Should Valium be presribed for anxiety?

[bzduzit2011]

It should be prescribed for anxiety, just not panic! Maybe (gad) or another anxiety disorder. It has that calming affect, but wears off real quick, and can make someone who is depressed worse. Hard come down.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ are you talking about diazepam wearing off quickly? The half-life is 20–100 hours (36-200 hours for main active metabolite). It's only of the longest-lasting benzodiazepines.

 

[Irony XR]

As many people have said, Valium is not a solution. I know it really absolutely does feel like the solution to all your problems, but sadly it's not.

Let me guess: you take a benzo and you find that all your worries melt away, you're not "fucked up" but just finally functioning on the same social level as the people around you. You finally "fit in", you can finally do things that everyone else takes for granted. Why shouldn't you be allowed to feel like yourself, to feel normal?

Well, you will. For a few weeks, or maybe a few months. If you're lucky, you'll feel normal for a year. But your tolerance will catch up to you. You will become dependent on the Valium and require higher and higher doses. After a period of regular use you'll find that skipping a dose will put you into anxiety hell 50x worse than what you've ever experienced without benzos. Eventually you will realize that you have two choices: you can either continue upping your dose, or you can taper down to zero and try a different form of therapy. The tapering down will put you into benzo withdrawal combined with your regular anxiety issues. Listen to what everyone else here is saying: try the CBT or maybe even a SSRI/SNRI first.

If you still feel that you really need benzos, I'd recommend getting a PRN (as needed) script of a Valium/Klonopin. On the days when your anxiety gets really bad and you absolutely must get shit done, take one pill. Just please don't start taking them every day. I did exactly that and it pretty much ruined my life. I was in withdrawal for months. I'm not even kidding. Compared to benzo withdrawal (the depersonalization, the crippling anxiety - think your regular anxiety x50, the complete and utter lack of motivation to do anything but sit at home and cry), opiate withdrawal with its shits and light depression and crawling skin is a walk in the bloody park.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but I wish that somebody had told it to me before I starting using benzos.

 

[wooger]

15 years of benzo addiction is telling me no they should not be prescribed for anxiety .
Only as a worst case scenario and even then at a low dose and for no longer than 2 weeks.

This guy is speaking sensibly.

As much as I hate to say it, whenever people say they want benzos for their anxiety, part of me thinks they just want benzos, and are using the anxiety as a reason as to why they 'need' benzos... sorry if that is wrong that is just my perception sometimes. Particularly as I've never encountered a non drug abuser who is all like 'Should they prescribe me benzos long term??'.

See what other options are out there to help with anxiety whether that be different medication or therapy or whatever, a benzo addiction is probably the last thing you need.

 

[baldheadedbull]

If a benzo is prescribed for long-term use by a doctor than how is that any worse than taking any other medication? Clinically significant anxiety is often rooted in biological make up and therefore CBT and books are only going to be effective for the less severe anxiety cases. Also, anxiety disorders differ remarkably from occasional anxiety. Some people can't leave their house without experiencing significant anxiety/panic and if benzos can allow people like that to fuction than where is the problem? As long as you take as directed and don't abuse them they are very safe. When coming off they must be tapered slowly but so do many other meds. There seesm to be a stigma with benzos that I feel is undeserved.

 

[BananasAndOranges]

This guy is speaking sensibly.

As much as I hate to say it, whenever people say they want benzos for their anxiety, part of me thinks they just want benzos, and are using the anxiety as a reason as to why they 'need' benzos... sorry if that is wrong that is just my perception sometimes. Particularly as I've never encountered a non drug abuser who is all like 'Should they prescribe me benzos long term??'.

See what other options are out there to help with anxiety whether that be different medication or therapy or whatever, a benzo addiction is probably the last thing you need.

UHH....Anyone who said they shouldn't be prescribed for anxiety, shut up. Give me two good reasons or at Least one reason why they shouldn't prescribed to those with anxiety? What if the patient likes this method of treatment better? Natural remedies for anxiety are pretty stupid. This is why I am quoting the person above me. 90 5mg Valium for a month wouldn't even be enough for me. I am sorry to the poster who cannot find a doctor who will prescribe anxiety medication that will work. I get so sick of doctors thinking just because one needs benzodiazepines at higher dosages then maybe their normal patients, they assume drug abuse. That is the dumbest shit I ever heard. It's like saying cancer patients take Morphine/Vicodin/Hydromorphone to abuse and not take for pain. Fucking cut people slack. I have never heard of anyone abusing benzodiazepines after being on them for a long time, nor have I heard of abuse period, but abuse to everyone seems to be if they need more pills and take them then prescribed which is dumb as fuck. UGH.

 

[Pegasus]

^For starters, benzos are a band-aid for anxiety and do nothing to fix the problem. They in fact exacerbate the problem in many situations, especially if addiction occurs. They decrease cognitive ability and increase depressive behaviors. Suicide risk goes up both during treatment and after discontinuation.

Benzos can be useful for a short period of time, but probably should only be used if absolutely necessary even in this sense. Longer periods of use have definite negative consequences.

 

[J. G. Wentworth]

Unchecked and undisciplined, benozos can have negative side effects.

Been on xanax of 10 years. Hardly ever more than 1mg total per day. Benzos like other medicines are helpful even in long term treatment. Like any addictive drug, it can be abused.

Be careful with generalized statements about prescription meds in general. If you are getting them from multiple sources or "street sources" and not just your doctor, it is a sign you might be abusing them. But labeling those with GAD or PTSD who use them as directed for a long periods of time as using them "inappropriately" is wrong.

 

[baldheadedbull]

^For starters, benzos are a band-aid for anxiety and do nothing to fix the problem.

That could be said about most medications. There are very few cures for various ailments. However, there are usually many treatment options for various ailments. Benzos are just one treatment option and are not 1st line. CBT and SSRI's and stuff like that usually comes first. Those don't work for everyone though and should those people have to suffer? I'll take the band-aid please!

 

[Pegasus]

I think I explained my position pretty well. Long-term benzo use has many seriously negative effects. I find it very ironic that a medicine that is supposed to help with anxiety in fact increases depressive behaviors and suicide ideation considerably. This indicates to me that their best use is over a very short period.

 

[baldheadedbull]

I find it very ironic that a medicine that is supposed to help with anxiety in fact increases depressive behaviors and suicide ideation considerably.

That is certainly a good point and a valid reason to to be concerned. I know what you're saying about benzos....I with there were better anxiety meds available. For many years I've taken kpin daily and it's helped me function but does have some side effects . I keep the dose low (0.50mg-0.75mg) and it helps with my anxety without causing drowsiness and depression.

 

[brimz]

UHH....Anyone who said they shouldn't be prescribed for anxiety, shut up. Give me two good reasons or at Least one reason why they shouldn't prescribed to those with anxiety? What if the patient likes this method of treatment better? Natural remedies for anxiety are pretty stupid. This is why I am quoting the person above me. 90 5mg Valium for a month wouldn't even be enough for me. I am sorry to the poster who cannot find a doctor who will prescribe anxiety medication that will work. I get so sick of doctors thinking just because one needs benzodiazepines at higher dosages then maybe their normal patients, they assume drug abuse. That is the dumbest shit I ever heard. It's like saying cancer patients take Morphine/Vicodin/Hydromorphone to abuse and not take for pain. Fucking cut people slack. I have never heard of anyone abusing benzodiazepines after being on them for a long time, nor have I heard of abuse period, but abuse to everyone seems to be if they need more pills and take them then prescribed which is dumb as fuck. UGH.

So you think they should be dished out then?
As i mentioned i've been scripted for over 15 years and all it has done in the long term is given me an addiction and made my life harder.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

Unchecked and undisciplined, benozos can have negative side effects.

Been on xanax of 10 years. Hardly ever more than 1mg total per day. Benzos like other medicines are helpful even in long term treatment. Like any addictive drug, it can be abused.

Be careful with generalized statements about prescription meds in general. If you are getting them from multiple sources or "street sources" and not just your doctor, it is a sign you might be abusing them. But labeling those with GAD or PTSD who use them as directed for a long periods of time as using them "inappropriately" is wrong.

I'm really glad that you've had a positive experience with long term benzodiazepine use but given your phrasing you seem to be implying that long term use is unlikely to cause problems absent abuse and this is ignoring a SUBSTANTIAL amount of well-documented evidence.

I'm not sure where anyone here said people who use them therapeutically and as instructed by physicians are wrong; the point I and others have tried to convey is that abuse aside, there are massive potential drawbacks to long term therapeutic use.

In few cases on here do I outright say somebody is wrong unless their claims are potentially dangerous and I believe yours are.

Please check this out before responding.

For anyone who clicked the link and wants to ignore it because it's a wikipedia article, please peruse the 110 sources informing the piece.

 

[J. G. Wentworth]

There are risks with all medicines, even tylenol.

I agree we should be aware of the risks, consequences, and dangers.

However, when other options fail, I am glad there are benzos.

Just like pain pills for chronic pain patients, sometimes life is about a choice made between the patient and the doctor, not the government nor the insurance companies. Sometimes, the choice is trading dependency for symptom relief.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ there certainly are risks for most long term use of pharmaceuticals. Benzodiazepines are demonstrably quite far beyond this.

Do you see wikipedia pages dedicated to consequences of long term therapeutic use of opioids or ANY other common drug class? (this isn't rhetorical, there might be some I haven't seen and if anyone knows, please list them because I'd like to be aware of this).

Pain pills is a terrible comparison here - when used appropriately, they are some of the safest drugs to use long term.

I really get the impression you didn't read that link so please at least read this brief excerpt

There are significant risks associated with the long-term use of benzodiazepines.[2] However, not all people experience problems associated with the long-term use of benzodiazepines.[3] There is evidence that reduction or withdrawal from benzodiazepines can lead to a reduction in anxiety symptoms.[4][5] There are a number of side effects associated with addiction to benzodiazepines such as depression and flu-like symptoms.[5] Due to these increasing physical and mental symptoms from long-term use of benzodiazepines, slowly withdrawing from benzodiazepines is recommended for many long-term users.[6]

Some of the symptoms which may occur as a result of long term use of benzodiazepines include emotional clouding,[1] nausea, headaches, dizziness, irritability, lethargy, sleep problems, memory impairment, personality changes, aggression, depression, agoraphobia, anxiety and panic attacks, social deterioration as well as employment difficulties.[7][8][9] While benzodiazepines are highly effective in the short term, adverse effects associated with long-term use including impaired cognitive abilities, memory problems, mood swings, overdoses when combined with other drugs may make the risk-benefit ratio unfavourable

I really do hate to be so adversarial, but I've taken opioids for years for chronic pain and looked into this subject enough over my years here to be confident of these claims and gave you 110 sources of support to back what I said.

Nobody is saying governments should decide individual treatments for patients so I really don't know why you brought that up. I think it's important that both patients and doctors are informed about the benefits AND the risks (which is quite disproportionate in the case of this medication).

 

[baldheadedbull]

the point I and others have tried to convey is that abuse aside, there are massive potential drawbacks to long term therapeutic use.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the case with most anxiolytics.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ which ones?

As far as common ones go - SSRI's, SNRI's, buspirone, gabapentin/lyrica, other anticonvulsants/mood stabilizers, I'm not familiar with any that produce the drawbacks anywhere near the scale of benzodiazepines.

I absolutely could be ignorant here though. I used to think the exact same thing as JG Wentworth that if you use benzos responsibly and taper appropriately, there were no major problems with long term use and I posted about such and it wasn't until someone else presented the evidence to me here on BL did I really look into it and see how misinformed I was.

 

[baldheadedbull]

^ which ones?

As far as common ones go - SSRI's, SNRI's, buspirone, gabapentin/lyrics, other anticonvulsants/mood stabilizers, I'm not familiar with any that produce the drawbacks anywhere near the scale of benzodiazepines.

Almost every medication you have listed as an alternative can cause sexual dysfuntion, weight gain, emotional blunting, apathy, and a "discontinuation syndrome" aka withdrawal, among other problems. I've been on most of them but have not tried Lyrica but i'd like to.

Benzos actually have very mild side effects and are wll tolerated by most people who take them....The problems seem to come when it's time to come off of them. Dependance/withdrawal/cognitive problems/depression are the big concerns. Some experience these problems but some do not. These meds have been around since the 1960's-1970's so the problems will be more highlighted than newer meds. There are people who have successfully taken these meds for most of their lives.

I understand your reasoning for being cautious about benzodiazepines but they are remarkably effective for some people like myself with panic disorder. Also, I'm not trying to controversial but there is a lot of postive research to support the use of benzodiazepines as an anxiety treatment.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ you're right that a lot of the medications used for anxiety (outside of benzos) can produce substantial sexual side effects (more likely exclusively or starting early on rather than developing down the road) and perhaps I am misperceiving the relative harm of long term benzo use versus other pharmaceutical options.

Either way, as was discussed much earlier in the thread - pharmaceutical intervention is virtually never sufficient alone to address anxiety and often it is not even the most advantageous path and options like CBT can not only be more effective, but completely devoid of the side effects any of these medications carry short or long term.

 

[baldheadedbull]

I strongly agree.

Things like exercise, diet, cbt, are all very important pieces of the puzzle. Also, for the record I think taking medications daily is far from ideal and I would not take kpin if i didn't have panic disorder....It's not even a euphoric med to me and I've never had any craving to esculate my dose.

When I was taking pain meds after having appendicitus that was a different story. I've got some tendencies to crave opiates so I avoid them.