When I was seventeen years old I started working at a local pharmacy as a cashier. That position quickly turned into a technician position and before long I had been a certified pharmacy technician off and on for over 15 years at multiple pharmacies. In that time, I have seen things that would shock you. There is a dark side to the pharmaceutical industry that many do not think about and one of those aspects is prescription drug addiction.
The Benzo Devil by R.W. Pharazyn is the story of Rob Pharazyn, a man who becomes addicted to the highly-addictive, yet commonly prescribed drug, Ativan, and his journey from addiction to recovery.
Reading Rob's account was difficult for me, and brought up a lot of memories of my own journey. After starting the prescription drug Cymbalta, without researching it first, I went against doctor's orders and quit the medication cold turkey. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. All of the experiences that Rob had to suffer through mirrored my own experience and the memories came flooding back. I wouldn't wish this experience on my worst enemies.
Coming off of many prescription drugs can be compared to someone coming off of heroin, with side effects including "brain zaps" (or electric shock sensations), nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and insomnia, to name a few.
Though painful to read, I commend Mr. Pharazyn for accounting his journey in such great detail. He describes the effect of recovery on every aspect of his life and shows how things can get worse before they get better, but they do get better! I can see how The Benzo Devil can give those who want to break their prescription addictions hope but Rob does not sugar coat a thing. His storytelling is raw and real but shows the good with the bad, which is both sad and refreshing at the same time.
I will say, in all honesty, this book was one that was hard for me to get through and was a struggle to finish. The Benzo Devil is eye-opening and is a story I think everyone should read, as hard as it is to read. It is so important to research the prescriptions that are prescribed to you before you begin them, read the side effects carefully, and make an educated decision for yourself. Knowledge is power!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Acorn and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
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