The Withdrawal Symptom Paradox

How can a person make sense of the symptoms when experiencing antidepressant withdrawal and/or benzodiazepine withdrawal? When I quit the SSRI medication Paxil and then the benzo medication Xanax, the symptoms I experienced had me frightened and confused. They included insomnia, depression, high anxiety, nerve pains and more. The first reaction to such medication withdrawal symptoms is this: “Something must be very, very wrong here.” However, the story to this sort of pain is more complex; and more hopeful.

There is another way to think about the symptoms of SSRI withdrawal and benzo withdrawal: as signals that a beneficial process of healing and systemic restoration is underway. That is what I discuss in this video. There is a rehabilitation and rebalancing project that is going on in the body and brain, and the symptoms are just a part of it all.

At first this “project” might feel like a lot of pain as the “feel good” neurochemical stores of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and GABA are temporarily depleted. However, as time and the healing process move forward, the neurochemical systems repair and rebalance, and this leads to healing with regards to the many antidepressant withdrawal or benzo withdrawal symptoms a person might experience.

In addition, there are important ways in which an individual can grow personally and spiritually during the withdrawal healing process. It can develop a person’s mindset, coping skills and even physical fitness, if approached correctly. Therefore, in the future, after the medication withdrawal is complete, an individual is stronger, possessing greater confidence, greater skills to cope with stress and anxiety, and overall a healthier outlook on health and wellness.

Please enjoy the video at the link in this post, and don't forget to leave a comment with your thoughts and experiences.

Michael

LINK TO NEW VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgYgwc6Tfp8