Valium and Addiction: What Users Say

• Lis...
• August 1, 2015

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."

• Wit...
• April 20, 2020

For Alcohol Withdrawal "Valium is great to come off alcohol or any drug, however, you do not want to take this for more than 10 days. See therapy to sort out the real reasons you're masking your hidden troubles to become FREE. Valium is a DANGEROUS, ADDICTIVE drug once you have been on it for more than 3 to 4 weeks. You will only be left with your stuff to be dealt with. Short term."

• Mon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 3, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "I was put on Valium 5 mg (generic Diazepam) twice daily for 2 reasons: severe muscle spasms and anxiety. It works well for sleeping, and I do not wake up feeling hung over like I was on Robaxin. I am a nurse's aide, and Valium can be highly addictive, so I only take it as needed when spasms and anxiety are bad."

• 3po...
• March 29, 2017

For Temporomandibular Joint Disorder "TMJ causes me to wake up with a headache every single morning from grinding my teeth. My primary care had prescribed Ambien because of my sleep issues (inability to get to sleep, tinnitus), but when I began treatment for TMJ, I was told that Ambien promotes bruxism (grinding the teeth and clenching the jaw). At least I'm sleeping. So my TMJ doctor prescribed Valium to help me get to sleep and keep me from grinding (hopefully during the night). I have never had much luck with low doses of Valium...given for MRIs, etc....to get me to the point of relaxation, I have to take more than I am comfortable with due to the possibility of addiction....but what do you do? I feel damned if I do and damned if I don't. I still wake up with a headache, though not as severe and not every day, just most days."

• Ple...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 14, 2019

For Anxiety "Valium is a great anti-anxiety medication, but please be aware and take the medication very sparingly, like if you are going out or driving or going to a gig one time. Whatever you do, don't take these preemptively and never ever take these daily. 2.5 mg of Valium for once-off anxiety is great. Use it no more than one time for one month, and you should be fine. I recommend not using Valium for more than two days in a row, otherwise, you will get addicted, and Valium is a nightmare to get off of if you are addicted. You will need to slow taper off of it if you have been taking this long-term, and this can take months or years. Check out Benzo Buddies for the horror stories. Don't drink any alcohol while taking this either, as both substances potentiate each other, making both stronger. Please, please be careful."

• DJa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 2, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug almost killed me, as did the psychiatrist who prescribed it. In early 2017, I started with this new doctor who completely changed my psych regimen after a difficult move and sudden loss of a sister to a drug overdose. He started me on a low dose of Valium. It did work, but right away, problems were showing. Soon enough, I was hooked and popping these like lifesavers. My wife expressed concern about it, and what did the doctor do? He increased the dosage and quantity. Soon, I was getting through the day with up to thirty pills. I experienced multi-organ failure earlier this summer and subsequent heart failure. My primary doctor recommended a new psychiatrist who was shocked at my regimen. He said he wouldn’t see me until I had beaten the addiction. It was tough. He has since switched me to buspirone, although maxed out at 60 mg. Valium may work in the short term, but just don’t do it. It’s a destroyer."

• Pat...
• January 16, 2020

For Anxiety "Valium is highly addictive and dangerous, even deadly."