Status: How are you feeling now?
- Message: Share a brief message for others affected by benzodiazepines or for medical professionals. What changes would you like to see in prescribing practices, or awareness surrounding these medications? Please aim to be compassionate, as we’re not seeking to assign blame or spread fear.
Note: It can be helpful to write a script in advance to stay on track and keep your video concise.
Please upload your video and headshot to DropboxĀ hereĀ or share them via Google Drive (with download permissions) toĀ bic@benzoinfo.com. Be sure to fill out the release form below, as we cannot use your submission without it.
Your Submission Should Include:
- Video
- Headshot for cover images
- Form
Please note: We plan to stagger submissions over several months, so your video may not be posted immediately. While we will try to use all submissions, we may not be able to publish every one we receive. If you have any questions, email usĀ here.