I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can

Rating:
Summary: Gripping tale - God forbid that it happen to anyone else
Review: Hidden within the pages of this intense and absorbing first person account, are sincere and serious warnings for everyone living in our therapeutic culture. It warns of the false solutions offered by therapists who rely too heavily on medication. It warns of the dangers of relying on experts to provide healing rather than on self-responsibility. It warns of the dangers of emotional repression instead of expression. But the greatest warning may be that we all need to build and maintain networks of supportive and sensitive family and friends. In the end Gordon credits this resource as contributing the most to her healing.

Honored for 15 weeks on the New York Times bestseller's list, this book is the story of Barbara Gordon's anxiety-induced slide into Valium addiction, her ill-advised and dangerous "cold-turkey" withdrawal, the psychosis and hospitalizations that followed the withdrawal, and her slow, painful, and persistent pathway back to functioning. Readers may find the first half of the book to be a bit repetitive as Gordon chronicles her destructive relationship with Eric, but the pathos and honesty expressed in her fight back to sanity while at Greenwood Hospital is gripping and compelling.

I am aware that there have been changes in state licensing standards for therapists since this book was written. I am aware that there have been many significant advances in the study of brain biology since this book was written. I hope that the therapeutic "industry" may be credited with significant advance since Gordon endured this mistreatment. Nonetheless, I recommend this book. It speaks with a distinctive voice warning that we all - treated and untreated, patient and therapist - must take personal responsibility for our mental health within a supportive social context of family and friends.

No one should ever have to repeat the experience Barbara Gordon had.

Rating:
Summary: Be prepared!!
Review: If you're like me, and really *get into* what you're reading, this book will have you questioning your own sanity!

You will fall into the deep blackness with Ms. Gordon, as well celebrate her successes as she begins to see the light!

This book is timeless, powerful, and AWESOME. Not a "feel good" story -- but a tormented journey -- one which will give you hope.

A must-read for women in search of inner-strength!

Rating:
Summary: Benzodiazapine Addiction - No Story Learned
Review: While this compelling, but somewhat antiquated, true story chronicles Barbara's hell during withdrawal from Valium, the point somehow seems to have been missed by the psychiatric community. Benzo prescriptions and hospital detox admissions (at least in the US) are at an all time high. If Valium wasn't enough hell, the drug companies are peddling even stronger and more addictive version of theses benzos. Including Ativan and Zanax being 2 of the most commonly prescribed drugs in America today. Barbara's story is a power and compelling tale of the dangers of these drugs, but unfortunately it's lesson has had no effect on widespread prescribing and subsequent addition to these drugs.

All one needs to do to verify what I'm saying is join the benzo group at yahoogroups.com. There you will find hundreds if not thousands of people all over the world trying to cope with living the life of an "accidental addict".

Unfortunately few will ever recover from this addiction and most will die from it or at least with it.