This is a very specific use case but I think it deserves documentation because benzodiazepine withdrawal is hell and anything that makes it slightly less hellish is worth knowing about.
I was prescribed lorazepam 1mg three times daily for panic disorder for two years. When my psychiatrist and I began tapering, the withdrawal anxiety was unlike anything I had experienced -- constant, physical, debilitating. We tapered slowly (10% reduction every two weeks) but even so, each reduction brought waves of anxiety that made my original panic disorder feel mild by comparison.
My psychiatrist approved the addition of Selank (she was familiar with the Russian literature) as an adjunct during the taper. I administered 200 mcg per nostril three times daily -- morning, afternoon, and evening, timed to the periods when withdrawal anxiety was typically worst.
Did Selank eliminate the withdrawal anxiety? Absolutely not. Benzodiazepine withdrawal operates on a different scale of suffering. But it took the edge off in a way that was meaningful. The peaks of anxiety felt about 15-20% less intense. The duration of acute anxiety episodes felt shorter. I was better able to use the cognitive behavioral techniques my therapist had taught me because I was not completely overwhelmed.
The most valuable aspect was that Selank produced zero additional dependence risk. After months of benzodiazepine dependence, the last thing I needed was another substance creating a new dependence. Selank's lack of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal meant I could use it freely as needed without worrying about creating a new problem while solving the old one.
I completed my lorazepam taper over five months. I continued Selank for two months after completing the taper, then stopped without any withdrawal or rebound. I am now medication-free for the first time in three years.
I do not claim Selank was the decisive factor in my successful taper. The slow taper rate, my psychiatrist's guidance, therapy, and exercise all contributed. But it was a helpful tool in the toolkit, and its safety profile made it usable in a context where most anxiolytics would have been contraindicated.