i also rely on a benzo (clonazepam) to keep my anxiety and panic attacks at bay. no other med worked for me and i've tried a lot. what i think whoever told you "it will harm your system" means is it'll increase your baseline anxiety so if you ever come off it your anxiety will be worse than it was before and it takes a long time to go back to equilibrium. it's also linked to dementia in old age. there are downsides to any med/drug so if you're aware of them and are fine with it then I wouldn't worry too much. They really can be a lifesaver if used responsibly. I personally do not care about the downsides and intend to be on them until i die because they increase the quality of my life without me having to increase the dose. I'm prescribed 1.5mg but only take 1mg a day and save the rest for especially bad days and also for aiding in ctb. one other thing, I've never experienced it really myself but withdrawals are pure hell and if you quit cold turkey at a high enough dose you most likely will have a seizure which could kill you.