In 2012, while on a teaching placement in the UK, Emma Hames contracted a virus. Despite alarming symptoms and struggling to breathe, she was repeatedly dismissed by doctors and left to complete her postgraduate degree while growing increasingly unwell. After graduating, she moved to France -  only to discover, three months later, that she had just 60% lung capacity. A year of oxygen deprivation and ongoing breathlessness led to a pivotal moment with a doctor she’d met for just 15 minutes. His words: “If you want your life back, take these.”

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The pills were Bromazepam (Lexomil) - a benzodiazepine. Trusting the advice, Emma took them. But within weeks, her instincts told her something wasn’t right. When she asked to come off the drug, her dosage was increased instead. No one warned her that the medication was only ever meant for short-term use - no more than 7–14 days. Emma remained on the drug for four years.

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In 2016, she returned to the UK and was finally told the truth: she should never have been kept on it for longer than a week. Offered Diazepam to taper, but confused and unsure who or what to trust, she opted to avoid any related drugs altogether. Unaware that suddenly stopping benzodiazepines could be life-threatening, Emma tried to come off them alone - doing what she believed was safest.

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It led to a 10-year neurological injury, five years of being housebound, and over 35 ambulance calls. Still, no one could tell her what was wrong. Between 2012 and 2019, Emma spoke to over 100 medical professionals across two countries, yet no one made the connection. It wasn’t until a paramedic crew in Somerset gently suggested she look into benzodiazepines that the truth began to emerge.

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A deep dive into the research revealed a term she'd never heard before:
BIND - Benzodiazepine-Induced Neurological Dysfunction.
And with it, the realisation that millions of people around the world may be unknowingly suffering the same fate.

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She assumed this would be the beginning of answers, justice, and support. But she soon discovered: there are no dedicated specialists for this condition. No treatment protocols. No public awareness. And those who speak out are often silenced.

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A pharmaceutical executive even told her she deserved over £1 million in compensation - but only if she signed an NDA and agreed never to tell her story.

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Instead, Emma began documenting everything - through film, music, and art. TOXSICK was born from this refusal to be silenced.

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Despite being told no one would care, that she would never succeed as a first-time filmmaker, Emma continues to move forward - building a growing team, raising funds, and sharing her story to help others find theirs.

In 2024, she returned to France for the first time in 10 years - a milestone that once seemed impossible during her most unwell years. She was accredited at Cannes Film Festival, reclaiming the very place where her journey once unravelled, and is now building TOXSICK piece by piece - from the grassroots up.

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“Knowing that millions of innocent people are being affected by this worldwide, I can’t just move on with my life. If there’s even a 1% chance that my story might help others - I have to follow that through.”

Learn more at www.toxsick.org