Benzo & Antidepressant Withdrawal: The Recovery Timeline

Hi everyone,
In this video, I’m diving into the recovery timeline for benzodiazepine and antidepressant withdrawal-a topic that came up in a conversation I had today. Understanding what’s “average” and common in people’s experiences can provide comfort and awareness as you navigate your own journey.
I discuss key points such as:
The variability in recovery timelines, including my own experience where healing didn’t begin until 4.5 years off the first drug.
The “ten-month wave,” a common but often unknown aspect of withdrawal recovery.
The nonlinear nature of the withdrawal process and how it can differ from person to person, especially within the windows and waves pattern.
While these insights are based on anecdotal evidence and personal observations, they reflect patterns seen in many people's journeys. I acknowledge that everyone’s experience is unique, and outliers do exist.
💬 Let me know in the comments if this timeline aligns with your experience or if you’ve noticed something different in your recovery.
📅 Want to chat? calendly.com/m...
📧 Have a question? Reach out via email: [e-mail]
Remember, you’re not alone in this journey, and there’s hope for healing. ❤️
Melissa
Disclaimer:
Melissa Boutilier is not a medical professional. These videos are not meant to provide healthcare, medical, or nutritional therapy services or diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any physical, mental, or emotional issue.
The information provided in these videos is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
Always seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, switching, tapering or changing doses of your psychiatric medications.
Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of the information you have seen in these videos.
All information stated is just from her experience.

[@RachH-healing]

I wondered if you were okay! I’m glad it was just all those nasty bugs going around and nothing more. I truly appreciate your videos and the time you take to help us! Hope your holiday season was good (other than being sick). ❤😊

[@Flyhighrail]

So my story is an adverse reaction from lexa. I was on it less than two weeks. I started feeling withdrawal about two weeks after the last dose. The first big crash was at 2 months, then another crash at 3.5 months. Then had some ok windows, 6.5 months was another crash. At 7.5 months I started a pretty good window with just a few bad days sprinkled in. Then at 9 months was a major crash, and it has been more to the bad side since then. I’ve had about 3 ok windows that were about 5 days each since then. And 6 days ago I hit another horrible crash and been in it since. This wave feels like the waves I was getting early in, very much like a huge surge. So it has not been linear at all. I’m hoping to turn a corner here soon. I had a great 5 day window last week where I felt 90% like my old self, only for it to go completely polar opposite this past Saturday.

[@marcinjarmula2211]

All that only after 2 weeks of being on lexapro?

[@marcinjarmula2211]

What are you rsymptoms?

[@Flyhighrail]

@@marcinjarmula2211 yes not even two weeks, just 10 days. I was waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, and had severe headaches during the day. The doctor said it was ok to just stop since it’s only been 10 days. Somehow my nervous system adapted to it quickly and got hit with WD symptoms two weeks later. My symptoms are severe anxiety, depression, bad intrusive thoughts, high cortisol/adrenaline spikes especially in the mornings. Constant fight or flight responses. Hypersensitivity to emotions, headaches, dp/dr. I’m almost a year off.

[@kmkeenan]

I can't speak to my own timeline because I'm still tapering my last drug, but I think a variety of factors influence the timeline. For instance, did the person taper, and if so, how? Did they cold turkey? How much social support do they have? Do they have a lot of unresolved trauma/stored survival stress? Etc.

[@virgieden]

I've stopped tapering v. I'm a senior & feel at this time & not on solid ground lacking the support financial or physical or emotional needed. Would like to have known even 5 years earlier. I am still open to trying again. Blessings to all!🙏

[@LesterBenz]

Melissa, did you have a hard time focusing on and initiating simple tasks like cooking during recovery? Did that go away after you healed,?

[@huevosrancheros11]

Hi Melissa. Excellent topic! Any thoughts on the people who are 4 years out and have never got the gradually increasing window with lessening waves and are still bad with no change or improvement? Everyone says you will eventually get through this but at what point do you just have to accept this as not changing? Thanks for doing these videos!

[@lonnievisch6009]

Listen to Peter Eliasburg on medicating normal

[@Phin13760]

I ct off the antidepressants after being on them 20 years. 6/18/24/then 3.6 were the time line of improvements for me . I've been off them 4.6 years. I feel 70% healed

[@14skmw46]

2 months after being completely off citalopram I was hit with bad withdrawals I reinstated and a year later feel ready to do a taper

[@Filthycoffin]

I only had 2 windows that lasted maybe 2 mins where i felt joy excited and had memories. I’ve not had any improvement in my mood. Anxiety and depression are still severe. I still do not feel safe because I’ve no family that believes me about this my ex still is two faced only trying to cause strife. I miss my daughters. I want to be here for them but I am not given equal visitation and I’m terrified of my ex. Everything here keeps me in depression anxiety because of all the trauma. I’m not trying to have a victim mindset but fuck this has been the most horrific experience of my life now for years. More and more drama and trauma. The psychologist that I did the evaluation doesn’t even believe in any of this. He just told me I have a personality disorder. I’ve lived with severe akathisia for years now. It gets so tired of new and believing me.

[@BaccatePlayer]

Currently each month gets increasingly more and more severe in my case. Only fourth month saw improvements, but I'm starting fourteenth just as non-functional as first one.

[@suecobb-werner]

I thought you were doing better? It’s A from fb and SA btw.

[@BaccatePlayer]

@suecobb-werner Either a flu, covid or another virus keeps coming back and turning everything upside down. Starting from second day of Christmas some infection tied me to bed and even kindling symptoms came back: sleeping, temperature, agitation randomly jumping between extremes. Misfires got shorter and less frequent, but more intense and I think I feel worse but also I'm getting better.

[@14skmw46]

I felt around 8-10 months was the worst for me

[@krbaughn]

My first crash lasted about 18-months starting 6-months after I cold turkeyed an SSRI per a doctor with gradual improvement, then I had about an 18-month "window" where I was functional - worked, drove, attended church, went on vacation, etc. - then I got hit with a second crash where I am today (the second crash so far is about 18-months long), but this second crash is significantly worse than the first. For about about 18-months, now, I've experienced akathisia, PSSD, lack of sleep, severe depression, severe anxiety, severe OCD and not functional at all. I pretty much have spent the last 18-months indoors. Is there any hope left?

[@marcinjarmula2211]

What drug were you on and for how long?

[@krbaughn]

@@marcinjarmula2211 I took Lexapro/Escitalipram at full strength for about 18-years. It never crossed my mind to stop taking the drug until my GP said something. It has turned my once wonderful life upside down.

[@krbaughn]

@@marcinjarmula2211 I took Lexapro/Escitalipram for 18-years. For 18-years I never thought to discontinue until the GP said to get off of it.

[@RachH-healing]

Yes! There is hope! Unfortunately this is the unlinear healing “timeline” and you have what is called a setback. But even healing happens with setbacks…it just takes time. I know there are some things Melissa talks about that can help things like mind-body training, neuroplasticity stuff.

[@Mnichols374]

My wd didn't really kick in until 6 months off and now it's worse then ever at 15 months idk what to do or how this is even possible im out of my mind and my head is killing me.

[@RachH-healing]

Me too! My WD hit the worst at month 5-6 and at 18 months off now new symptoms have cropped up that are hard to handle! BUT please know you’ll heal! It’s just a matter of time, but I know it’s hard to take and understand! ❤

[@georgebordeaa]

Classic, you’ll turn a corner at 18 months and 2.5 years off. Probably recovered around the 3 year mark.

[@Alyah121]

Hi Melissa. I'm currently going through withdrawal from clonazepam and after almost 1 year in the process I've experience rapid weight gain (13 pounds) even though I haven't changed my diet. Do you know if others have experience this? Thanks!

[@DoreenWeed]

Yes! Metabolic dysfunction! Severe water retention! 8 months out since clonazepam forcibly stopped and I'm not better!

[@senthilnathan2k]

Hi Melissa I am on last leg of diazepam taper 1 mg getting too much night mares and vivid dreams which i can remember in morning ..what to do.. i am from India still have ssri fluvoxamine 125 mg amisulpride 25mg pregabalin 25mg

[@cindybarton9130]

I was on fluoxetine for the better part of 30 years. Since it's long acting for the last 12+ years I was taking 20mg once a week. My NP said it wasn't a therapeutic dose and suggested I stop taking it; and because it's such a small dose I could quit 'cold turkey'. (Worst advice). Now that it's been a year, all I can say is that I've hardly slept for the past year and I've got anxiety about sleeping or the lack of. Once in a blue moon I had a 7 hour sleep which was wonderful! But it's usually 4-5 hours and occasionally none. What can I do??

[@lilithstuff8355]

I broke that pattern with B vitamins and cold water plunges and dawn walks. I still have waves of it but mostly I sleep. Still wake early but I go to bed earlier.

[@cindybarton9130]

@@lilithstuff8355 I'm learning about the cold water plunges. How long and how often did you do it? Thank you for your reply.

[@DoreenWeed]

8 months out and no improvement!

[@Benzosuzy]

7 yrs. Not one window

[@safaasgari3115]

I am so so sorry