Even when taken responsibly there is no guarantee you won't have a bad withdrawal. It can last anywhere from 2 months to a year in many cases. I took 5mg twice daily. Just 1mg. That is what my doctor (at the time) said to take. They are not made for the long term, only for a month at the most or in a hospital setting. It causes too many problems and put too much strain on our GABA and CNS.