Diazepam and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• Anx...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 8, 2014

Diazepam for Anxiety "I've been on just about every benzodiazepine there is, and Valium (diazepam) is all around the best for combating debilitating anxiety symptoms. It may not be the most potent benzo, but it has wide and equal benzo effects, including sedation, muscle relaxation, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and can be used for insomnia. Now, the main reason why Valium is the best is its extra-long half-life. Its effects can linger for days, which is helpful if you have chronic anxiety. It also prevents those ups and downs short-acting benzos cause like Xanax and Ativan. Another thing to note is withdrawal from Valium is by far the most mild out of all the benzos. This wonderful medication is an oldie but goodie."

• 186...
• February 7, 2016

Diazepam for Anxiety "I love this medication, and it frustrates me that it is shunned upon so heavily by most doctors and mental health practitioners. It's true, the withdrawals can be incredibly bad, but if not abused, this medication is a godsend for those with anxiety. I have strong mood issues, and while I try to meditate, exercise, eat small regular meals, keep busy, and be active, etc., which helps most days, sometimes it just doesn't cut it when I'm having extreme anxiety and just need to relax. I was prescribed 5mg for travel (panic attacks flying), but I cut that into 1/4 and just take 1.25mg occasionally here and there when I need it. That's all you need, and I find it does the job amazingly."

• Msm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2018

Diazepam for Anxiety "Let me start off by thanking Valium for helping me to get onto an airplane after years of fear! I got on that plane like I owned it, lol... I got into Mexico and was still calm as a clam on the taxi ride to the hotel. Okay, but now my anxiety has come back to me lately, and I've felt the need to take 5mg of Valium almost every other day. I'm a changed person on it... I have no fears, it helps me to feel secure... it brings my appetite back to the point I want to order everything off the menu... I'm more calm with my children, I'm happy and playful. I also see a counselor once a week, and I am aware of the unfortunate withdrawals Valium could possibly have."

• Han...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 9, 2021

Diazepam for Anxiety "I have PTSD, severe anxiety, panic attack disorder, insomnia, and depression. I am in recovery, but at one point, it was all so bad that I reached psychological burnout. I no longer felt nor had energy. This drug has been my savior. This is the only drug that instantly diffuses panic attacks and flashbacks. I manage to only take it as needed, some days I don't need any. But just knowing it is there is enough to make me feel like it's going to be okay. I am grateful I have a wonderful doctor who understands and actually helps me. I have felt withdrawal symptoms in the past, and I can see how it can be addictive. But for someone suffering for so long for something to take away the panic attacks without resorting to drinking, etc., I am so grateful."

• TLH...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 2, 2024

For Anxiety "I've been using Valium on and off for over 20 years. It is the only drug that helps my anxiety. I can't take SSRIs or other antidepressants because they trigger rapid cycling mania/depression. I take 2.5 mg when my anxiety gets too bad, and when going through a particularly bad time, I will take it every day, then wean off when things settle. I have been doing this for 2 decades and know how to handle the withdrawals. Unfortunately, I can't take it every day long-term because it worsens my depression when I use it daily for longer than a month. This drug has honestly saved my life and my sanity, but it is becoming harder to get a prescription for it because the younger crop of doctors are so set against it. Which is better - to suffer with debilitating anxiety that makes you suicidal, or to be dependent on a highly efficient drug that allows you to function normally? Doctors need to get out of their ivory towers."

• Imi...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 4, 2024

Diazepam for Anxiety "I've been on Valium (diazepam) for over ten years now, and I would definitely recommend it for panic attacks, PTSD, and phobias. Before the diazepam, I was taking 400 mg of Phenobarbital daily. While I still think the Phenobarbital is stronger and better for panic, it's outdated, and no one will prescribe it for anxiety anymore (along with meprobamate and butalbital). Valium is the best benzodiazepine for me personally. It has a fast onset, especially if I am actively panicked, averaging about 15 minutes to an hour, depending on my mood. It's got a long half-life, so I don't get interdose withdrawal, and I get great coverage. After years of being on 40 mg daily, my new prescriber agreed to 60 mg/day as my PTSD is so bad and I have a tolerance, this has been a game changer, and it's working even better than before. Downsides are you cannot drive while on Valium as it is intoxicating, drowsiness and sedation, physical tolerance and withdrawal, and addiction issues."

• Suf...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 27, 2018

Diazepam for Anxiety "My psychiatrist prescribed this for me reluctantly when I demanded some relief from horrible anxiety. I did not abuse it, and he monitored my intake. In the first few years, I averaged 10 mg per week. I went through a horrible personal tragedy and upped the dose, with psychiatrists' full knowledge. The tragedy lasted 3 years, and I quit Valium cold turkey. I stayed in bed 8 months and learned the meaning of the phrase 'pray without ceasing.' Literally. For those who need some kind of timeline, I speak from experience that withdrawal eased up after 8 months. God willing, I will never touch benzos again. Short-term, for some patients, they offer some benefits. Short term ONLY."

• Mel...
• February 23, 2016

Diazepam for Anxiety "Used for 17 years, worked well at first but needed increased doses as I became tolerant. Held the same dose for the past 7 years then suddenly became acutely anxious and agoraphobic, dose was increased again but the only result was awful unsteadiness on my feet. Finally, I was told that some people get withdrawal symptoms even while taking the same dose, and it seems that is the problem I have. Never been this ill in my life and now I face having to taper off it which scares me. My experience and opinion is it was fine short term but long term caused me more problems than it ever solved."

• jhu...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 24, 2015

Diazepam for Anxiety "I have been taking Valium for 15 years for sleep and anxiety, 15-30mg. This drug has worked well through the years but I have begun to notice memory and balance issues, so I decided to get off of it. The first time, I quickly tapered off and one night, I awoke to a racing heartbeat, tremors, and an intense feeling like my head, face, and back were on fire. I had to go back on because of this. Now I'm doing a slow taper, so far, I have gone from 15mg to 7.5mg over 4 months. Going from 15-10mg was easy, but going under 10mg has been very difficult at times. For years I was very positive about this drug, but I do not think you should take it for more than a month unless you absolutely have to. Just be careful, as withdrawals can be severe."

• Lis...
• August 1, 2015

Diazepam for Anxiety "After taking Chantix for smoking cessation, I fell into a spiral of severe depression. I didn't feel like leaving my home other than going to work. I gained 25 pounds and felt my life was hopeless. I had always felt like an extrovert trapped in an introvert's body. I stumbled upon Valium when my husband gave me one for muscle cramps. The effects were amazing! I no longer felt trapped in my prison of isolation and misery. A word of caution, though: this drug is addictive and should be taken in small amounts, and withdrawal should be done slowly and under medical supervision. It is a shame Valium has such a bad rap."

• Muc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 29, 2019

For Anxiety "A couple of years ago, I was on 30 mg Valium, 120 mg Morphine, and 60 mg Percocet a day for back issues for 5 years. It got me through grad school. Then my doctor got shut down, and I was screwed. The morphine was extended release (lasted all day), so withdrawing from that was brutal. The lack of Valium, though, put me into crazy benzo withdrawal syndrome, so I had to get back on it to taper off, which still was bad. I have general anxiety, so I'm taking 5 mg of Valium a day again, which is excellent. I refuse to take anything that lasts 24 hours a day for pain, only as needed. I like Valium, versus other benzos, because it kicks in slowly and lasts longer as opposed to Xanax, Klonopin, and Ativan. So, be careful, expect horrible withdrawal if you take daily, don't cold turkey benzos or alcohol ever (seizures can happen), and fight for your right to not suffer."

• swi...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 25, 2020

For Anxiety "Teva diazepam had worked well for me for many years at just 2 mg dosage three times a day, not a really large dose. Now I have been having withdrawal symptoms, and after I take the tablet, I feel no different at all. Something has changed with it. I used to feel it work within a half hour, and now it never works. I am having serious withdrawal symptoms. Teva's quality assurance department seems to be just one individual, and there was a language barrier. Eventually, they replaced the bottle with a new one also from Teva, but it's the same problem. The Teva had worked well but no longer seems to do anything at all. I had two tablets left from an old bottle, and the difference was too great to even compare. The withdrawal symptoms went away. That bottle had a much older expiration date (6/2020). It seems like the new stuff is much weaker if there is anything in it at all. My rating for this (1) is based on the current Teva formulation. Prior to this, it would have been 10."

• Jea...
• June 20, 2020

Diazepam for Muscle Spasm "My doctor prescribed Valium after I had two lung surgeries. It was to treat the pain and muscle spasms. Thankful it was only 5 mgs per night. I couldn’t get a refill in time, and I’d been on it for about two years. I just felt it was time to get off of the Valium. I think I’m doing better pain-wise. And I take Tramadol for that pain during the day. I have been experiencing withdrawals. I am taking natural supplements in place to wean me off. I shake a little, rapid anxious thoughts, digestive upset, irritability, panic. It’s not good to take it long term. I rated Valium high because it did its job, relaxed me, and the only side effects for me were dry mouth and being more tired in the morning. The con is clearly the addictive properties of it. Your body starts to need it just to go to sleep or feel normal. I’m hoping this will end soon. I read it can take months or years to come off Valium. I was on a low dose, so I hope it won’t last that long."

• Lex...
• April 8, 2015

For Muscle Spasm "Valium is a great muscle relaxer, however, long-term use causes more pain in the long run. After I had been taking a low 5-10 therapeutic dose for neck pain, I became intolerant to that dose and ended up with an 18-year dependency. I reached a daily 40 mg dependency when severe back and leg pain began. Eighteen years later, I managed to reduce the dosage to 10 mg a day with little withdrawal symptoms. Then I came across an obscure research article on rats given Valium. They developed RA-like symptoms, which is what I have. It's a type of rebound muscle pain when your body's tolerance level reaches its peak. It's similar to rebound headaches, and the pain is severe. Please think carefully about staying on Valium long-term. I'd say two months is safest."

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 7, 2017

Diazepam for Anxiety "Having anxiety my whole life, I never sought help and always hid it. Eventually, it led to depression, which I covered up too. The final nail in my coffin was when I acquired a parasitic infection in my gut. The infection left me with permanent irritable bowel syndrome, which I suffer from every day. For a year straight, I saw numerous nerve pain experts and probably had 100 pill bottles in my drawer, which nothing helped. My first psychiatrist started to prescribe medicines I already tried, which I denied, then asked for 5mg Valium. Miracle drug that took all pain away, physical and mental. After 2 years, decided to stop, which was a devil's ride to hell. Miracle drug with insane withdrawal when stopped, even tapering. Back to being miserable now."

• Tra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2021

For Anxiety "I have spent too long on benzodiazepines in general. Six years on 3 or 4 mg of clonazepam. I began a taper and switched to diazepam at 60 mg a day instead of the 3 mg of clonazepam, TID. I notice I am no longer depressed. I believe the clonazepam made me depressed. I no longer feel a strange deep sadness. The major effects from diazepam don't last as long-four hours for me instead of clonazepam, six hours for me. But overall, I am sleeping better. I have no problem waiting for or forgetting my next dose, whereas with clonazepam, I needed to keep a timer and take it exactly every eight hours, or else I would start to go into minor withdrawals. The clonazepam would rapidly drop off. With diazepam, the effects come faster, last longer in a less pronounced and more wavering down. So, I can wait until I need my next dose and not struggle with minor withdrawals for two or three hours because I forgot my meds. I take a high dose because of tolerance. Treats my PTSD symptoms better than clonazepam."

• Hol...
• October 23, 2018

For Anxiety "Took this for maybe 7 years for panic. Daily usage, average of 15 mg per day. My life is ruined now. I was cut off it too fast and went into acute withdrawal, trust me, you do not want to know how it feels. I thought it was so safe and innocent. I was already so panicky and agoraphobic. Now I'm in a constant spasm, feel exhausted, and am losing my memory. Brain is worn out. I'm only 32. It's made my psychosis terrifying, and I'm scared I'm dying every day. It is incessant, and I could not cope without my dad. At first, I noticed text moving around and a sensation that my brain was squeezing, then it was like I was falling into darkness in my mind and couldn't hold on. I fought and fought, but I think I was just blacking out. It's not just sleeping, you are fighting for your life. I became so psychotic and scared I tried ending my life. Unless it is occasional, light use, I'd stay well away from benzos. You don't notice you are slowly losing your mind over time. It's not worth gambling with."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 16, 2021

Diazepam for Anxiety "For my panic disorder, I used to take short-acting benzos, i.e., Ativan, which, of course, works; however, dependence and subsequent painful withdrawal followed hours after discontinuation. I am able to take Valium, which is a long-acting benzo that seems (for me) to have a slower onset of action and a much longer duration of action. I notice that I'm able to start/stop the medication without experiencing withdrawal symptoms like I had with Ativan. Sometimes, I can go weeks, even months, without a need to take it. I use 2 mg; it works great, and I have never needed more. In fact, sometimes I break the pill in half and only take 1 mg. The drug certainly can be abused, but I do feel it gets a bad rap. As always, this medication isn't for everyone and shouldn't be used by everyone."

• Gee...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 20, 2018

Diazepam for Anxiety "The medication I stopped for a month off a taper. And just went back on it. I was sweating profusely, along with social anxiety and PTSD. It has been a godsend medication, but the only downfall is that it can have bad withdrawal symptoms! But I was on Xanax 4 mg daily and Valium. The Xanax withdrawal put me in the hospital, but the Valium withdrawal is mild, but it is dangerous. Hope this helps someone in need of some advice! Make sure it's only taken at the recommended dose and try to use it every couple of days, not daily, otherwise, you develop a tolerance."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2018

Diazepam for Alcohol Withdrawal "Valium has been a godsend for my benzodiazepine taper. On it a month now as of March 22, 2018. It is very relaxing and mild now, but at first, it was very sedating for the first 5 days. I take 10 mg 2x a day. I am being tapered off of Klonopin after 12 years on that drug. K-pin is hell to get off of alone. Glad my psych doc is open-minded and dropped the K-pin immediately and switched me to Valium after I told him about the Ashton Taper Method and that I wanted off the Klonopin because it was giving me bad withdrawals if I missed a dose. If you are serious about getting off of benzos, I urge you to Google the Ashton Taper Method."

• Yog...
• October 27, 2018

For Anxiety "I’ve been using Valium prn for 15 years, since going through an acrimonious divorce and custody battle, and raising two boys on my own who both have psychiatric/emotional illnesses. Diazepam has literally been a lifesaver for me. I have what my doctor termed as ‘severe and persistent anxiety.’ I never had any problems with cognitive function or tolerance until the last few years when relentless circumstances caused me to increase my doses and then started getting symptoms of tolerance withdrawal. I’m currently stable on 10 mg and will be tapering next year when my son finishes school. I’m not looking to stop completely, just wanting to return to my as-needed dose as I have a far better quality of life when I can use them as a tool to quell my anxiety and make non-reactive decisions when I’m under stress. I would give them a ten if not for the tolerance, but this can be mitigated by responsible use."

• Psy...
• February 15, 2017

For Anxiety "I have had anxiety and depression for many years and tried almost every antidepressant and sedative known to man. I even used to self-medicate with pot and booze. Until my back went out and the doctor gave me Valium. 10 mgs at night kept me much more relaxed but able to work and drive, better still, my anxiety dissipated and my performance at work, especially during meetings, was markedly improved. I still take 150 mg Effexor (SNRI), but it's the Valium that really did the job. My psychologist could not believe what an improvement the Valium had made, and since then I take 10 mg at night. I have heard bad things regarding withdrawals, but I have had periods of 2-3 weeks of no Valium with very little, if any, withdrawals compared to 'the Xanax hell'!"

• Swi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 29, 2018

For Anxiety "These were the only thing to even touch my severe anxiety and depression. I took 20 mg a day, which I believe is the highest dose a doctor would recommend. Which I needed. But anyways, fast forward roughly a year later, and before I can get more, I notice how awful I start to feel. Then I realized I'd become dependent on them. So I took it up with my doctor, who refused to help, and an addiction clinic who said because of the dosage and length of time I'd been taking them, I needed to go to the hospital (but I didn't want to let anyone know how bad I was). And basically, the next 6 weeks were hands down the hardest time of my life, and I genuinely thought I was going to die at times, but I stuck at it and finally, 8 months later, I'm able to function semi-normally, with only an occasional relapse when the PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) act up. My advice? Be careful and do exactly what your doctor says. A year of mental stability was in no way worth the 6 weeks of torture."

• nic...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 16, 2016

For Anxiety "Unless you are using this as a one-off, say for a flight or dental work, do not touch it! Docs may warn it is addictive, but they won't tell you that with long-term use you can actually go into withdrawal while still maintaining the same dose. I have been on it for 17 years, and it's ruined my life. Anxiety is worse, and I have developed severe agoraphobia and depression. I did my research since the doctors are no help, and these are common effects of long-term use. No one warned me, and now I face withdrawing, which is complicated and painful in itself, but the only way I stand a chance of recovery. It will take a very long time, though. The drowsiness was awful, that wore off, but I am so unsteady on my feet that it amplifies my anxiety."

• Anonymous
• April 10, 2008

For Anxiety "One of the best anti-anxiety medications ever made. Also very good for insomnia and muscle cramps or spasms. The minimal withdrawal effects, due in part to the medicine's long half-life, make diazepam one of the kindest benzodiazepines."