Neuroplasticity: Things YOU Should Know!

[@hugoverhoeven9953]

Thank you Angie, this is very helpful to me. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱

[@user-xg4dk3ch6y]

I respect you so much ❤️

[@ShilohCadieux-zf1cj]

Angie, the MIA Zoom meeting this afternoon was okay but it mostly just made me realize how many coping tools most of us in the community have developed by sharing with each other and on our own. I get more that’s helpful from your videos. Thank you, Angie.

[@EG-ud2ik]

You are wonderful thank you ! I am finally going back out in the world and I am feeling safer I am healing! I am close to 2 yrs off pax You have described the whole process perfectly. I stopped reading scary testimonies, I concentrated on myself, meditated, told myself I was on the right path to healing and it’s happening 🙏🏻

[@The_critical_psychiatric_nurse]

May I ask how long it took you to taper off and how long you were on the medication? I ended up reinstating but will be trying again in a couple of years but much slower.

[@EG-ud2ik]

To be honest I can’t remember how long it took me to go from 10 mg to 5 mg as I didn’t know much about tapering correctly but once I learnt the proper way it took me about a year to go from 5 mg to 0 and I should have taken more time. I was on the medication for 18 yrs…..and I tried several times to come off. I was not aware how much these medications create dependency so I assumed my symptoms were not related to withdrawal but I needed the medication…. not true!

[@zezezep]

Thanks for sharing your good result

[@MsCarmel55]

I spent a lot of money on neurofeedback therapy while tapering. I believed in it but in the end did not see any benefits. We are so desperate to feel better lots of money and time are thrown at the situation we find ourselves in. Thanks for the tips given here, one day at a time at each our own pace is good advice!

[@deedeew4040]

Angie I attended one of your sessions. I enjoyed it. You are excellent. Uurgh, it took me 2 1/2 years to taper off of 2 mg of Ativan. The last 1/2 mg was a month. I was fine for 12 days and all hell broke loose. Insomnia, body jerking and twitching and I have balance issues, sometimes I am in bed for days because I cannot walk. I notice if I stay away from sugar and carbs an drink lots of water i do better.

[@FayGraceRay]

Needed to hear this msg of safety; as a caretaker, of someone very ill, I have carried a lot of fear lately. Your msg perfectly reminded me that my attitudes need to reinforce healing. Thank you again.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes as a caregiver if you can anchor yourself into safety, be as present as possible, and hopeful, it can help so much. Also, caregiver burnout is REAL so please do what you can to care for yourself. I know that’s easier said than done.

[@FrancesJens]

Very good information and validates these indescribable sensations and emotional responses that are often diagnosed as mental health illness and many have SSRI or other meds. My experience is off Zoloft and other drugs cold turkey 5 .5 years ago and still having bouts of symptoms uproar when high stress and insomnia which triggers the fear or frozen periods, until can come back out. Still have periods of high sense to noise, change temp, insomnia and know no more meds for me.

[@Fiawordweaver]

I appreciate your decision to self care by redesigning your program. I find such value from your channel and thank you for bringing truth and validation.

[@kmjansen]

I was an engineer and have always been trained to look at ALL the information so it's been very hard to discount the bad stories, especially since they have coincided with my own experiences. But my one last vestige of hope lies in the mainstream medicine's lack of credibility in their message that symptoms are sometimes permanent. I went through healing blind as a teenager (4mg Clonazepam for 4 years) and remember it took well into my college career to heal. Every year I'd just get smarter and wonder what the hell happened to me. Now I'm 42yo and 4yrs off of benzos, severely kindled. But I continue to improve and just hope that I continue to continue improving.

[@madelynHernandez5577]

I tought you took Benzos as a teen and healed from them while in college. Like it took that long. Then you said it's only been 4 years off them? I'm a bit confused, can you help me understand please.

[@kmjansen]

@@madelynHernandez5577 I was put back on them at age 22 for a misdiagnosis of anxiety that turned out to be adrenal insufficiency.

[@Maria-zr7ph]

Thank you so much for touching on and standing against the idea that if there’s stuff leftover after X amount of time, it’s a new mental illness. That’s so ridiculous of me. It totally disregards the trauma and dominoes that fell during of that time that logically takes more time to recover from. It’s crazy to me that someone would even suggest that it’s an unrelated new mental illness 😩As if our mind and bodies take a colossal beating for years straight.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

💜

[@Vancouver_1986]

It's also incredibly dangerous. That's how you end up on even more and more unnecessary Psychotropic medications and have your quality of life reduced even more and more. That's the exact OPPOSITE of what these Pharmaceuticals are supposed to do...

[@gregzanchelli]

Angie, I feel such a kinship to you and always feel both grounded and inspired hearing your perspective. I feel very grateful, not so much for myself, but for knowing that others will be able to hear truth come through in your messages. Thank you for living your purpose and being a guiding resource. The brain retraining community is riddled with issues and can even be seen as toxic. There is a lot to take away from neuroplasticity and brain retraining, but the conversation must be predicated on nuance and compassion, as you are doing here for this community.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Thank you so much for the kind words and comments. 💜

[@MB-hl4qt]

Powerful directives of safety and hope ❤ty

[@andreaurbinajohnson7888]

I love your approach to all these subjects. You’re straight forwardness ! Helps me personally a great deal. You just opened my eyes to how to deal with some of th symptoms.THANK YOU!

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

I’m so glad and thank you for the kind words!

[@robertpearson8269]

never apologise for taking too long, hanging on your every word... Thank you 😍

[@evaeva9587]

Yes yes yes 14min in. Thank you for putting those words into an explanation about the multiple systems rewiring themselves in absence (or reduction while tapering) of the drug. When you said it takes as long as it’s takes, my shoulders relaxed a little. It takes as long as it takes because we ARE healing. Thank you. I get it.

[@madelynHernandez5577]

I think this can be done more when you are at a better place. I know I couldn't do it at all in acute and even know I have crisis where I can't. My family is no longer supportive and its just so horrific. This is the hardest thing I am doing. I lost 3 of my fur babies too. Its unbearable.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

I’m so sorry for your losses.

[@sd88g93]

First time I went stopped paxil was a disaster. I think I scared myself into thinking I just needed to take it. I didn't want to go back to that, so I was resigned to taking it for life. I'm realizing now that I think it's affecting my memory and ability to concentrate. So, I started to come off more slowly. It feels more doable, but takes a loooonnnngg time.

[@sd88g93]

Doctors telling people it should only take 2 months is a big disservice to people. I wonder how many people just keep taking it, thinking they have to take it for the rest of their life.

[@MsCarmel55]

Another good series Angie!❤

[@aprilhassell1747]

More calming ideas are wearing sunglasses in public, ear plugs, hugging yourself, tapping, praying, sitting in sun, close eyes for 20 mins. Set a timer, write your feelings, eye contact with a loved one, ear massage, smell lavender, bath, get light in your eyes in skin too, hold your head and breath into it. What else?? I need to work on self talk and no going down rabbit holes. How can I respond to my brain fog? I can get curious and or know it's trying to protect me. What triggers it is being on my phone all day. I turn it off and make myself stay present. Ttyl praying for you all!!!

[@andreaurbinajohnson7888]

@@aprilhassell1747 Thanks for the the idea of wearing sunglasses in public, the light really bothers me, noise kills me. The phone, l have to turn it off for long periods.

[@evaeva9587]

I find the neurological dysfunction entirely debilitating. The sensory, memory recall, brain processing, balance, lack of ability to comprehend language - challenges and tests my resolve and belief! I try very hard to hold on to the slivers of moments where I feel somewhat ok. I think the acceptance is a really important part, meaning acceptance of reality, rather than fighting against it. It definitely wires the CNS up further.

[@evaeva9587]

Great point 5ish minutes in. All the usual methods I have in my toolkit aren’t necessarily helpful. I’m currently working through a reset of listening to what I need.

[@HS-1828]

I agree with much of what you say. Yes, we have to reenter life in ways that properly challenge us in ways that bring our “loads” down. I don’t agree that we know we are that much different from those in the chronic pain, long covid, floxxed, etc. communities. Who are we to know what caused their bodies (CNS) to be stuck in fight or flight? The Sarno “belief” doesn’t jib with many. It’s too coincidental that so many sxs overlap drug withdrawal. I don’t need to pay for a program, I agree with that. We work plenty hard on our coping skills. They have always been “neuroplastic” before it became a fad. Messages of safety are the key to healing and living a good life. There are plenty of ways to get there, albeit arduous at times. The brain retraining people don’t promise any quick fixes either, which makes me believe they are more like us than we believe.

[@Mand1234-d5e]

Love how positive this is 💛 You are correct, nobody knows because nobody is studying it so other than saying we all have/had an injury, all else is speculation. What is important is moving forward and re-training the brain to feel safe.

[@elainewalters460]

Languaging is SO important. One example, I’m trying to stop referring to what’s happening to me as Akathisia. That is way too scary. I just say agitation…much safer. Sometimes just changing a simple word makes a big difference.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes just call the sensations what they are. I tell this to people all the time.

[@ashleychristie5023]

Your point is very valid and I’m glad that works for your personal experience! For me, personally, I find formal labels helpful, especially when having to explain to other people like my boss at work - calling it agitation downplays the severity and importance. Telling them I have a brain injury is much more impactful and helps them better understand the seriousness of it for me. I’ve also found that by not labeling it what it is, it’s a form of avoidance. Again - this is just my experience. No more or less valid than anyone else’s. Just wanted to thank you for sharing and share in return! Love and healing your way!

[@existence9]

Learning how the nervous system operates is very beneficial. One thing I’ve noticed six years med free, I have to do everything real slow, like turtle slow after a lifetime of operating at super speed. Anybody else experience this ?

[@susanmorgan4151]

@existence9 , Absolutely. I have hours, sometimes days when my brain insists that I go at a turtle pace , like I'm 125 years old. I accept it - typically though, it doesn't last. ❤

[@kc-475]

Thank you, Angie!❤

[@keymind117]

I watched some of your older videos from 8 years ago on what it was like to recover from benzos. They are helpful. I've never had a benzo before, but I've withdrawn cold turkey from a substance called phenibut, which is also a GABA agonist and your symptoms and feelings are very very very relatable. I'm 6 months cold turkey and I've mostly gotten better. I still deal with existential dread, brain fog, agoraphobia and some panicky feelings. I used to be able to drive across the country in one go, and now driving to Taco Bell is a struggle.

[@Dvgrvv]

Thanks so much.

[@Snowflake1374]

Thank you ❤. Its SO hard. Nightmare. Too fast taper sertraline. 17 years use. My brain feels so damaged. Neurological non function. 12 months off.

[@RachH-healing]

Just to give you some encouragement, I tapered for YEARS very slowly and am in very bad withdrawals and am almost 14 months off…so please don’t lose hope that because you tapered too fast you won’t heal, because you WILL! It’s just a long road and non-linear! But you will heal, just hang on.

[@evaeva9587]

Angie, how do we walk the fine line of removing the triggers (as you mention), but not allowing that to become avoidance of life, or difficult situations that would be healthy for us to push through? How do we discern avoidance that is unhealthy on this journey, with healthy avoidance?

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

This is an excellent question. I’d like to make a whole video about this. Give me a few days and I’ll answer your question in a video 🫶🏼

[@susanmorgan4151]

Yes Angie , please DO a part 3!!!

[@aprilhassell1747]

2 awesome books are How to do the work. And the Secret Language of the Body. Id love your thoughts or a book review. So we have a lot of CNS work because the medication messed it up and what happened to us before meds...childhood experiences too. Basically I stopped listening to my intuition at some point. But not anymore!

[@CorneliusSpivey]

God work Angie 💜

[@aprilhassell1747]

Darn at 10:20 i should of done that with this mornings symptoms. Im hanging out with my symptoms today and we already went to Ups, i made myself drive without using gps, and now grocery store. I REFUSE TO LET PHARM WIN.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes WE WIN - F THEM!

[@allencollins6031]

An incredibly long road 😞 Not to be negative. Its just very slow.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

It’s true. For some of us it is long, but it is still worth it.

[@allencollins6031]

@AngiePeacockMSW Ok. Thanks Angie.

[@Snowflake1374]

How long has it been for you?

[@joannek7447]

Thanks, so helpful!

[@idesigncutethings2196]

When will this problem be on mainstream news/media so everyone knows & learns, & it becomes common knowledge like the opioid crises? When? When will that "glass ceiling" be broken? I think we need to be focusing on that - getting mainstream media attention. Most everyone I know, who takes a psychotropic med, & none of them, not a one of them has been able to do so without some life affecting symptoms starting to appear as time passes. I have a family member who is very aware of my psychotropic med injury that I've been healing from. His stance is that I am a very, VERY rare, & just a very unlucky case. Meanwhile as the years pass and I see him continue to take a benzodiazepine, he has had ongoing issues with heart palpitations, and other similar things that I noticed in myself early on when I was in tolerance withdrawl, like not being able to withstand attending church anymore, and needing to have alcohol just to be a passenger in a car, and increasing "anxiety" - which is really some slight akathisia creeping in. I have 4 friends who were closest to me my whole life. Unfortunately, they all take some form of psychotropic meds. Two of them can no longer drive on highways, one spent a year at home in her pajamas, unable to leave the house. Another couldn't handle crowds and it worsened as time passed. All issues, that all of these people developed AFTER starting their meds. None of these issues were present before they started their psychotropic meds..... but "it's rare & I'm just unlucky" - bullshit. None of these folks were "druggies" per say either. We're talking professionals. An arborist, a nurse practioner, an insurance salesperson, a succesful realtor. I can rarely be out in the world without seeing the huge effects psychotropic med injuries have on a large part of the population. It's in the news in the form of school shootings & celebrity suicides, and it trickles down to folks that we see every day. Our neighbors, our friends, our families. It's not just people I see in a congregated platform on the internet. It's out in real life, in real time. We need major media attention to even start to begin to solve this huge, wide-spread societal psychotropic med injury problem.

[@evaeva9587]

I agree with you. It is unbelievably frustrating. Unfortunately the accountability for prescribing and deprescribing processes just aren’t there. And the tendency to trust our doctor is strong, hence ending up in this position. It is a silent epidemic. But, there are many advocates. Depending on your country, you could write to members of the government. Although at times this can seem pointless, they do have protocols to follow in responding. I think perhaps the best we can do at times is really focus our energy on our own hearts, minds, and bodies. I do believe there is a flow on effect from that. And if we decide to take actions such as write to authorities etc, we can come from a place of healthy strength. Otherwise the frustration alone feels like the weight of the world. I am equally gobsmacked that this is not sung from the rooftops.

[@Snowflake1374]

Agree.

[@aprilhassell1747]

The weird thing is when I'm in public places I feel calm and safe but my brain or body not sure, but seems to still be confused because ai get this weird vision thing.No mental clarity. I think aim still use to operating with the medication brain. I have noticed some diminishing of this symptom and I say I'm curious about this and make myself stay in the moment.

[@fishcake29]

Great video Angie. Typo on the caption card. X

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Fixed it! Thank you!

[@fishcake29]

I'm an ex graphic designer I can't help it. 😂

[@celestepiccolo6586]

Yes, yes, yes!!!

[@marymeyer6909]

Angie thank you so much! What about doing things to show yourself you're safe and then it's a really bad experience, eg how to curious about hard psychological symptoms that make you feel crazy because it's so foreign ?

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Learn about the nature of thought. Ask yourself where it’s coming from. What IS thought exactly? I have a video about this from about 3 years ago about the things I did. Look for the one called “how to cope with the mental symptoms”

[@marymeyer6909]

@@AngiePeacockMSW Bless you

[@Dandelionsandbutterflies]

Hello. I had asked about coaching but you looked booked out for quite a while.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

All of calendars are off for booking right now as I restructure my business and create a new website. We are 9 days away from our launch party. Please see more details here: facebook.com/events/s/introducing-our-healing-commun/1995278780885818/?mibextid=RQdjqZ

[@Snowflake1374]

Almost 10 moths off sertraline. Small improvment, could go out short walks. Then a better day I did too many things and walked too far. After that I crashed. Like CNS collapsed. So much worse. No waves. Bedridden. Do I have a chance now to come back were I was in my healing? Or am I back to zero?

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

You never go back to zero. That’s impossible. It just can feel more intense at times. You will recover. Just keep going.

[@Snowflake1374]

@@AngiePeacockMSW It feels like a brain injury that got worse. Crash. But good if it doesn't get completely back to zero. Thanks for your reply, you are great!

[@Dandelionsandbutterflies]

Hi Angie I was wondering if you do discovery calls? Thank you.

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Not anymore I’m sorry. Too many either didn’t show up or used it to get all their questions answered in a very quick and frazzled way in 15 min or less and it takes much more time for me to get to know someone and their story before I can offer anything meaningful. I am not opening my books back up to the public until January but you are free to join one of my groups or book one of the emergency sessions if you see one of those open.

[@Dandelionsandbutterflies]

@@AngiePeacockMSW hi thanks. It looks like your booked out for a long time. I was wondering if you had any other options ? Thanks.

[@Northern-Sounds]

🤗❤️✌️ I wonder, Angie, if you might do a video about the physical symptoms associated with PAWS? Best wishes and many thanks.

[@judithj8327]

Do you feel we can be healing while tapering? You've probably answered that before

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes many do heal while they are tapering. There are all kinds of experiences.

[@courtneyjohnson315]

@@AngiePeacockMSWI got my emotions and energy back with each drop. Went on cymbalta for Nero pain/ migraines. They came back at the lowest dose but held and figured out how to manage them w/o the meds than slowly tapered off using a compounding pharmacy. 5 months off now and continue to feel better every day. Still healing and working through residual gut issues but my work now is more on processing the time lost/ lack of emotions etc of the past seven years I was on c and also things that happened prior to it.

[@courtneyjohnson315]

Can you explain more about poop out -> very sick? I think this is what happened to me. The doctors said it was me “going back to baseline” but I was like deathly ill and that’s why I started tapering and I didn’t feel that way at all before I started c.

[@kimberlyk1437]

I’m healing while tapering. I’m on a hold and I’m feeling the benefits of being on a lower dose of effexor.

[@kc-475]

I also believe we heal from tapering. Our wonderful bodies want to find balance and they are working hard to do that for us. All the sensations I have is the body trying to figure out how to find stability. We are all warriors and we’ll win this battle one small step at a time. Blessings to you.❤

[@courtneyjohnson315]

Can you open a support group for ppl who finished taper and are in the stage of trying to get their life back? I don’t fit in the protracted or tapering groups right now and would love to be in a support group with others who working to reintegrate into work and society after going through all this

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes that’s coming in September! Stay tuned!

[@kmkeenan]

I'm not finished tapering but I feel like this is the place I'm in as well.

[@courtneyjohnson315]

@@AngiePeacockMSW yay!! I’m so excited!

[@courtneyjohnson315]

@@AngiePeacockMSW I’d even love if it was group coaching style vs support group

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

@@courtneyjohnson315 yes, it's going to be group. I just discussed this with the protracted group the other day.

[@everett8610]

.5 twice a day is what I been taking for years but now once a day.

[@marzanalam8165]

Do benzos cause hypersalivation?if so how long will it take to heal?

[@HoneyGemHeart]

My experience & much research is the symptom variables Benzos & their cessation cause is immense and there is virtually no research into symptoms for this reason. Any possible thing that can in any way be linked to limbic system functions, vagus nerve functions, the whole GABA interference and the brain trying to heal from all of this, is a lot as individual as we are. So much is still unknown. ❤️‍🩹🥰

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Yes what Honey said is exactly right!

[@starboiklem8381]

Hey id like to ask a question, i have been on celexa for 4 years but missed doses all the time because i didnt care, iv been a week off before without problems, now im going to quit the ssri cold turkey but im really anxious about the withdrawal, does the fact that i never had issue even a week without kinda show i wont have intense withdrawal? Also can pssd start after you quit the medication? Pssd fear is why i decided to quit immediately actually. Im on day 3 off currently

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

You should never ever ever stop a drug cold turkey. Especially antidepressants. You can have a delayed withdrawal that won’t start until like month 2-4. Then wham. If you’ve messed with doses and cold turkey’d before, it’s more likely you will have withdrawal from it at a later withdrawal not less likely. Yes PSSD can also be a symptom of the withdrawal that will eventually heal. Please learn about safe tapering.

[@starboiklem8381]

@@AngiePeacockMSW i dont want to use any ssri again tho, ill try it and if i get really bad symptoms i guess ill be forced to do a slow taper and keep taking this pill for some time smh.

[@starboiklem8381]

@@AngiePeacockMSW im pretty sure i dont get any ssri withdrawal for some reason, its genetics or something, ill see how it goes, 7 days off celexa is 99% of the medication out, if that didn't give me withdrawal im guessing i wont get it.

[@aprilhassell1747]

❤

[@bettyboop6691]

One pill

[@susanmorgan4151]

Does anyone else experience a "burning" sensation- like hot sauce throughout your torso along with heart palpitations? 14 months out.. ..

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Very common symptom

[@susanmorgan4151]

​@AngiePeacockMSW OH thanks Angie!❤❤❤

[@andreaurbinajohnson7888]

I have those burning sensation, the sweats are the worst, and the physical pain.But lam hanging in there. Wish you the best

[@susanmorgan4151]

​@andreaurbinajohnson7888 how are you doing now ❤?

[@susanmorgan4151]

You CAN do this!❤​@@andreaurbinajohnson7888

[@tamihenderson4500]

How long did Satan and Kruger stay in your head I’m 6mths off Ct

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

Almost 4 years.

[@tamihenderson4500]

@@AngiePeacockMSW I hope they don’t stay that long with me at what month did they visit you

[@tamihenderson4500]

@@AngiePeacockMSW they been with me for about the last 3 weeks

[@AngiePeacockMSW]

@@tamihenderson4500 It's really not helpful to compare to others. Your journey is yours and mine is mine. Our time limits will be different.

[@HoneyGemHeart]

Appreciate you Angie 🙏🏼🪶 have been a protracted, but definitely better than the first few years. Many Many Thanks!🫶🥳