# Do benzo's make you feel stupid?



## SeanMcAndrew (Dec 22, 2011)

This really bothers me. My xanax is paramount in quelling my frustration and anxiety, but for days after I feel mentally impaired. I.e. coordination is off, slow reaction times, hard to think creatively. Being a hockey player and having to take benzos is like breaking my own foot. This in turn just serves to piss me off even more, almost defeating the purpose of taking them to begin with.


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## Porterdog (Sep 17, 2010)

Benzo's actually let me concentrate more
Probably because they get rid of the anxiety :I


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## MilkWasABadChoice (Nov 16, 2010)

Porterdog said:


> Benzo's actually let me concentrate more
> Probably because they get rid of the anxiety :I


Yep same here, benzos help me concentrate and actually wake me up a bit. To each his own I guess.


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## HollowTheory (Nov 3, 2011)

In the beginning they made me feel a shambling, drooling zombie (probably on too high of a dose...and the wrong benzo) but after I adjusted most of the overt signs of cognitive impairment dissipated, though I still have problems with short term memory and don't feel like I'm operating at 'peak' mental performance. I'd like to wean off them sometime in the not too distant future because even though the downsides right now aren't too significant, I'm no longer feeling much upside and have no desire to increase what is already a solid dose.


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## belfort (May 3, 2009)

yep, benzos or any hard hitting gaba drugs really slow me down mentally and physically..sure, they kill my anxiety and restlessness but they also really hurt my mental sharpness and reflexes..plus, benzos alone make me less social..sucks but no drug is without side effects..

now, benzos combined with a stimulant and you will have increased cognitive ability and lessened anxiety, more pro-social..


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## patypaya (Jan 11, 2012)

I think you really need to talk to a therapist, counselor or a professional about this. They can give you the best answer.


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## borbiusle (Sep 26, 2009)

I become very forgetful on benzos and make dumb mistakes I normally wouldn't make at work.


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## Greenie54 (Jan 13, 2012)

I weaned off a benzo, Xanax, 3.5 months ago. Shortly after weaning off, I began to experience quite a few symptoms that are extremely unpleasent and scary. The condition I have is post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). It is horrible and it is messing up my life. Among the symptoms is sensitivity to noise, anxiety so bad that I can't keep still at all. I spend my days walking around in circles in my backyard and in my house or I have to stay physically busy. Other symptons is sensitivity to the touch and a feeling of an electric current in my legs. When I swallow the "current" is intensified for a second. Muscle spasms, my mind is not clear, I have a very hard controlling the mouse on my computer. 

I've researched PAWS a lot and can't find any type of treatment. My psychiatrist know of no treatment. Using benzos "kills" GABA and neurtransmitters in the brain are not firing. This is caused by long term use of Xanax. Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback if anyone has found something that helps the symptoms. Thanks


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

Benzos affect the brain exactly the same way alcohol does. So, yeah, they can make you "stupid" if you take too much.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

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## MilkWasABadChoice (Nov 16, 2010)

Greenie54 said:


> I weaned off a benzo, Xanax, 3.5 months ago. Shortly after weaning off, I began to experience quite a few symptoms that are extremely unpleasent and scary. The condition I have is post acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). It is horrible and it is messing up my life. Among the symptoms is sensitivity to noise, anxiety so bad that I can't keep still at all. I spend my days walking around in circles in my backyard and in my house or I have to stay physically busy. Other symptons is sensitivity to the touch and a feeling of an electric current in my legs. When I swallow the "current" is intensified for a second. Muscle spasms, my mind is not clear, I have a very hard controlling the mouse on my computer.
> 
> I've researched PAWS a lot and can't find any type of treatment. My psychiatrist know of no treatment. Using benzos "kills" GABA and neurtransmitters in the brain are not firing. This is caused by long term use of Xanax. Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback if anyone has found something that helps the symptoms. Thanks


How long were you taking xanax and how often??


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

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## brittneyann (Jun 30, 2010)

Porterdog said:


> Benzo's actually let me concentrate more
> Probably because they get rid of the anxiety :I


Same here.


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## The Other (Oct 23, 2011)

Benzos are great for taking away at least 3/4ths of my mental anxiety and demolishing almost all of the physical symptoms. But. The build-up of tolerance is incredibly annoying, and I'm up to 2mg once a day for four days a week now, and while they help while I'm at work, I work much slower and less efficiently, and I feel ridiculously dopey, lethargic, and slow-minded for the rest of the entire day. I don't want to be on these long-term, because I feel like I lose at least 20 IQ points while I'm on them. I'm looking into beta-blockers for the physical symptoms of anxiety, since that's the most annoying and obvious aspect of my anxiety.


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## sanspants08 (Oct 21, 2008)

Xanax does make me feel stupid. Ativan does nothing at all, unless I use very high doses, in which case it messes with my short-term memory and I can't drive. 

Klonopin, on the other hand, works wonders and doesn't mess with my cognition or memory at all


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## The Other (Oct 23, 2011)

sanspants08 said:


> Klonopin, on the other hand, works wonders and doesn't mess with my cognition or memory at all


I might have to try Klonopin. Does it take away physical symptoms in the same way as Xanax?


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## sanspants08 (Oct 21, 2008)

Scum of Society said:


> I might have to try Klonopin. Does it take away physical symptoms in the same way as Xanax?


Most definitely, and for six hours instead of four :yes. You'll have to find out what dosage works for you though. 1mg is good enough to control my anxiety in the daytime, and enough to get me to sleep peacefully at nighttime.


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## The Other (Oct 23, 2011)

sanspants08 said:


> Most definitely, and for six hours instead of four :yes. You'll have to find out what dosage works for you though. 1mg is good enough to control my anxiety in the daytime, and enough to get me to sleep peacefully at nighttime.


So it doesn't make yo as tired as Xanax then?

I mean, I like Xanax and all, but I don't like the decline in my intellect while I'm on it at all. Then again, it's a much better to be tired and a little slow for a little while than to be on the verge of a panic attack every day. Is it easy to get a pdoc to give klonopin?


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## sanspants08 (Oct 21, 2008)

Scum of Society said:


> So it doesn't make yo as tired as Xanax then?
> 
> I mean, I like Xanax and all, but I don't like the decline in my intellect while I'm on it at all. Then again, it's a much better to be tired and a little slow for a little while than to be on the verge of a panic attack every day. Is it easy to get a pdoc to give klonopin?


Typically your doc will tell you to pick a benzo--either klonopin or xanax, but not both. It does make you a little sleepy, if you're prone to feeling that way. Almost nothing makes me sleepy, so I haven't run into that problem with Kpin.


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## Mojo357 (Jun 27, 2014)

*yes*

I have been seeing a therapist for most of my adult life and I have been on probably every type of anxiety drug there is. they have always made me feel like a drooling idiot, no memory, numb fingers, sausage fingers as well. not fun. not to mention other side effects from some of them... but I think that maybe it is less to do for me any ways a imbalance of chemicals in my brain then how it is wired to begin with. I have Asperge's and not Neurotypical. no anxiety drug has worked to control my anxiety. all they do is slow down my brain and make me dumb, This makes me more anxious. I do not know if this will help anyone.


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## Boulder257 (May 9, 2013)

borbiusle said:


> I become very forgetful on benzos and make dumb mistakes I normally wouldn't make at work.


Heh, I'm on probation at work for this very reason. I look back and wonder"what was I thinking when" when my boss points out a mistake. I don't even remember doing certain things let alone the result I came up with.

It's difficult. I need the benzo, but I can't keep making mistakes at work. Especially these really stupid ones. Something's gotta give and soon.


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## mgrz (Feb 7, 2012)

Greenie54 said:


> I weaned off a benzo, Xanax, 3.5 months ago. Shortly after weaning off, I began to experience quite a few symptoms that are extremely unpleasent and scary. [...] I would appreciate any feedback if anyone has found something that helps the symptoms.


Flumazenil



> After long-term exposure to benzodiazepines, GABAA receptors become down-regulated and uncoupled. Growth of new receptors and recoupling after prolonged flumazenil exposure has also been observed. It is thought this may be due to increased synthesis of receptor proteins.


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## d829 (Jul 29, 2010)

Well you would have to be stupid to make benzos a lifestyle and yes they make you stupid.


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## Edwardo (Dec 12, 2011)

Shouldn't xanax only be used as a sedative since it's a short acting benzo (also the most widely abused). Have no idea why you got prescribed that instead of clonazepam (klonopin) which has a longer half-life and is primarily an anxiolytic benzo rather than a hypnotic.

Klonopin feels great and I can control my thoughts better.


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## Caterpillar13 (Nov 10, 2013)

No, my valium does not do that to me AT ALL. Unless of course I took way too much, in which case for example I'd crash a car if I where to drive..

The only time I felt dumb n slow was on a particular ssri.


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## RelinquishedHell (Apr 10, 2012)

They do. I feel like Klonopin permanently ruined my memory along with my abstract thinking. I used to be so much more creative before starting benzos.


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## howd this happen (Jun 30, 2014)

Ive never really took notice of benzos ive heard about them quite a lot. I used to be an addict and friends would always talk about benzos I just thought script drugs meh but ive just learned my sleeping pills have benzo in them and some nights when ive moped all day I take I sleeper and suddenly rushing desperate to do something make tons of plans to get over my crap. Then the next day I just feel like crap again not wanting to go out but forcing myself to but just wanting to hurry back home. It has made me wonder if I should take a sleeper in the morning instead and see if I get the need to change like I do at night. They make me full of ideas but also when ive taken too much I haven't a clue what happened the night before so now ive halved my dose from 7.5mg zopiclone to half a tab each night. 

If there is a day pill with alittle benzo in ide like to give it a shot. Altho quitting cannabis has helped alot too but I have week days wher ill buy some but now what used to last a day or two lasts me a week. I go months without it too.


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## howd this happen (Jun 30, 2014)

I also get seroxat paroxetine 30mg per day but never take them I tried and they made me feel sick all day like the morning after dropping a ton of extacy. Ide be greatful for any info on these pills from long term users. If they do help ill start taking them I just dont have the confidence in them tbh.


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