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Text: “HOME” to 741741 (U.S.) Text: “CONNECT” to 741741 (Canada) Text: “SHOUT” to 85258 (U.K.) Text: “HELLO” to 50808 (Ireland) Web: www.crisistextline.org Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is here for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.

Call: 116 123 (UK) Web: samaritans.org Samaritans’ purpose, to be there for people who are struggling to cope and in times of crisis, is as vital as ever. We need to keep adapting and innovating, to provide a safe space for all of those who will need us in the coming decades. To achieve our vision that fewer people die by suicide, we also need to do more to broaden our impact in society, working with others to make change that saves lives. To develop our strategy, we worked closely with people who have contacted Samaritans, been affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts, and those who volunteer and work with us or support us. With their help, we identified our main priorities for the next five years: Access Reach Impact Capacity Sustainability

Phone: 866-488-7386 Text: “START” to 678-678 Web: thetrevorproject.org Our trained counselors are here to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline now at 1-866-488-7386. Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.

PDF: travel.state.gov/content/dam/students-abroad/pdfs/911_ABROAD.pdf If you’re in an emergency situation abroad, you’ll need to know how to contact the police, an ambulance, or even the fire department. Not every county uses “911” as its emergency contact number, as we do in the United States. Here’s a handy reference list of emergency contact numbers in foreign countries. Write down—or save in your cell phone—the number used at your destination. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it, but it’s worth knowing the number just in case. *Note: English‐speaking operators may not be available.

Call: 988 then Press 1 Call: 800-799-4889 (for deaf or hearing impaired) Text: 838255 Chat Online Also Available Website: https://veteranscrisisline.net Confidential. Available every day, 24/7. Connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves. No matter what you are experiencing, there is support for getting your life back on track. A trained responder will answer your call, text, or chat and ask you a few questions. You can decide how much you want to share. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

Web: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines Suicide crisis lines can be found in many countries worldwide. Many are geared to a general audience while others are specific to a select demographic such as LGBTQIA+ youth, Native American and Aboriginal Canadian youth. There have been studies in the United States[1] and Australia[2] which show that suicide crisis lines may help people who feel like killing or hurting themselves and may make them feel better. One of the first suicide crisis lines was the Samaritans, founded in the United Kingdom in 1953 by Chad Varah, the then Rector of the former St. Stephen's Church in London. He decided to start a "listening service" after reading a sermon at the grave of a 13-year-old girl who had committed suicide. She was in distress prior to her death and had no one to talk to.[3]

Call: 0800 58 58 58 (UK) Web/Chat: thecalmzone.net We’re the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and we’re taking a stand against suicide. That means standing against feeling shit, standing up to stereotypes and standing together to show life is always worth living. 125 lives are lost every week to suicide. And 75% of all UK suicides are male. We exist to change this. We do it by provoking conversation, running life-saving services, and bringing people together so they reject living miserably, get help when they need it and don’t die by suicide. But we can't do it alone. Stand with us.

Call: 833-456-4566 Text: 45645 (4pm – Midnight ET) Web: www.crisisservicescanada.ca Connecting local distress centre professionals together as a virtual national suicide helpline. Crisis Services Canada (CSC) evolved out of the Canadian Distress Line Network (CDLN) – a national network of existing distress, crisis and suicide prevention line services that has been engaging members since 2002. In recent years, the network has formalized and CSC was formed. Its structure and focus is geared to strengthening regional service delivery and ensuring gaps in mental health and suicide prevention and support nationwide are addressed. In 2017, the organization incorporated under the name Crisis Services Canada and launched the Canada Suicide Prevention Service (CSPS). CSC is a collaboration of non-profit distress and crisis service centres from across Canada.

Welcome to our Easing Anxiety YouTube Channel! Easing Anxiety is dedicated to helping individuals who struggle with chronic anxiety find a path to a better way of life. This channel is the home of our series “101 Anxiety Tips,” our Relaxation / Meditation Videos, D’s Anxiety VLOG, and a variety of other content. Watch this welcome video to learn more about us — and let us know you stopped by in the comments, we would love to hear from you. Be at peace, D 😊 Visit our website at: https://www.easinganxiety.com Watch the Video …on YouTube Site Links VISIT US ONLINE — WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.com — INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/easinganxiety — YOUTUBE (Easing Anxiety Channel): https://www.youtube.com/easinganxiety — YOUTUBE (Benzo Free Channel): https://www.youtube.com/benzofree SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAILING LIST — https://www.easinganxiety.com/subscribe PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK — COMMENT: On this YouTube video — COMMENT: On this blog post — EMAIL: feedback@easinganxiety.com SUPPORT US — MAKE A DONATION: https://www.easinganxiety.com/donate Disclaimer All content provided on this YouTube channel is for general informational purposes only and should never be considered medical or health advice. The author of the content provided on this channel is not engaged in rendering medical, health, psychological, or any other kind of personal or professional services. Health-related information provided is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems or to prescribe any medical devices or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://www.benzofree.org/eadisclaimer. Credits VIDEO / IMAGE CREDITS Most of our video / image clips were provided and licensed by… — Storyblocks.com MUSIC CREDITS Music licensed by Storyblocks: — https://www.storyblocks.com EA Theme Song — Title: “Welcome Home” — Artist: Neil Cross — Composer: Peter Godfrey (original title “Young Love”) Other songs in this video… — “Long Nights” by Neil Cross — “Inspiring Soft Background” by James Grant Produced by Easing Anxiety is produced by… Denim Mountain Press https://www.denimmountainpress.com ©2020 Denim Mountain Press – All Rights Reserved

Phone: 988 / 800-273-TALK (8255) Web: 988lifeline.org UPDATE Formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) affects more than just the patients suffering from it. Although not in the same way or to the same extent, family members and friends — I’ll call caregivers — are impacted by it as well. As a caregiver, you may find yourself unexpectedly comforting your loved one, dealing with personality changes, talking through symptoms and ways to mitigate them, altering routines, and canceling plans. Along the way, you and the person going through BIND may feel the effects of isolation, loss of normalcy, and perhaps lack of income if he or she is unable to work. I can tell you that patience, understanding, reassurance, and flexibility are all keys to helping someone go through the difficult journey of recovery. Although I can’t speak with any clinical expertise, I have learned some valuable lessons along the way that may be of help to those suffering from withdrawal symptoms and their friends and family members watching from the sidelines. by Shana Foster (from the book Benzo Free) You Are Not Alone When I researched this, I came across some excellent resources, some of which I share below. But I did notice one thing which was consistent among most of them. Since they are usually written by the benzo patient, most of the articles focus on what you can do to help them. I’m a patient myself, and I understand this point-of-view quite well. But what about you? Please know, we do understand that this is hard for you too. And as I said in the tips below, we appreciate you, even if we don’t always say it. The good news in all of this is that you are not alone. Far from it. Resources to support the caregiver may be hard to find, but they are there, and we have collected some of them for you to make things easier. We’ve also provided 10 Tips for the Caregiver which gives some key points to keep in mind during this difficult time. We realize that this page is not anywhere near complete, and it will continue to grow as we collect more resources. And you can help. If you know of a resource which is not listed below, please tell us about it on our feedback page. Thanks, D 🙂 D E Foster Easing Anxiety Founder 10 Tips for the Caregiver 1) Believe the Symptoms Are Real This is the number one thing you can do for your loved one going through benzo withdrawal. Most physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms of benzo withdrawal are invisible to others. For those on the outside, it’s easy to doubt whether the symptoms are real, imagined, or invented to solicit sympathy or get out of doing an unpleasant activity. This can be terribly frustrating to those suffering from it. It’s bad enough to go through benzo withdrawal, but then for others to question its existence makes it much worse. The single best thing you can do for those going through BIND is to provide assurance that you believe them. 2) Create a Calm Environment Since benzos are an anti-anxiety medication, it makes sense that people may experience heightened — even extreme — anxiety as they withdraw from the drug. At the same time, they may be managing a myriad of painful and debilitating physical symptoms, which only adds to their anxiety. That’s even more reason they need to surround themselves with calming influences. And you can help with that. Start with the obvious, like creating a quiet haven that can be mostly free of interruptions. Allow this to be a special place where the patient can escape for a while. Declutter your home so there are fewer obstacles that can cause frustration. Turn on relaxing music. Watch light-hearted movies. Go for nature walks. Listen more. Talk less. Lighten the schedule. Plan ahead to avoid last-minute rushes. Just don’t make the place so comfy that he or she won’t want to come out of it. When the symptoms subside, you may want to balance the isolation with some social experiences. We’ll cover that shortly. 3) Limit your Isolation It’s understandable that benzo withdrawal (BIND) symptoms can force the biggest of extroverts into hiding. Will they feel up to socializing? What if their symptoms kick in during dinner? Will friends and family understand? Won’t it be embarrassing to have to leave the show half-way into the second act? These fears are quite real and make it so tempting to stay home alone. But, it’s good to interact with others and maintain relationships when they can. And, if for no other reason, it’s good for them to think about something else besides their own symptoms for a while. Encourage your loved one to socialize with friends and family when they can. Don’t push them, especially if it’s a bad symptom day. Keeping some semblance of a social life is important, but only if it’s beneficial for you and your patient. If it’s better to stay home, invite friends to come over. If the patient needs to excuse him or herself for a few minutes to lay down, your friends will understand. This is as important for you as it for the one for which you are caring. Be careful of becoming too isolated. 4) Prepare for Potential Personality Changes — Both Good and Bad Unfortunately, a common symptom of benzo withdrawal can be personality changes. The person you once knew, once counted on, is now different. Most of the time the changes are minor, but they can be significant enough to affect a relationship, whether it be that of a spouse, partner, parent, child, sibling, friend, or colleague. Knowing that this change may happen, can go a long way towards dealing with it when it does. Try not to be judgmental during this time and understand the cause of this change. Often, they may return to the person they were prior to the drugs after withdrawal. And, even if they don’t, sometimes the changes are positive ones. Many people who have successfully withdrawn from benzos are more compassionate, better listeners, and less focused on trivial matters or material possessions. Try and be understanding the best you can, and support them with these changes. 5) Budget for Potential Financial Changes Some people go through BIND without missing work. For others, the symptoms are too intense to concentrate, and they need to step away from their jobs for a while. BIND symptoms are seemingly unpredictable and non-linear — symptoms don’t necessarily clear up and go away entirely, like when you recover from the common cold. They seem to appear, disappear, and come back again later — a pattern known as waves and windows. So, even if your loved one is managing his or her symptoms effectively today, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she won’t need to miss work when the next wave of symptoms comes around. Either way, it’s good to be prepared. If the patient can’t work, the loss of a regular income can have a big impact on finances. It might help to reduce unnecessary costs and save money during the smoother sailing times in case rough waters lie ahead. If there’s any financial upside to BWS, it might be that your loved one spends less than usual because he or she doesn’t feel up to going out as often. Then again, more frequent doctor visits might cancel that gain. 6) Let Your Friends and Family Members Know What's Happening Unfortunately, BIND is still relatively unknown to the general public. And since it’s virtually invisible to others and can last for so long, it’s easy to misunderstand the person going through it, doubt the condition is real, or even forget their symptoms exist. So, as long as the patient agrees, it’s good to let your trusted friends and family members know what’s happening and remind them of it periodically. This isn’t like strep throat that goes away after a couple of weeks. When your friends and family are in the know, they tend to be much more understanding when you can’t attend an event or cancel or change plans at the last minute. It’s important for them to know that sometimes the physical or emotional symptoms of benzo withdrawal make it difficult or impossible for the patient to leave the house and/or be around other people. 7) Remember, It's the Condition, Not the Person Remember the person behind the symptoms. This isn’t them — it’s their condition that’s causing them to be more emphatic, anxious, angry, irritable, complaining, forgetful, irritated, or withdrawn. When you think of it that way, it helps you to find the compassion you need to be around them. This journey isn’t easy for the caregiver. It’s even harder for the patient. 8) Find Gratitude It helps to remember that some others have much greater challenges and manage to not only get through the day but in some cases thrive. Despite the circumstances, somebody always has it worse than you in the world. Together with your loved one, you can be grateful that you both can feed yourselves, walk through the grocery store, smell and taste the warm bread, and see the fresh buds on the crabapple tree outside the window. Practice looking for the positive each day. Even if it’s just 10 seconds between symptoms, every little bit helps. 9) We Appreciate You!!! — Even If We Don't Say It People in benzo withdrawal are overwhelmed with themselves. It’s not intentional, it’s just a fact. So many symptoms, so many negative thoughts, so many struggles, so many fears and irritations that on some days, it’s near impossible to know what’s going on around us. It’s important to remember that we appreciate you. We really do. Even if you don’t hear it enough. We know this is hard for you too, and you also didn’t sign up for this. We are grateful for all of your love, your time, your understanding, and we know we need you now more than ever.. 10) And Most of All, Take Care of Yourself As a caregiver, it’s easy to get sucked into the overwhelming vortex of symptoms, anxiety, and sense of helplessness that accompanies benzo withdrawal. It’s important to keep yourself in a healthy state of mind. After all, how effective can you be as a caregiver if you’re frazzled, depressed, and bitter? Here are three things that can help maintain or regain some sanity: Balance comfort with “me time.” BIND can be overwhelming for the person going through it. When symptoms are at their worst, it’s easy to devote your entire day to comforting the patient. But, work, laundry, dishes, taking your daughter to a birthday party, picking up your son from practice, etc. still must be done. And, you need to take time for yourself amid it all. Sometimes, your loved one might appreciate your presence 24/7, while other times he or she might prefer to be alone. Either way, it’s good to give the patient time and space to work through symptoms on his or her own. Find a balance that works for both of you. Go for a change of scenery. Cabin fever can set up quickly when you and your loved one spend all your time at home. It’s understandable — when you don’t feel good, there’s no place better than home. But after a while, it’s healthy to experience new sites, smells, and sounds. Start small, like a trip to the grocery store or walk around the neighborhood. On better days, try strolling around the mall or going out to eat. It’s amazing how getting away from the routine can help lift both of your spirits. You Need Socialization Too As we said above, your need for socialization is important too. It’s tempting to stay home with the patient instead of venturing out with friends and family members throughout the withdrawal process. After several months, you might find that your own relationships with others feel more distant. It’s important to maintain your own support system for times when you need a shoulder to cry on, distraction, or advice. Remember, benzo withdrawal (BIND) can take a long time in some cases, but it is temporary. Life does get better when it starts to ease. It can be incredibly hard to have patience during this difficult time, and it’s important to find your own support system to ride out the storm. Take care of yourself and remember we truly appreciate all that you do. With love, Shana and D 🙂 Key Resources for the Caregiver Articles How to support a loved one with benzo withdrawal syndrome by Jennifer Leigh What We Wish Family And Friends Knew About Benzo Withdrawal by Jennifer Leigh Videos How to Talk to Loved Ones about Benzos by D E Foster for BIC Tips for Loved Ones: From a Benzo Survivor by Jocelyn Pedersen Podcast Episodes Conversation with a Caregiver (The Benzo Free Podcast) The Dinner Party: Caregivers, Relationships, and Living with BIND (The Benzo Free Podcast) Suicide Prevention Easing Anxiety's Suicide Prevention Resources Suicide Prevention from the CDC QPR Training for Suicide Prevention References Ashton, C. Heather. “The Bridge Project, Bradford: Speech by Professor C Heather Ashton, DM FRCP: Annual Meeting, December 2011.” Benzo.org.uk. Accessed January 27, 2017. https://www.benzo.org.uk/chabradford.htm. Foster, D E. Benzo Free: The World of Anti-Anxiety Drugs and the Reality of Withdrawal. Erie, Colorado: Denim Mountain Press, 2018. https://easinganxiety.com/book. For Information Purposes Only – Not Medical Advice All information presented on Easing Anxiety is for informational purposes only, and should never be considered medical or health advice. Withdrawal, tapering, or any change in dosage of benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs should only be done under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. Please read our site disclaimer for more information.

In 2022, the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) published three PDF documents that have become staples for practitioners and patients alike in regards to benzodiazepine prescribing, deprescribing (tapering), and peer support. Dozens of medical experts and community leaders were involved in their development including members of Easing Anxiety, the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices, Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, and the Schreiber Research Group. These guidances are provided for free and can be accessed on BAWG's website or via the links below: Benzodiazepine Prescribing Guidance This document includes BZRA (benzodiazepines / Z-drugs) prescribing recommendations geared towards medical professionals. View PDF Here: https://corxconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/Benzo-Prescribing.pdf Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidance This document provides guidance for both practitioners and patients regarding deprescribing (tapering) from benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. View PDF Here: https://corxconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/Benzo-Deprescribing.pdf Benzodiazepine Peer Support Guidance This document provides guidance for individuals involved with both formal and informal peer support in the benzo community. For training, view our Peer Support Training Page. View PDF Here: https://corxconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/Benzo-Peer-Support.pdf Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) The mission of the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) is to increase benzodiazepine safety through education, patient support, and informed prescribing and deprescribing practices. BAWG is part of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and is co-chaired by Alexis Ritvo, MD, MPH (CU Anschutz Medical Center, the Alliance) and D E Foster (Easing Anxiety, the Benzo Free Podcast). DISCLAIMER The recommendations in these documents are evidence-based and/or amplified by collective clinical experience. They are not comprehensive and should not replace clinical judgement informed by individual circumstances. Other sources provide detailed background information and rationale for these recommendations. Never stop or reduce dosage of a benzodiazepine, Z-drug, or any other prescribed medication unless under the direct supervision of a licensed physician. These documents are created and maintained by the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group (BAWG) at the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention. Easing Anxiety is providing links to these documents for informational purposes only. View Easing Anxiety's complete disclaimer at https://easinganxiety.com/disclaimer.