September 19th, 2025
In this episode: I have a conversation with Emma Saunders about brand changes. I have personal experiencing facing a brand change with Diazepam (Valium) and Emma has personal experience with a brand change of Mirtazepine (Remeron). We discuss studies, talk about our experiences and discuss possible ways to handle brand changes and some other personal stories.
Inner Compass article: https://www.theinnercompass.org/help-hub/understanding-and-moderating-risks-variable-drug-levels-different-versions-same-0
Find Emma at: https://thepsychmedsanctuary.com/
Find my new website at: https://naftal.jimdosite.com/
Augustn 6th, 2025
In this episode: I speak with Laurie from Canada.
When Laurie wanted to come off her antidepressants after 20 years, she got into severe withdrawal in which she went to a hospital seeking aid. There, she was polydrugged and prescribed Lorazepam (also known as Ativan).
After receiving shock therapy, she left whilst still taking prescription drugs. After a cold turkey event, she discovered the Ashton Manual and reinstated her benzodiazepine. After a 8 month taper, she still suffered for three years. Now many years off, she considers herself almost fully healed.
July 25th, 2025
In this episode: I speak with Danielle de Vries and Tommy Boyce, who created the play “KORE.”
The play is about Sam who freefalls into prescription drug dependence, being prescribed Zopiclone and Lorazepam (also known as Ativan). The play is a tragicomedy loosely based on Persephone in the Underworld.
We talk about how the play came about and how it is for Danielle, not having experienced benzo harm firsthand, to play a character in the trenches of benzo withdrawal. I ask Tommy how it was directing the play and much more…
Kore plays on August 19th and 20th 2025 at the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.
Find more about Danielle @ https://danielledevries.com/
TICKETS: https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/kore
Want to support the play? Check out the KORE Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/koretheplay/
July 11th, 2025
In this episode: I speak with Sydney Hunnell. Sydney is originally from Colorado, but moved to North Carolina.
Sydney was prescribed Xanax (Alprazolam) at the age of 20 for panic attacks. Over the course of months her dose escalated to a staggering 8 milligrams. Eventually Sydney was taken off her Xanax abruptly at a detox facility where she stayed for one week.
Sydney still has symptoms 5 years later, but has significantly recovered since and has a part-time job. Sydney followed the peer support program at the Colorado Consortium and offers coaching next to her daytime job.
You can contact Sydney at: sydneyhunnel2@gmail.com or at her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydneyhunnell/
June 23rd, 2025
In this episode: I speak with Crystal Grier from Ontario, Canada. Crystal is a mother of six, an artist and a passionate advocate for intentional living.
Crystal homeschooled her kids before her life took a sharp turn after life-altering events. Immediately after being prescribed antidepressants Crystal suffered severe adverse effects. This led Crystal to a chain of events where she was prescribed Klonopin, also known as Clonazapam, initially getting relief. After weeks she wanted to come off her benzodiazepine, leading into a year long taper. She is now two years benzofree.
You can find Crystal on her Instagram page: brazenbenzobabes
For a first, Crystal joins Benzotired via telephone ☎️, which causes a slight lag. We had some minor technical issues, but we've managed to make a good recording!
May 30th, 2025
In this episode: I speak with Ryan Hebert from California, U.S.A. Ryan is two years psych med free after being misprescribed benzodiazepines for 12 years, spanning most of her adult working life. She was on Ativan (generic: Lorazepam), before being switched to Klonopin (generic: Clonazepam).
It took Ryan three attempts and three years to fully taper, much of it during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, she became extremely ill and was diagnosed with a mitochondrial metabolic disorder, linked to the combined stress of withdrawal and multiple COVID infections.
Ryan speaks about a farm-based recovery program post-benzodiazepine in North Carolina, evacuating due to hurricane Helena to Santa Barbara to be closer to family and friends. Today Ryan is focussing on rebuilding her life and raising awareness about the harm of benzodiazepines.
Ryan starts off with words of gratitute for her family and ends with a short self-produced song. She also wanted to share this quote:
"You don't get to check out of the human experience for over a decade without severe consequences -- emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. Coming back online after that long is not just a process, it's a reckoning."
In Spring 2027, Ryan plans to walk the Camino de Santiago with other survivors as a symbol of healing and hope. If you want to join and/or connect, you can e-mail ryan at: ryanrenehebert@gmail.com and her Instagram: elcaminoforacause.
May 7th, 2025
In this episode: I talk to Emma Saunders from the UK, a regular guest of Benzotired about setbacks. We talk about setbacks she and I have had, others have had or may have. We talk about alcohol, supplements, food and much more.
Find Emma at: the The Psych Med Sanctuary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepsychmedsanctuary/
(00:00) Intro
(01:45) Emma's worst setback
(04:15) Naftal' worst setback
(07:59) Paid jobs with symptoms
(13:25) Alcohol
(15:42) Magnesium
(17:03) Stress and pressure
(19:30) Excercise
(21:00) Chemicals, food and drinks
(25:02) Coffee
(28:42) Supplements
(30:20) Medical gaslighting
(32:52) Liquid taper and changing brands
(38:47) Navigating through setbacks
(40:35) Vitamin B6 & polydrugged
(42:45) Medical procedures, drugs and outro
May 7th, 2025
In this episode: I catch up with Emma Saunders from the UK. Emma has featured on many episodes of Benzotired. She was prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan) for tinnitus and ended up being polydrugged. In this episode she shares her successfully tapering Quatiapine and Lorazepam and she shares her current state of affairs.
Currently Emma is tapering Mirtazepine (Remeron).
Find Emma at: https://thepsychmedsanctuary.com/
February 22nd, 2025
In this episode: I talk to my friend Jenny, from New York, U.S.A. She is featured on episode #2 and #16. On episode #2, she was still tapering and she shares her benzo story, aswell as her horrible experience in a detox facility.
On episode #16 (recorded around June 2023), she had been off benzodiazepines, but still dealing with symptoms,, known as Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND).
In this episode, we catch up with Jenny again. She has been benzofree for two years now. We talk about the benzo community, menopause, waves and windows, rebuilding a life and much more.
Benzotired news:
Months ago I decided on deleting my website due to various reasons. I'll use the show notes of the last episode to share news as of now on. It may be a while before I record and publish an episode. Mainly this is because I'm so busy working, but also because of my pending liability case I don't feel comfortable to share too many personal details. However I do intend to come back in the future!
You can use Spotify to leave a comment about an episode. I'd love your feedback! Appreciate Benzotired? Rate the show and if you are able and willing, donate! https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/naftalbenisty
Y'all got this! You can get better. You will get better... and most of all: YOU WILL SLEEP AGAIN. F*CK BENZOS!
February 20th, 2025
In this episode: I talk to Malissa Pistillo about our experiences and knowledge about insomnia. We discuss Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi), things that help us sleep and more.
Check out episode #43 for Malissa's benzo story and more information about her.
As discussed in this episode:
"The Insomnia Diaries" by Miranda Levi (episode #13)
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:33) Malissa's insomnia
(00:06:45) Naftal's insomnia
(00:10:45) Benzos effect on sleep
(00:12:00) CBTi
(00:21:02) Malissa's learnings on insomnia
(00:26:10) Timezone changes, winding down, chronotypes and education
(00:37:45) Rebound REM sleep
(00:46:17) What helps Malissa sleep
(00:53:10) What helps Naftal sleep
(00:56:00) Naps
(00:58:00) Switching bedrooms & coffee
(01:01:00) Work, hope & outro
December 20th, 2024
In this episode: Barbara Connolly, PhD is the Senior Admin of the Benzo Warrior Community. She is a retired professor of political science, she has lived experience with complicated withdrawal from both benzodiazepines and antidepressants, and truly understands living with complex chronic illness and pain, particularly Ehlers-Danlos and mast cell activation syndromes. Barb was herself badly injured in 2017 by a rapid taper off Klonopin after 22 years of prescribed use for muscle spasms, and didn't realize until much later that the resulting cascade of symptoms and disability was due to benzodiazepines. Because of that experience, it became important to her that others going through withdrawal from benzodiazepines get far better information and support. She has run Benzo Warrior Community for nearly four years with a terrific team of peers all of whom haved lived experience, and has helped thousands navigate their journeys through benzodiazepine recovery. BWC has about 4,500 active members in English-speaking countries all over the world, and features Zoom support meetings for members and caregivers alike. Barb hosts a speaker series for BWC about all things benzodiazepines, withdrawal, BIND, and recovery, featuring doctors, coaches, pharmacists, and survivors. She excels at connecting people with the resources needed to consult effectively with doctors, marshal support from family and friends, cope with difficult symptoms, and figure out all the logistics of tapering as well as managing food sensitivities. A member of the Benzo Action Work Group, Barb is one of the trainers for the benzodiazepine peer training and is interested in research on health care policy and benzodiazepines. She enjoys hiking, ballet, and politics and is grateful to be much-recovered and able to wander again in the great outdoors.
Contact Barb about coaching services at this email:
Barbara.Connolly.31@gmail.com
Join Benzo Warrior Community here:
benzowarrior.com
To listen to the presentations from the speaker series, subscribe to the Benzo Warrior Community youtube channel, here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3xdLrxubxjcAtB5eVyHCzw
Discussion after the presentations is not recorded in order to protect privacy of attendees, so If you are interested in participating in the speaker series and the Q&A after, please join BWC.
November 26th, 2024
In this episode: I talk to Rikka Allen from Finland. She was harmed by Cymbalta (generic: Duloxetine) and Oxazepam (also known as Serax). Rikka shares her journey as she is currently tapering her benzodiazepine using water. We also discuss directly tapering, finding English information and national issues surrounding benzodiazepines.
November 19th, 2024
In this episode: I speak with Malissa Pistello. She is a benzo and a psych drug advocate with a background being in Cloud Computing & Cyber Security.
She has personal experience with protracted injuries caused by SSRIs, SNRIs and benzodiazepines, which has shaped her mission as she continues to navigate the ongoing challenges of Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfuntion (BIND).
Malissa manages the TikTok and YouTube channel TheFaceofMALPractice, where she shares vulnerable videos of her journey and provides education in the hope of spreading awareness. She is currently authoring a book that talks through her experience with psych drugs, how they nearly killed her and her journey to healing her true self.
November 3rd, 2024 In this episode: Domagoj from Croatia shares his benzo story. He was prescribed Xanax XR (Alprazolam extended release) for severe panic attacks in 2016. He is has been tapering Xanax directly as of March 2024. In this episode we talk about his taper, an updose that went sideways, insert pamphlets, national stigmas and more. You can contact Domagoj at: domagoj.benzofree@gmail.com
May 17th, 2024 In this episode: I speak with Nicole Lamberson, a Physician Assistant (P.A.) about benzo lingo: explaining and discussing language we use in the Benzo harmed community. Nicole is the Medical Director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) and is incredibly engaged in the Benzo harmed community. Recently she featured on the French-Canadian journalism program Enquête "Prescription Nightmare". Nicole featured on episode #29 of Benzotired where she shares her personal story. Find Nicole's bio at Benzodiazepine Information Coalition: https://www.benzoinfo.com/nicole-lamberson/ Coaching by Nicole: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages?provider_id=47721 📧: nlambersoncoaching@gmail.com
@37:50 I ment to say PROppenent (sorry, English second language) (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:23) Physical dependence / addiction (00:15:27) Withdrawal & tolerance (00:19:03) Holding & adverse effects (00:21:24) Cold turkey / abruptly stopping (00:24:30) Akathisia / agitation (00:27:08) Updosing & reinstatement (00:35:00) (Long) holding (00:41:42) Paradoxical reactions (00:44:05) Kindling (00:47:07) Equivalencies (00:51:13) DPDR (00:54:58) Benzo belly / muscle tension (00:57:50) Benzo brain / cognition / memory (00:59:06) Benzodiazepine Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) (01:02:11) Neuro emotion (01:06:03) Waves & windows (01:07:50) Gaslighting (01:09:25) Levels of BIND / functionality (01:15:57) Symptom free (01:17:03) Generics & brand names (01:22:30) Explaining prescribers, debate and outro
May 13th, 2024 This episode is dedicated to Fronçois Chapet*🇨🇦 ✝️ In this episode: I team up with my friend Emma Saunders to discuss tinnitus. Emma and I got prescribed Benzodiazepines to deal with our tinnitus. In episode #3 of Benzotired we touch on our tinnitus briefly. Emma got tinnitus from Covid-19 and I got tinnitus from Lyme and/or the Doxycycline treatment. In this episode we discuss tinnitus in general. How can people cope? How did Emma and I cope with it? Where can people go? We also connect tinnitus with the (mis)prescribing of Benzodiazepines and it's subsequent withdrawal. Find general information on tinnitus @ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus *Fronçois Chapet was featured on the French-Canadian journalism program by Enquête 🇫🇷: https://youtu.be/cJcNIEH0rPc?si=EUs5DaF2oYNuidwQ 🇺🇸: https://youtu.be/ZBi33wQUfVI?si=cH96-YhBd7RA8Jeu Find the resources Emma mentioned: Julian Cowan Hill for tinnitus @ https://juliancowanhill.co.uk/ 🇬🇧 & Joey Remeyni @ https://www.seekingbalance.com.au/ 🇦🇺 For coaching considering Benzodiazepines, polypharmacy, tinnitus and more, check out Emma Saunders @ www.beatingthebenzo.com
December 12th, 2023 In this episode: Dr. Mark Horowitz, MBBS PhD has lived experience being harmed by antidepressants. He is the author of a handbook on how to safely stop psychiatric drugs called the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines. It will be published in the UK and Europe on the 7th of March, 2024 and in the US on the 8th of April. It can be pre-ordered now from Amazon and other booksellers. The handbook is written for psychiatrists, general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, or anyone involved in the care of people with mental health conditions, as well as interested members of the public (it may be the perfect gift for your prescriber) and outlines step-by-step instructions for how to safely stop all commonly used antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoinds and z-drugs, with fast, moderate and slow schedules and how to modify these for an individual. Find Mark Horowitz at: https://markhorowitz.org/
For Mark Horowitzs' coaching services, you can inquire at: markhorowitzconsulting@gmail.com Find the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines at: (UK) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maudsley-Guidelines-prescribing-Prescribing/dp/111982298X/ref=zg_bs_g_270948_sccl_17/258-8571171-9809403?psc=1 (US) https://www.amazon.com/Maudsley-Guidelines-prescribing-Prescribing/dp/111982298X/ref=zg_bs_g_689763011_sccl_7/134-0222162-4313846?psc=1 (AUS) https://www.amazon.com.au/Maudsley-Guidelines-prescribing-Prescribing/dp/111982298X/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d_sccl_2_5/357-7455695-6050950?pd_rd_w=WPhy3&content-id=amzn1.sym.9b72e657-c3e0-4a4d-84bc-ed83698040e5:amzn1.symc.72052e08-f310-431d-80e0-b172c323d1e5&pf_rd_p=9b72e657-c3e0-4a4d-84bc-ed83698040e5&pf_rd_r=AK5FC04MSQJ5M3CQ3NZS&pd_rd_wg=HJNkP&pd_rd_r=66c925f6-a548-498b-a799-a2a1891c9df0&pd_rd_i=111982298X&psc=1 I am joined by the lovely Emma Saunders from the #Unfiltered podcast and beatingthebenzo.com (00:00:00) Introduction (00:01:44) Mark's inspiration to write his book (00:06:08) The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines (00:09:10) The Ashton Manual, tapering speeds, risk factors and kindling (00:20:22) Neuro imaging and GABA occupation (00:22:15) Patient and doctor training (00:27:09) Risks versus benefits of psych meds (00:35:50) Addiction versus physical dependence (00:37:48) (Long) holding and tolerance (00:46:08) How Mark is currently doing & managing withdrawal effects