I found phenibut through Reddit while searching for help with severe social anxiety. The first time I took 500mg before a work presentation, it was revelatory. The anxious voice in my head just went quiet. I was articulate, relaxed, and present. I thought I had found a miracle.
At first I stuck to once or twice a week. But within a month, I was using it three times a week. Then every other day. Then daily. The dose crept up too — from 500mg to 1g, then 1.5g, then 2g. By month three I was taking 3-4 grams a day just to feel normal. The magic was completely gone; I was just taking it to stave off withdrawal.
When I tried to stop, the withdrawal hit like a freight train. Insomnia so severe I went 4 days without sleeping. Anxiety worse than anything I had ever experienced before phenibut. Tremors, heart pounding, a terrifying sense of impending doom that would not let up. On day 5, I had a seizure at work and was taken to the ER.
The ER doctors had barely heard of phenibut and initially treated me like a drug seeker. Eventually they stabilized me with baclofen and I did a 6-week taper under medical supervision. That was 18 months ago. I still deal with rebound anxiety that is worse than my baseline before phenibut. This substance can help people, but the line between use and dependence is razor thin. Please take the warnings about frequency seriously.