What Happened to Jordan Peterson? | The New Republic

Still, as soon as Petersons initial stint inrehab became public in 2019, threads sprang up in Peterson-related forums aboutwhether his fans should think less of him in light of his struggles with benzodiazepines.He was using a drug to escape the pain of reality, period. Call it whateveryou like, but it doesnt change the facts, wrote the user KingLudwigII on Reddit. In fact, dependence and addiction arehealth issues, not character defects, and if you pressed Peterson on thatpoint, hed probably agree. However, that message is a tough sell to many ofPetersons fans, who are drawn to his macho image and his personal story oftriumph over adversity.

By August or September 2019, Petersonshealth had deteriorated to the point that the family was more worried about himthan his cancer-stricken wife, Mikhaila said in an appearance onRT, the Russian propaganda network aimed at audiences outside of Russia.

There are established ways of treating adependence on benzodiazepines, a class of sedativesincluding Klonopin(clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Xanax (alprazolam)used for anxiety,insomnia, and epilepsy. Introduced to the U.S. market in 1960 as an alternative to barbiturates,benzodiazepines can be useful in treating a variety of conditions from panicattacks to muscle spasms. They can be very helpful for short-term andintermittent use, but their benefits tend to wanewhen they are used every day. They can also cause physical dependence within four weeks. If a person whos physicallydependent on benzodiazepines stops taking the drugs suddenly, they can sufferfrom withdrawal symptoms including severe anxiety, agitation, and evenlife-threatening seizures.

Dr. Olivera Bogunovic, the medical director ofambulatory services at Bostons McLean Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatryat Harvard Medical School, developed an outpatient program towean patients off benzodiazepines almost a decade ago. Prior to that, sherecalls, patients were being detoxed over four days in the hospital, becausethat was all insurance would pay for. Four days is a very rapid detox, and itsometimes resulted in the patients having seizures.

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What Happened to Jordan Peterson? | The New Republic

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