Whispering Wyrd

I use CBD to help manage withdrawal symptoms. Today I stopped by a new shop to restock, since the store I used to go to closed its location here in town. Because this shop carries different brands and products, I explained what I was looking for, and why.

When I mentioned that I was using CBD to help with benzodiazepine withdrawal, the man behind the counter paused. His eyes lit up, he smiled slightly, and said:

“Me too.”

That simple response opened a conversation I didn’t expect.

I’ll admit, at first I was a little skeptical. I don’t know why, maybe because benzodiazepine withdrawal is still something most people don’t understand unless they’ve lived it. But as he began talking about what he’d gone through, mentioning details specific to benzo withdrawal that you don’t just pick up secondhand, I knew immediately he was telling the truth.

It was surprisingly comforting to meet another person, face-to-face, who has been through that particular kind of hell. Outside of support groups, I never really expected that to happen.

There’s something strange, and strangely human, about how two complete strangers can instantly recognize one another through shared suffering. No long explanations needed. No convincing. Just understanding.

After I told him what I had been taking and how I use CBD, he shared his own routine, which turned out to be very similar to mine. He set up what I needed on the counter, we talked a bit more, and I left feeling lighter than when I’d walked in.

Without CBD, withdrawal, especially during the acute phase, would have been even harder for me than it already was. No one will ever convince me that CBD doesn’t work. I know it does, because I’ve lived it, and because many others have too… for both benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal.

It’s not a magic cure. It doesn’t erase the process. But it does take some of the edge off, and for me, it helps with inflammation and overall nervous system calm. I’ve learned that quality matters a great deal, just like with anything else.

I take CBD three times a day, usually with meals. On particularly rough days, or if something triggers a spike in symptoms, I’ll use a fast-acting tincture. Otherwise, I stick with edibles. One of the things I appreciate most about CBD is that it doesn’t get you high. There’s a calming effect, yes, but no intoxication. And the last thing I want, especially during withdrawal, is to feel altered in that way.

Sometimes healing shows up in unexpected places, like a short conversation in a shop, a shared nod of recognition, or a simple “me too.”

If you’ve been through withdrawal of any kind, or are going through it now, what has helped you?

May you be met with understanding where you least expect it.
May your nervous system find moments of ease, even in the midst of healing.
And may you remember that when someone says “me too,”
you are no longer walking this path alone.

~Buck