Date: Thu Oct 5, 2000 5:42 pm

Subject: Just Hang in there!

Hi everyone,

I know some of you at this site. I live in So.California,USA, and

have been off Xanax and Ambien for over 3 1/2 years now. It took me a

very LONG time to get better, however, I realize that all our brains

are different in how they heal.

I would like to take this opportunity to THANK Bill Hermanski, who

was there for me during my darkest days, no...make that years! He

constantly encouraged and supported me, and always told me,"Just hang

on, you will get better!" I couldn't not be inspired by his and

others sincerity, I just wanted to get my life back, as they had. It

was so difficult, but it was worth the hell just to be ME again! And

to prove to those people who only knew me as a severly depressed,

anxiety ridden person full of fears, that I wasn't that person at

all. Today I have my life back. I can't tell you what that means to

my husband, kids and friends.

I still have some lingering side effects, but the major ones are

gone. I have worked occasionally at my Addiction Doctors office, so i

have had the opportunity to see first hand what works and what

doesn't. It saddens me greatly to know that there is not a lot you

can do for benzo withdrawal, but I hope that more information and

education will be made public, and soon!

Take care everyone, and KNOW there is a end in sight, not in the time

frame we all want, but it will happen.

Sincerely,

Denise