Rob's journey began the day he walked into a medical centre and walked out with a prescription drug that would change his life forever, leading this 'accidental addict' to a 13-year chemical dependency. He recovered, becoming a successful businessman. His inspiring story and the hard-won wisdom he shares is a light for millions of others.

FROM THE BACK COVER: Are you--or is someone you care about--taking tranquilizers or sleeping pills? You could be at risk of addiction without even knowing it. Benzos are the most commonly prescribed tranquilizers and sleeping pills, in use by millions of people. Doctors prescribe these drugs routinely without ever warning patients that regular use may cause a dangerous dependency. For many people, Benzos are much harder to quit than heroin, cocaine, crack and other illegal substances, even when taken under a physician's supervision. Benzo Withdrawal may last for months, even years. Get the facts about the drugs in your medicine cabinet--facts the pharmaceutical companies, and even the FDA, don't want you to know. The Benzo Book recounts the author's experience as an unwitting addict, with full details about minimizing withdrawal symptoms, and exposes the sociological, medical and economic factors which cause this widespread--yet largely unknown--problem.

Death Grip chronicles a top climber's near-fatal struggle with anxiety and depression, and his nightmarish journey through the dangerous world of prescription drugs. Matt Samet lived to climb, and craved the challenge, risk, and exhilaration of conquering sheer rock faces around the United States and internationally. But Samet's depression, compounded by the extreme diet and fitness practices of climbers, led him to seek professional help. He entered the murky, inescapable world of psychiatric medicine, where he developed a dangerous addiction to prescribed medications—primarily "benzos," or benzodiazepines—that landed him in institutions and nearly killed him. With dramatic storytelling, persuasive research data, and searing honesty, Matt Samet reveals the hidden epidemic of benzo addiction, which some have suggested can be harder to quit than heroin. Millions of adults and teenagers are prescribed these drugs, but few understand how addictive they are—and how dangerous long-term usage can be, even when prescribed by doctors. After a difficult struggle with addiction, Samet slowly makes his way to a life in recovery through perseverance and a deep love of rock climbing. Conveying both the exhilaration of climbing in the wilderness and the utter madness of addiction, Death Grip is a powerful and revelatory memoir.

Ever heard of benzodiazepines? How about z-drugs? Perhaps you know their brand names, like Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Lunesta, Valium or Xanax. Millions of people around the world take these drugs every day and very few know much about them, let alone what it's like to withdraw. My hope is to change that. For those who experience benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (BWS), incessant questions run rampant, but answers are few. I searched high and low to find information during my withdrawal, and in the midst, Benzo Free was born. By the time I finished writing the first draft, I'd spent four years reading and cataloging over a thousand separate articles, books, and scientific studies. In this book, I aim to present an honest and objective look at the world of anti-anxiety drugs and provide some encouragement, solace, and even some answers for those who struggle each day from the effects of these drugs.

Beyond Benzos - Benzo Addiction, Benzo Withdrawal, and Long-term Recovery from Benzodiazepines Now termed by some as the world's deadliest pill, the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines are on the cusp of racing past opiates to earn the label as this nation's most widely abused class of drugs. With over 150 million prescriptions written annually in the U.S. alone for such popular drugs as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, and Valium, benzo addiction has reached epidemic proportions in this country and many are still not willing to give it the press it deserves. Let's change that. Benzodiazepine addiction is something that is inherently difficult to treat because of the stigma attached to it, the often unresolved underlying issues, and the difficulty of benzo withdrawal. Beyond Benzos can help. Written as a guide to benzodiazepine addiction and recovery by someone who has been there, these drugs and the steps needed to break free from them are dissected at every level. To the millions of people and their loved ones trapped in the vicious circle of benzo addiction, there is a solution to break free from the madness. Author Taite Adams not only explains how benzos work but gives the reader their options for benzo withdrawal and long term recovery from addiction. Whether taking benzos for an anxiety disorder, insomnia or another issue, Adams offers hope, inspiration, and solutions for a life Beyond Benzos . Tags: benzo addiction, benzodiazepines, xanax withdrawal, prescription drug addiction, benzo withdrawal, benzodiazepine withdrawal, xanax addiction, klonopin addiction, benzos, ativan addiction

Barbara Gordon's groundbreaking memoir tells the extraordinary story of a woman who has it all, or thinks she does-a career as an Emmy-award-winning documentary producer, a man she loves, a world of friends, and a beautiful apartment in Manhattan.But beneath the façade, Barbara's life is spinning out of control. In spite of the pills prescribed by her doctor, a nameless terror disrupting her daily life intensifies until she is besieged by crippling anxiety attacks. A formerly strong, independent, successful woman, Barbara's life becomes a nightmare of paralysis and fear.When Barbara finds herself unable to leave her apartment or walk the streets of New York alone, she decides to take charge of her life. She doesn't want pills, she wants answers. Instead of ending her fears, quitting the medicine leads to the unraveling of what she thought was her perfect life, and Barbara becomes a casualty of a flawed and inept mental health system. Barbara had often spoken for the voiceless in her films, but she suddenly finds herself powerless, without a voice of her own. Though she feels frightened and misunderstood, the tenderness and love of another young patient, Jim, helps Barbara rediscover her voice and her identity.In the years since her memoir was first published, thousands of readers all over the world have read her book, followed her descent into hell, traveled with her along the bumpy road to recovery, and celebrated as she creates a new life. I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can is a strikingly honest look at a life gone off the rails. Throughout her journey, Gordon's hope and strength make her an incredible heroine worth rooting for.

Brain on Fire meets High Achiever in this “page-turner memoir chronicling a woman’s accidental descent into prescription benzodiazepine dependence—and the life-threatening impacts of long-term use—that chills to the bone” (Nylon). As Melissa Bond raises her infant daughter and a special-needs one-year-old son, she suffers from unbearable insomnia, sleeping an hour or less each night. She loses her job as a journalist (a casualty of the 2008 recession), and her relationship with her husband grows distant. Her doctor casually prescribes benzodiazepines—a family of drugs that includes Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan—and increases her dosage regularly. Following her doctor’s orders, Melissa takes the pills night after night until her body begins to shut down. Only when she collapses while holding her daughter does Melissa learn that her doctor—like so many others—has over-prescribed the medication and quitting cold turkey could lead to psychosis or fatal seizures. Benzodiazepine addiction is not well studied, and few experts know how to help Melissa as she begins the months-long process of tapering off the pills without suffering debilitating, potentially deadly consequences. Each page thrums with the heartbeat of Melissa’s struggle—how many hours has she slept? How many weeks old are her babies? How many milligrams has she taken? Her propulsive writing crescendos to a fever pitch as she fights for her health and her ability to care for her children. “Propulsive, poetic” (Shelf Awareness), and immersive, this “vivid chronicle of suffering” (Kirkus Reviews) and redemption shines a light on the prescription benzodiazepine epidemic as it reaches a crisis point in this country.