Diazepam and Anxiety: What Users Say

• BS1...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2019

Diazepam for Anxiety "After taking Xanax off and on for years, I developed a problem with it making me more anxious when it wore off, like a lot of heart palpitations, sweating, fear. I was switched over to Valium 6mg for two years and then advised to withdraw to see how I went. I’ve spent the last six months tapering and been off for 7 weeks and I’m miserable. I have returned PTSD and depression. So, I guess I didn’t go well and am going to reinstate 2mg a day to get my life back. When I take it I have no side effects and feel alive. I didn’t hit tolerance before. I say yes to Valium if you need it to feel normal and don’t abuse."

• BS1...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2019

Diazepam for Anxiety "After taking Xanax off and on for years, I developed a problem with it making me more anxious when it wore off, like a lot of heart palpitations, sweating, fear. I was switched over to Valium 6mg for two years and then advised to withdraw to see how I went. I’ve spent the last six months tapering and been off for 7 weeks and I’m miserable. I have returned PTSD and depression. So, I guess I didn’t go well and am going to reinstate 2mg a day to get my life back. When I take it I have no side effects and feel alive. I didn’t hit tolerance before. I say yes to Valium if you need it to feel normal and don’t abuse."

• Pai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 21, 2019

Diazepam for Anxiety "I have been dependent on morphine and oxycodone in high doses for 20 years. Then someone suggested Suboxone, worst decision of my life. I was on it for 8 months and it worked as directed, I was very happy, but started reading about PAWS (Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome) and started to wean down. Well, anxiety, panic attacks, and confusion hit me like a ton of bricks. Buprenorphine is a horrible drug to get off of. I would rather have gone through full opiate detox than those. Tried Klonopin, Xanax, both were a waste and very addicting! But I was tried on one 10 mg Valium, and I have not felt that normal in ages. I am very leery of any pharmaceutical and don’t take it daily, sometimes I put it away for a month. It has truly given my life back, but I’m still on a drug. I want to be off everything, and I don’t know if that will ever be. But for now, I’m not clenching my teeth all day and tossing all night, so I’m grateful. Thanks, doc, for taking a risk on me."

• Don...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 14, 2020

For Meniere's Disease "23 years ago I woke up and felt high. Diagnosed with Meniere’s, Mal de barquement?, horrible tinnitus, anxiety/panic attacks, allergy issues, and depersonalization as well, hence the high feeling. The first 7 years I struggled through Zoloft, Lexapro, allergy meds, and back surgery until one day a friend told me to ask my doctor to try Valium. Game changer!! After the very first 5 mg dose of diazepam, I felt a sense of calm for 2 days that I had not felt in 7 years. The last 16 years I don’t think I would’ve made it if it weren’t for “Mother’s Little Helper.” Over time I’ve gone from 5 mg daily to 10 mg, my body craved more based on my symptoms worsening. Still, I get panic/anxiety attacks once in a while, but they have never sent me to the hospital like during those initial 7 years of suffering. I’m turning 50 soon and planning to somehow make it till the end with diazepam's help! Good luck to you all!!"

• Pam...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 6, 2022

Diazepam for Anxiety "Bless the doctor who finally saw this drug as an anodyne for me. I have arterio-venous necrosis, which means my joints are collapsing due to the death of tiny blood vessels, a very painful condition causing difficulty walking and using my arms. Valium not only relieves the pain, it also calms the crippling fear of falling, which keeps me from progressing with my physical therapy after the hip replacement, which I'm finally beginning to walk again after more than 2 and a half years on the Rollator. It allows me to sleep, it blots out social anxiety, and it prevents nausea and muscle spasms. I call it my anodyne... it is THE medicine for me. If I am addicted to it, so be it. I'm addicted to having a livable quality of life! Thank you, Diazepam!"

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2019

For Anxiety "My GP reluctantly prescribed me 2mg diazepam to help with heightened anxiety due to starting sertraline 50mg. The side effects from sertraline were horrendous and still are at times. I have bad days and suffer the anxiety, sweating, shaking, panic, then I think to myself, why am I doing this to myself? My GP has told me they are very addictive and after this course of 14, he will not give me anymore. They relax me and help the anxiety while waiting for sertraline to kick in, which I have been on for 2 and a half weeks. I'm so scared to be without them. I've even searched the Internet to buy them myself. I only take half of 2mg or a full one when needed. GP should be more sympathetic."

• Cou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2023

Diazepam for Anxiety "Several weeks ago, I had a huge panic attack and took Valium to calm down, but noticed I still had to really talk myself out of the panic attack. The next day, I was unusually anxious, so I took another. This continued until I realized my anxiety was getting out of hand and started antidepressants. Big mistake. Antidepressants made my anxiety much worse, and I still continued taking Valium, thinking my anxiety must be so bad that even Valium can't fix it. After two weeks of this, I ended up in the hospital, having strange body panic attacks I couldn't stop, like my body was just doing its own thing and releasing adrenaline on its own. I was told to come off both medications and start with another antidepressant. I stopped the antidepressants but continued to take the Valium. I then noticed every time I took it, my anxiety would triple and leave me an anxious, quivering, sleepless mess. I stopped the Valium, and now my anxiety is more manageable. Still left with a high heart rate but no more panic attacks."

• noc...
• May 21, 2014

Diazepam for Anxiety "This is a wonderful medicine for anxiety. It works within 20 mins and lasts for a long time because of its long half-life. However, if you are suffering from depression, especially clinical depression, I would not recommend taking this. It will worsen your depression symptoms if taken too often. If you started an SSRI antidepressant, it can be used early on to help with some side effects like increased anxiety in the first few weeks on the medication."

• 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."

• 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."

• Jer...
• January 17, 2016

Diazepam for Anxiety "I had pain in my stomach that no one could diagnose for three months. I was put on an SSRI that made things worse, and I lost 35 pounds with no appetite. One day the pain released and I became extremely anxious. By taking a small dose of Valium in the morning and evening, I am so much better. I was also given Dr. Claire Week's book which helped. I never thought I would recover, but hang in there."

• The...
• December 7, 2013

For Anxiety "It took a lot of persuading my psychiatrist, but eventually she gave in and prescribed me Valium 2 mg yesterday. Within twenty minutes of my swallowing the first tablet, the difference it made was just incredible; no anxiety whatsoever, and I felt very calm, even happy, as I also have clinical depression. Valium (diazepam) is simply great in my (albeit limited) experience so far."

• Kai...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 3, 2017

Diazepam for Muscle Spasm "I have CP on my right side and down my back, along with scoliosis and a bad pars defect. For the pain and spasms, I take methadone and diclofenac for the pain, Lyrica for the neuropathy, and Valium, Soma, and cannabis for the spasms. I've been on the Valium the longest. It's a double-edged sword in that I use it for anxiety and spasms. Before it, I was on all the other standard benzodiazepines. Pound for pound, it is the safest benzo to be on. It lasts the longest in your system and self-tapers, meaning that withdrawal from it is easier than, say, Xanax or Klonopin. I've been on Valium for almost 10 years, and it has helped tremendously. With it, I can get out of bed every day and have quality of life. Recently, I switched from generic to name brand."

• 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."

• Eye...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2019

Diazepam for Anxiety "I can’t say this medicine is horrible for everyone, but I can say that I got the unlucky end of the stick. This medicine actually made my anxiety worse! I literally felt like I was losing my mind. I couldn’t sleep at night because my fight or flight response wouldn’t stop rushing through my body, and it made me have horrible panic attacks. It got to a point I had to call the EMS because my heart rate went up to 170. I was excited to try the medicine from the reviews because I wanted the relief and calm mind, but I will never take this medicine again."

• Fal...
• October 16, 2014

For Anxiety "I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for almost 6 years now. I'm a 29 yr old female, and I have tried it all. Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Buspar, Vistril, and lots more! Valium was the only thing that worked wonders for me, an absolute lifesaver. My Dr started me off on 2 mgs every 8 hrs. But that wasn't strong enough as my anxiety attacks are debilitating! Now she has me on 5 mg 3x a day, and I also take Abilify and an antidepressant. This has saved me. I can drive and go out without feeling like I'm gonna die."

• Sle...
• August 14, 2015

For Meniere's Disease "I have been on Valium for 2 days, and what a difference a day makes! I have been suffering from lower back pain and neck pain radiating through my face and brain. I started to get anxious and panic attacks in the last 2 months. I blamed that on stress and pain. Then I started having symptoms of vertigo. My primary care physician tried a typical drug, it helped very little. Then he prescribed Valium after hesitating for the vertigo, and I feel like a different person already. I am more relaxed, less pain, and no dizziness so far, just a little wobbly the first hour... I hope it works for the long run!"

• 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."

• IHa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 16, 2018

Diazepam for Anxiety "15 years ago, my mother gave me a Klonopin to help me out on my first plane ride, and the euphoria of freedom from anxiety was instantly addicting. I soon got my own RX, and over the years, I was up to 4 mg a day, and my anxiety wasn’t improving. A very incredible psychiatrist told me it was now just harming me and my tolerance was far too high, and he amazingly got me off Klonopin to taper with Valium because of the longer half-life. I’m now down to 12 mg a day (from the converted 60!), and it’s been hell. I’ve never been so anxious and depressed. Though this is sadly normal with tapering. I’m working with therapists and trying to keep on a schedule of exercise and deep breathing, but I fear I’ll never be able to break free from these terrible drugs that are killing me. (I also lost 80 lbs, and my BMI is under 17 after the taper.) While I hate all benzos for what they’ve done to me, Valium is definitely the lesser of all the evils."

• Chr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2017

For Anxiety "Great for anxiety. 2 mg is reasonably gentle, lasts for about 2 hours and seems to minimize the crazy adrenaline-induced, chatty-worried 'on edge' mind, a general inability to enjoy things, and the paranoia that comes with the IQ drop iffy concentration (i.e., assuming the worst). Along with some coping strategies, consistent sleep, and 'get up and go' tackling of fears, I find it really useful. Frustratingly, it can't be used as needed, and there's no 'Prozac weekly' equivalent, for obvious reasons."

• bec...
• January 20, 2010

Diazepam for Anxiety "I have suffered from anxiety, muscle spasms, nightmares, tremors, restless legs, and mood swings. I have taken 5 mg of Valium, sometimes 10 mg on and off since an extremely stressful nightmare of a divorce my ex dragged on for 3 years. My attorney suggested Valium, and my regular doctor had no trouble prescribing this. 30 tablets will often last 3 months - I've had refills expire, as I only take as needed (since 1995). This medication has been a lifesaver for me, and when I had PMDD (when it was just BAD PMS in the '90s), I have taken Xanax in the past, and the forgetfulness was unbearable, I couldn't drive, and withdrawal was immediate and awful. No problem with Valium! My pain doctor and regular doctor won't prescribe Valium to anyone anymore - long half-life? Ativan and Buspar didn't help at all."

• Lot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2022

For Anxiety "An amazing drug. I have severe anxiety, TMJ pain, teeth grinding, and intermittent tinnitus and tiredness as a result. This gets rid of all my problems at only 4 mg, once a day. It's a shame doctors are hesitant to prescribe it due to a few fools who abuse it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2016

For Anxiety "I have been on diazepam since 2010. Initially, I started with 5 mg a day but went up to 20 mg a day, and it was wonderful. I was always anxious about everything. I decided to stop, but the anxiety started to kick in all over again. I'm on it again, and it is working wonders for me at the moment. The doctors keep saying it is addictive, but is it killing anyone?"

• 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."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2021

For Anxiety "At first: Good sleep... later... ok sleep... later... not much sleep... later... insomnia... Helps with anxiety, feeling fine... later... it's less helpful... later... even less now... later... no help at all. What's left now: Anxiety, insomnia, tremors, panic attacks, fatigue/tiredness, inability to resolve simple tasks, unable to concentrate, gain weight, agoraphobia, social anxiety, health anxiety, and so on... tolerance to it is the worst thing that happened to me. Withdrawal: painful and long. In the end: it helps to not help me at all, it helps me to feel much worse than I was before. It lies, it's a false and dangerous pill. Wish I never had been prescribed to it... Stay away from this nightmare..."