Benzodiazepine Awareness With Geraldine Burns

In this podcast Garrett and I have the pleasure of interviewing Robert Whitaker who is the author of four books, and co-author of a fifth, three of which tell the history of psychiatry. In 2010, his Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness won the U.S. Investigative Reporters and Editors Book Award for Best Investigative Journalism. He is the founder of madinamerica.com, a website that features research news and blogs by an international group of writers interested in “rethinking psychiatry.”

This podcast is very special and personal to me because I’m going to be speaking with one of my childhood friends, Paula. We have known each other since kindergarten, went to the same grammar school and high school. After high school she went off to Marquette University in Wisconsin where she got her Bachelors Degree. She majored in English Literature with an additional major in Elementary Education.She returned home and started her career at a college. Eventually she opens up her own very successful school for preschoolers and kindergarten children. After suffering some migraines and a few panic attacks on the highway, a trip to a doctor ends her up on not only a benzodiazepine, but an antidepressant right at the first visit. Here we are 40 years later and she is now tapering.

In this episode, I speak Wayne Douglas who is a New Zealander living in Japan teaching English and does translation. He is currently writing his book Under the Rising Sun which will be on his website Undertherisingsun.com. He is the Founder of World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day on July 11 and frequent guest on Dr. Peter Breggin’s podcast. He is an advocate for a change in the prescribing of benzodiazepines and is currently working on a self made documentary based on a speech he gave at the House of Representatives in Japan which will eventually be on his YouTube Channel.

In this episode you are going to be hearing from Teryn who when she was a 19 year old girl was prescribed Paxil then later klonopin after the death of her mother. Eventually, she gets married and finishes school to become a speech therapist, and has beautiful daughter as her life is turned upside down from pharmaceutical drugs. She is unable to work and care for her daughter and her marriage dissolves. She develops multiple chemical sensitivities, moves into a green/echo friendly type of housing and had decides she couldn’t live like this any more. See how her faith in God and her determination to not live sick any more helps her recover her full health, go back to work and enjoy life to its fullest.

In this podcast I interview Josh Fitzmaurice who was a certified public account who was misdiagnosed and in January 2017, became chronically ill after his nervous system was damaged by a prescribed benzodiazepine. He was too ill to continue his job as an accountant and had to move back home with his mother to begin his road to recovery. His life became a constant battle to keep a positive mindset and never give up hope that he would get better. He knew he had to find a healthy distraction to keep his mind busy and that’s when he had the idea to try to learn fashion design, something he had always been interested in. His company SLYKShades.com was born out of his iatrogenic illness. SLYK Shades is the first part of a much bigger lifestyle brand focused on positivity, compassion and kindness. No matter what, find the good. His story will inspire anyone listening.If anyone orders from his website and uses the code: WARRIOR, 20% will be given to the documentary AS PRESCRIBED.

D E Foster is a former database developer, contract screenwriter, and writing instructor at the University of Colorado. For the past seven years, D has experienced an odyssey of debilitating withdrawal complications from the long-term use of clonazepam (Klonopin), a prescription benzodiazepine. Unable to continue to work in his previous professions, D turned his focus to writing a book, "Benzo Free: The World of Anti-Anxiety Drugs and the Reality of Withdrawal," which was published in the fall of 2018. The following spring, D launched "The Benzo Free Podcast" which is now on its 67th episode and reaches thousands each month. And in March of this year, he started a new YouTube channel called "Easing Anxiety" which helps people who struggle with chronic anxiety find a way to a better life.D spends his remaining time researching a new book, speaking about benzos, and relaxing at his home in northern Colorado with his wife and dog.

Since the COVID-19 virus started, most of us wondered how many more innocent people were going to be prescribed a benzodiazepine. An article came out stating that anti-anxiety drugs have risen 34% during this pandemic.In this episode, I interview one of those innocent patients prescribed a benzodiazepine during the pandemic. After leaving a message for his doctor, 20 minutes later he gets a text his prescription is ready. No conversation with his doctor, no conversation with a pharmacist, no informed consent. Had he been informed first, he would not have taken this medication. Thankfully he found out early benzos were his problem. He is now tapering and has a clear picture of taking his life back.

WARNING - In this podcast we talk to Debbie Wagner, Jonathan’s mother about his prescription of klonopin for trouble sleeping after changing shifts at work and his ultimate suicide. If you are very sensitive, PLEASE don’t listen to this podcast, but let your family members, friends, and medical professionals listen. The Wagners now have a foundation called the You Are Not Alone Jonathan Wagner Foundation to bring awareness about the potential dangers of benzodiazepines. Their website is www.ynabenzo.orgThis is how Jonathan would tell someone if they asked him today about what happened to him: My life was turned into a battle with my brain to stay alive from this medicine, a battle I did not win. Please don’t take this medication unless you absolutely have no other choice and question your doctor on the side effects . Thanks

Baylissa is a psychotherapist, coach and author with two decades of experience working with people from all over the world. She is involved in helping people affected by antidepressant, tranquilliser and opiate physical dependence and withdrawal. She delivers keynote speeches on the subject, has provided awareness presentations to organizations including the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and offers training workshops to psychotherapists and counsellors. She has been interviewed and quoted by newspapers and journals including The London Times, The Independent and British Medical Association News. Baylissa is the author of the internationally successful self-help book, ‘Recovery and Renewal,’ the memoir, ‘With Hope in My Heart,’ and two journals, ‘Dearest Me’ and ‘Dearest Friend.’ She was prescribed the benzodiazepine, clonazepam, for a form of dystonia (involuntary movement disorder) and survived an intense withdrawal experience when coming off it. She is now fully

In this episode you will hear Gidget's story of how a prescription for Xanax after her father passed away led her to decline. Years later, a second issue arises from taking just one fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Through her suffering she moderates support groups, learns homeopathy and works with a medical doctor to interpret genetics.

In this NEW episode if you ever wondered if you could recover from a benzodiazepine, a floroquinolone, a steroid, a cold turkey in a rehab and a detox facility, Lindsey’s story of recovery will bring you hope.

In this episode I speak with Carmela (Mellie) Paladino. If you are still tapering and wonder how you would feel the first day you are done with a long, difficult withdrawal, this episode will help you to finish your fight to get to the other side.NJ Bill A3495https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/A3500/3495_I1.PDFCarmela"s email: melapala@optonline.net

In this episode I speak with a mother who was prescribed medication instead of traditional talk therapy to deal with trauma. The prescribed mix of antidepressants and benzodiazepines turn her life upside down. She suffers years of debilitating withdrawal symptoms and is faced with a difficult decision in order to give her daughter a better life.

Scott Wilkinson and Stephanie Morgan who were friends in high school, connect through Facebook after many years. This episode shows the difference having a support person can make in your recovery. Great episode to have your family and friends listen to.

In today's episode, I interview Marjorie Meret-Carmen, an 80-year-old benzodiazepine survivor, who is an educator, author and a social and political activist. She proves that at any age, you can take your life back from an iatrogenic illness.

In this episode I discuss what I had to do to survive the holiday season. Stay tuned for the postscript after the show.

Cindy was one of my first benzo friends and is an inspiration to many. She was prescribed Valium for years, was then cold turkeyed by a doctor, put back on valium, then moved to Montana where she met a wonderful naturopath that helped her and taught her how to get her health back. She even became homeless at one point and still maintained a healthy diet to sustain her health. She is now working and helping out with her grandchildren and continues to give hope to many that you can have a life after benzos.

Jim is an amazing example of a good patient whose life was turned upside down because of his doctor’s prescribing methods. His advocacy work and desire to help others while still tapering and working will encourage many.

Millie Kieve runs the UK charity Adverse Psychiatric Reactions Information Link at www.april.org.uk. Millie not only deals with benzodiazepines, but all medications that cause psychiatric side effects which can then lead a person to being prescribed a benzodiazepine. I encourage anyone to please research her website before you take a medication.

In this episode I speak with my son, Garrett, about the legislative process, growing up with a mother sick from tranquilizers and how the podcast came about.