44 min listen
084: Nicole Lamberson, Co-founder Of The Withdrawal Project & Rep Of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC): What You Need To Know About Benzos Fo…
084: Nicole Lamberson, Co-founder Of The Withdrawal Project & Rep Of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC): What You Need To Know About Benzos Fo…
ratings:
Length:
47 minutes
Released:
Oct 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
GUEST BIO: Nicole is a Physician Assistant residing in Virginia. She obtained a BS at James Madison University in 2000 and then went on to complete the Master of Physician Assistant program at Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2004. She practiced in an Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine setting until severe illness from benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome left her unable to work.In 2005, she was prescribed Xanax for “work-related stress.” Over the course of five years, she developed many classic symptoms of benzodiazepine tolerance withdrawal, which multiple psychiatrists misdiagnosed as mental illness. This resulted in prescribed polypharmacy to “treat” the troubling symptoms of tolerance, including two benzodiazepines prescribed simultaneously, a Z-drug, an antidepressant, and an antipsychotic. In late 2010, after discovering a magazine article authored by a journalist experiencing similar symptoms from his prescribed benzodiazepine, Nicole was prompted to research further and made the connection between her own troubling symptoms and the medication. This was followed by her immediate decision to withdraw. Unfortunately, lacking the proper guidance or information at the time regarding the absolute need for a slow taper, she was negligently cold-turkeyed in a detox center. This ultimately resulted in a severe and protracted withdrawal syndrome that persists to date.When symptoms allow, Nicole writes about benzodiazepines and their potential to cause severe and/or protracted withdrawal syndromes and volunteers her time helping with ongoing benzodiazepine awareness initiatives including Benzodiazepine Information Coalition and the Benzodiazepine Action Work Group of the Colorado Consortium. Nicole also co-founded The Withdrawal Project and she does marketing, distribution and outreach for Medicating Normal-The Film. She is an associate at the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal. She hopes to continue to use her lived experience to advocate for more education and awareness around benzodiazepine risks and harms as well as for changes in prescribing and withdrawal practices. Other interests include the primal lifestyle.SHOW NOTES: ? Nicole suffered from the profound effects of Benzo and z drugs, which led her to join the Benzodiazepine Coalition? Benzodiazepines/Z-drugs (sleeping pills) and sleep disturbances? What are the risks of long-term use (beyond a week or more)? According to BIC, between 40 and 80% of people who take benzodiazepines for any significant period will develop physical dependence and have withdrawal syndrome.? What is the withdrawal syndrome when coming off benzodiazepines? Tips will help you get the proper assistance and avoid missing clear information and guidance? Physical dependence on a drug can be a severe problem, but it is not the same as addiction? Are you still safe from the adverse effects of Benzodiazepines even if you are not abusing them?? Benzodiazepines coalition offers a variety of strategies and treatment options to help you safely explore your benzodiazepines drug physical dependence with qualified professionals? FREE RESOURCE: medicatingnormal.com/watch is a good film that summarizes the problems with benzos and psychiatric medicationsSPONSOR:Huge shoutout to our sponsor: Biooptimizers!They are my nightly source of magnesium supplementationgo to www.magbreakthrough.com/sleepisaskill for the kind I use every night!Website: benzoinfo.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bzinfocoalitionTwitter: https://twitter.com/bzinfocoalitionFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bzinfocoalitionDISCLAIMER:The information contained on this podcast, our website, newsletter, and the resources available for download are not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, medical or health advice. The information contained on these platforms is not a substitute for medical or health advice from a professional who is aware of the facts and circumstances of your individual situation
Released:
Oct 10, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
001: The World Sleep Society Answers All Your Sleep Questions! #WorldSleepDay: What better way to kick off The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast than to celebrate WORLD SLEEP DAY!?! Today we sit down with Allan O'Bryan, the Executive Director of The World Sleep Society, to learn more about the thing that we spend a third of our lives doing! Here's a little more about Allan: Allan O’Bryan is the Executive Director of the World Sleep Society, a professional nonprofit association dedicated to advancing sleep medicine and research worldwide. Described as a strategic, innovative, analytical, and solution-focused problem solver. He has been involved with the organization since 2007, with developing the awareness and education programs. World Sleep Day public awareness initiative includes a global public campaign with over 300 sleep delegates around the world conducting educational sleep initiatives on World Sleep Day. The World Sleep congress initiative is the bi-annual educational conference of t by The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast