Seconding your experience. Used on an occasional basis, benzos can be helpful without resulting in the horror stories related here. Of course, everyone is different and YMMV, but confirming that your positive experience is not unique.
That said: do not abuse benzos. They will fuck you up.
I was prescribed temazepam for insomnia. It was the only sleep medication that worked, and it was the best sleep I've had in my life. It stopped being effective after around 30 days (or maybe 60, I forget). That was the end of that. I could have argued for a higher dose or a refill or whatever, but... you don't fuck with benzos.
>That said: do not abuse benzos. They will fuck you up.
This is pretty much my perspective, except I'd say that it doesn't even necessarily require abuse per se. I'd say just be very careful when using them, and get off of them ASAP. Myself, I only take them if there's a procedure of some sort they're called for.
I'd say awareness is more called for than a total ban. A total ban would be messed up because there is zero replacement for them for what they do -none.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6494026/
I think other disorders in gaba/glutamate functioning (or in an adjacent disorder that affects these systems) could be similar.
My guess is that low doses of benzos used to treat neurological disorders have a lower risk because GABA/Glutamate/related systems in that population are pathologically dysfunctional and benefit more directly from these medications.
I took one a day for 4 days, as the panic would flare up right before I tried to sleep. I figured, I could be taking 6 a day, so 1 a day shouldn't hurt. And it was only 4 days in a row. No problem.
Day 5. Bang. Dt's. Immediate anxiety attack. Suicidal thoughts. Brain zaps. High blood pressure. Vertigo.
They are no joke, but doctors throw them around like they used to with opiates.
But many people have trouble and I am still at risk.
Benzos are miracle drugs for many including myself, but have to be taken carefully, and discontinued slowly (hyperbolic taper) if withdrawal symptoms are too bad.
It seems that you got lucky, which is wonderful but not necessarily actionable for others.