Helpful Recovery Tips
These tips are listed in what I have determined to be the most important to healing as efficiently as possible.
My coaching services are to make these recovery tips sustainable by shifting lifestyle habits with personalized plans and providing accountability.
CRITICAL: Stay positive in your mindset that healing is happening even when symptoms are at their worst (this is neuroplasticity – not mind over matter).
- Keep your CNS as calm as possible, especially during the early stages of recovery.
- Do not updose, or reinstate to stabilize if it has been more than 2 weeks from your jump unless recommended by your doctor for medical reasons.
- DO NOT cold-turkey the use of any Benzos (read my story). Properly taper off Benzos.
- Eat whole foods; avoid processed food like the plague. In Acute; you must eat anything to survive so this tip applies to AFTER this stage of recovery.
- Immerse yourself in Nature as much as possible. There are healing properties in Nature.
- Green, leafy vegetables should part of your diet in any form possible – liquified into smoothies if necessary.
- Accept that you have a limited amount of “spoons” each day during recovery and plan accordingly.
- Stay away from ALL supplements and even vitamins during Acute. This is my personal opinion based on experience, research and working directly with others is in Benzo withdrawals.
- Regardless of how much or little sleep you get, exposing yourself to sunlight in the morning will help reset your sleep cycle so that it will be easier to fall asleep at night.
- Breathing exercises, light yoga and mindful activities are going to accelerate healing once tolerable.
- There WILL be an increase in anxiety and insomnia when a person hits tolerance and/or starts tapering. This is called rebound symptoms. This is NOT your baseline returning with more intensity.
- Protein intake should be increased to help your body repair the damage everywhere.
- LISTEN to your body when it needs rest; don’t push through as this could lead to chronic illness!
- Tell people that you have an iatrogenic (illness caused by medical treatment) brain injury so that you don’t have to hide or feel ashamed of the reality of this.
- AVOID: Alcohol, Nasal Decongestant Sprays, Cleaning Chemicals, New Asphalt (surface sealer is toxic), Excessive Exercise and ANY Other Stimulation That Causes Discomfort *
* When it is appropriate during the healing process, exposure therapy and increased physical activity is important for a full recovery.
Here are very helpful lists from Benzo Warrior and W-BAD to pay attention to for avoiding setbacks: