I am a long term user of Benzodiazepines (both illicitly (Using Flunitrazepam Nitrazepam, Flurazepam, Midazolam and Oxazepam, etc) and at the same time using legally)) and have been prescribed Diazepam to help deal with the symptoms for over 20 years.
I was left on diazepam when my previous Psychiatrist retorted to my request to halt Benzo's and titrate onto a low dose of an anti-psychotic by saying "1. You're already addicted (approached them after 3 months) 2. It's the best medication for the symptoms and 3. Your GP is prepared to prescribe them."
So I was left on them for the last 10 years @20mg and the other 10 years @60mg. I find them useful still; but I am encountering more and more criticism from GP, Psychiatrist, Key workers, Drug support workers are all saying that I should taper and stop taking them. This is not what I want to do I would like to continue taking them.
1. What are my rights? and 2. Why are they trying to force me to stop taking them?.
Surely if they didn't want to prescribe Diazepam long term then they shouldn't have prescribed it for the last 20 years. Now I'm aware that I am addicted but have drug issues that I am already currently working on. i.e. Methadone is reduced from 75mg/ml down to 25mg/ml so I am on a 1/3 dosage. Then I'm working on Tobacco by using a vape cig pen and approaching my Cannabis usage, which I would like to reduce but I'm not interested in stopping altogether.