Right after the pandemic hit, in June of 2020, my nervous system began to take a dive.  The anxiety around the lockdown, raising three young children in the midst, coupled with several major losses in the years just prior, all came to a head.   I ended up on Klonopin (a benzodiazepine) for severe anxiety.  I was feeling the "fight or flight" feeling around the clock and couldn't sleep either. It was not very long at all (maybe two weeks) before I realized that my body had become dependent on the Klonopin, and I couldn’t just stop taking it.  I was a mess!  I was still anxious, not sleeping, and yet I suddenly felt trapped on this drug.   It was a dark and overwhelming time to say the least!   Anything you read online and most practitioners suggest a very short timeline for tapering.  I quickly found out there was no way.  One day, I sat crying out to God from a very hopeless, scared place.  I  started searching online and came across the website for Point of Return.  I immediately called their number, and Alesandra answered the phone.  I will never forget that day as long as I live.  The reassurance and understanding in her voice was like a drink of cold water.  I wept knowing I had finally found someone who really knew and saw what I was going through.  I hung up with more hope than I had had in a long time.  I finally felt that there was a way out of this nightmare. 

I signed up to do the program almost immediately.  I have not once regretted that decision, and Alesandra and her team have over delivered on what they committed to.  They quickly poured over my meds, supplements, and foods with a fine tooth comb and helped me eliminate anything and everything that could be interacting with the meds or flaring up my nervous system.  It was eye opening!  As soon as I followed their instructions, I saw immediate results.  Their availability alone brought me so much reassurance.  If you are currently on a similar journey, you know how scary it can be to walk this road alone.  They have always been so prompt to answer an email or return a phone call.  Andrea has talked and listened to me for long stretches.  They made me feel like I was the only one in the program. 

I followed their protocol and even had a few bumps along the way, like trying to find the right compounding pharmacy, but they guided me through it.  I began the taper in October of 2020 and (thought) I was finished in March of 2021.  I had a setback which really crushed me, and had to reinstate a small amount of the Klonopin.  Alesandra never batted an eye and assured me that I would get through it.  I did!   I took my final dose in Sept. of 2021 and have not looked back!  There were times I felt so trapped on this drug.  I felt feelings of failure and doubt.  The forum is also a lifeline!  So many of the mentors and members rushed to encourage me.  It’s a process none of us would willingly sign up for, but one we have to surrender ourselves to. 

These are unprecedented times.   All of us are walking through something or another.  Like the book title suggests, “Our Bodies Keep the Score.”   My body was saying, “enough!”  I didn’t listen for a long time until all the bells and whistles went haywire!  I have learned and continue to learn so much.  I have gained so many tools to use and don’t take one day with a peaceful mind and body or one night’s sleep for granted.  The value of the work of  Point of Return, Alesandra, and her team is priceless.  It is truly a life saving work, and I am beyond thankful for finding them and the path that led me to a much better place.

With Deepest Gratitude,

GINA ( USA) BENZO WITHDRAWAL SUCCESS