Elizabeth McCarthy, MA, LPC hits the benzo community trifecta. She is a benzo survivor, an activist in the benzo community, and a therapist with a decade of experience working with dependence and withdrawal.

In today’s episode, we have an in-depth interview with Liz where we learn valuable insights about resilience, survival, and hope. We also take a brief look at the dark side of an idle mind, discuss the difficulty of finding support in non-English speaking countries, and shine a fresh spotlight on a wonderful resource.

https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/insights-on-withdrawal-a-conversation-with-elizabeth-mccarthy-bfp010

Video ID: BFP010

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

08:00 Mailbag

11:02 Benzo News

15:07 Benzo Story

17:45 Interview: Elizabeth McCarthy

57:11 Closing

Resources

The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Easing Anxiety of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein.

BENZO NEWS

• Benzo Free Facebook Page
• — (This page is no longer active.)
• “A Xanax Prescription That Should Have Been Rejected (BIC)” by Dr. Christy Huff
• — https://www.benzoinfo.com/2019/03/14/a-xanax-prescription-that-should-have-been-rejected
• World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) Events
• — http://w-bad.org/events
• “10 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night” on ThriveGlobal.com
• — https://thriveglobal.com/stories/10-proven-tips-to-sleep-better-at-night
• “10 Things Uninformed Benzodiazepine Prescribers Do” on BIC
• — https://www.benzoinfo.com/2018/06/23/10-things-uninformed-benzodiazepine-prescribers

BENZO SPOTLIGHT

• The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices
• — https://benzoreform.org

Introduction

In today’s intro, we opened with a brief tale of ninjas in the brain. I was just having fun, but about a serious topic. The ninjas are our negative thoughts, especially about our condition and whether it will be permanent or not. I used this analogy to illuminate the benefits of work and how an active brain can help prevent this chronic negative thought cycle.

Mailbag

This is where we share questions and comments which were discussed:

• COMMENT: About finding resources for non-English speaking patients.
• This comment was submitted by Juerg, in Berne, Switzerland. He suggested the need for a list of benzo resources, including people who have a shared experience, for all countries around the world.

Benzo Stories

I shared one short story today, from Terry in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA.

Feature

Today’s featured topic: An Interview with Elizabeth McCarthy, MA, LPC

Today’s feature is an in-depth interview with Liz McCarthy. Liz is a benzo survivor, a benzo activist, and a therapist who has a decade of experience working with patients suffering from benzo dependence and withdrawal. The interview shed a light on both her personal struggles and insights that she has gained from working with a variety of benzo patients.

The Podcast

The Benzo Free Podcast provides information, support, and community to those who struggle with the long-term effects of anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) and Z-drugs (Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata).

WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.com

MAILING LIST: https://www.easinganxiety.com/subscribe

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@easinganx

DISCLAIMER

All content provided by Easing Anxiety is for general informational purposes only and should never be considered medical advice. Any health-related information provided is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems, or to prescribe any medical devices or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://www.easinganxiety.com/disclaimer.

CREDITS

Music provided / licensed by Storyblocks Audio

— https://www.storyblocks.com

Benzo Free Theme

— Title: “Walk in the Park”

— Artist: Neil Cross

PRODUCTION

Easing Anxiety is produced by…

Denim Mountain Press

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