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Valium/Anxiety

SpanoonapS

SpanoonapS

Bluelighter
Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
388
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Dark Side of the Moon
I have a problem... I rarely seek advice, this may be difficult for me.

I suffer from anxiety. I have a creative and artistic mind - I constantly wrap my brain around everything and everyone I encounter. With this, comes racing thoughts. Thoughts regarding death, tragedy, "am I real" and whichever dungeon my mind can wander into. I get so stressed sometimes it effects my physical body. My nerves and muscles get tense, neck pain, acid reflux, etc...

I recently went to the ER for neck/muscle spasms and they prescribed Valium. Now, I consider myself a very "spiritual" person who mostly disregards pharmaceuticals. However, I was in so much pain I took them.

I never felt so good in my life. I felt like my old self again. I was completely aware, present, and free of nervousness. I was happy, talkative, and every other adjective you can think of.

My problem is... I feel like I am somehow doing the wrong thing. Like I should be able to deal with my inner angst on my own. Through meditation or something. I fear that I may not continue to grow and/or evolve my consciousness while under the influence of such a drug. I know this is an odd post and for that I apologize. But I don't know what to do. Help...
 
It makes you feel like you should! Take it. You don't need to put yourself into undue pain, continue the Valium.
 
SpanoonapS said:
I recently went to the ER for neck/muscle spasms and they prescribed Valium. Now, I consider myself a very "spiritual" person who mostly disregards pharmaceuticals. However, I was in so much pain I took them.

I never felt so good in my life. I felt like my old self again. I was completely aware, present, and free of nervousness. I was happy, talkative, and every other adjective you can think of.

My problem is... I feel like I am somehow doing the wrong thing. Like I should be able to deal with my inner angst on my own. Through meditation or something. I fear that I may not continue to grow and/or evolve my consciousness while under the influence of such a drug. I know this is an odd post and for that I apologize. But I don't know what to do. Help...
Click to expand...

Firstly, your post is not odd at all, this is what this forum is here for! :) <3

I'm glad to hear the valium helped you, but there are a few things you must know about using benzos to treat anxiety. Firstly, benzos such as valium, xanax, klonopin etc, are really really addictive so you can quite quickly build up a tolerance to them. Then before you know it you'll be needing to take more and more valium everyday, not only to get the same relief but also to ward off the withdrawal symptoms.

Secondly, using benzos to get relief from anxiety symptoms is all well and good, but it's not going to actually solve the root problems that are causing you to be anxious in the first place. I would highly recommend that you seek some therapy to work through the issues that are causing your anxiety, and so you can learn some coping strategies to deal with the anxiety when it hits.

In my opinion benzos e.g. valium should only be used in an emergency situation where you need effective immediate relief from your anxiety. Please try to avoid taking it every day because you will quickly start experiencing some nasty withdrawals. For a long-term solution you will need to consider getting some therapy. You can ask your regular doctor for a referral to a psychologist/therapist.

Good luck, and let us know how you're going <3
 
Using medication is a pragmatic approach to a problem, and anyone that tells you otherwise (that meditation/whatever is all you need) is doing so because they do not have the same problem. They mistake your problem for one which they have experienced (everyone experiences anxiety at times).

I wouldn't worry about continuing to grow under the influence. If you are not that type of person then you'll likely remain so, but if you are, then the relief from the anxiety will likely allow you to express yourself more satisfactorily.
 
valkhno said:
Using medication is a pragmatic approach to a problem, and anyone that tells you otherwise (that meditation/whatever is all you need) is doing so because they do not have the same problem.
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If you were referring to my post when I mentioned therapy, I was definitely NOT talking about meditation :D And I did not say that was all one would need to get adequate relief from their symptoms.

Medication is a very important part of treating debilitating anxiety such as SpanoonapS' but it is not the ONLY solution, and psychotherapy should be used in conjunction with medication to get optimal long-term relief.
 
SpanoonapS mentioned meditation, but basically talks of being at odds with overcoming his anxiety with inner strength, versus with the help of medication. I was challenging as naive any notions that it should be possible to overcome this without using medication. On the contrary, it shows maturity and awareness to accept the help that it has obviously shown to offer.
 
I get some pretty crappy physical effects from my anxiety.
I see valium/xanax as something to "help" me get over anxiety. I still have to do my part. Meditation, breathing, therapy, etc. I try to learn other ways to cope because I might not always have insurance/access to medication. Like, what if I cleaned out my purse and forgot to put my xanax back in? I'm gonna have to figure out how to get over it without them. So I'm not just gonna pop a pill and be lazy and not even try. I think I'm worth that effort.

Plus if I'm able to help decrease my anxiety on my own, it makes me feel GREAT because I did it myself. Maybe once in a while with the help of a bit of xanax, but I know I put in that effort and I'm stronger than I think I am.
 
Do you run? if not, then fuck every other idea and start.

assuming you already work out regularly...

everyone has a drug that makes them feel just like their self only better. benzos are that drug or could be that drug for so many. but that is the "honeymoon period." a smart addict stretches that period, but tolerance and physical dependence can come quick if you are not careful, and inevitably even if you are. do you have past experience with addiction? if not, don't let benzos be your first. you can't take them every day (and are you going to pick and choose days that you feel good, and let others be days that you feel like your old, nervous, shitty self? yeah right). if you do, they stop working at reasonable doses. if you start taking them everyday, you CANNOT stop. not as in you won't have the will, but an in you CANNOT. you have to tapper. that means not flushing your stash and starting clean, but forcing yourself to take the drug that is your cure all, but not enough of it to satisfy or cure you. good luck with that.

pretty much, valium is not the absolute answer to your problems. i'm not saying never take it, i'm just saying it is not a lasting fix. trust me, hypocrites give the best advice.
 
Please be very careful with Valium, or any other type of benzodiazepine for that matter. They are very good for a short-term fix to a problem, but unless you have steadfast self-control and NEVER raise your prescribed dose to seek "Euphoria", they will only cause you pain if used long-term.

That being said, some people remain on benzo's for years and years with no problems at all. And when they are ready to get off their doctor helps them set up a plan to taper and all is well.

However, more often than not, people abuse the medication, run out early before refills and going through painful, very painful withdrawals.

Just be responsible with them and you will be good to go.
 
^just wanna say that you do not have to abuse your benzo script to develop a tolerance, all you have to do is use.

not upping your dose is a good strategy though. but unless you only use for emergencies, that means that eventually it stops working. space between emergencies becomes smaller and smaller. even if you have the will to make that take years.
 
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wow, terrible advice in ths thrread. do not take valium or any benzo long term, these drugs damage your GABA receptors and destroy your mind. read up on benzo withdrawal, it can last forever.
 
burn out said:
wow, terrible advice in ths thrread. do not take valium or any benzo long term, these drugs damage your GABA receptors and destroy your mind. read up on benzo withdrawal, it can last forever.
Click to expand...

While I appreciate your concern and wholeheartedly agree with your opinions, I thought that most people in this thread have actually commented against using benzos long-term, due to the exact reasons you mentioned.
 
n3ophy7e said:
While I appreciate your concern and wholeheartedly agree with your opinions, I thought that most people in this thread have actually commented against using benzos long-term, due to the exact reasons you mentioned.
Click to expand...

i guess mabye i should have read the entire thread, i read the first response which was from a moderator that said "It makes you feel like you should! Take it. You don't need to put yourself into undue pain, continue the Valium."

even after reading the whole thread, no one mentioned how serious benzos actually are in the sense that the brain damage and withdrawal symptoms can be permanent and disabling. when i started taking benzos, people warned me about the withdrawal but i just thought "yeah yeah, i am sure it will be horrible but it won't last forever and i will get through it". no one told me the symptoms could be permanent or that i might be unable to work for years after coming off them.
 
benzo withdrawal isnt permanent. I have every mental disorder in the book and recovered after 2 years of klonopin. but it is HELL. im going through it AGAIN. and since ive recovered before theres no reason i cant again. My advice to you would be to slowly get off the valium and get on lyrica, cause at least with lyrica you are looking at a 2-4 week withdrawal. I feel bad about sharing this cause i dotn wanna scare people but it took me about 2 years to recover from my last withdrawal. please get off them while you can. lyrica may give you everything the benzo is and make you feel normal again. it is addictive but it wont drag on for as long as my benzo withdrawal did,. im hoping this withdrawal is easier.
 
there are other nonaddictive meds that can make you feel normal. I promise. Just dont take the benzo plunge. peace to you, things will get better for both of us. just keep moving forward. om mani pema hung <3
 
well what ive read on this thread has dissapointed me a bit...lol
I have a nasty long habbit with benzos,never was even toldd about WD from them.
Of course i found out eventualy on my owne ,but i never herd about them lasting so long or causeing permanent dammage etc.
sux to be me
daily dose
8mg clonazepam
60mg temazepam
30mg nozinans
400-800mg seroquel
187.5mg effexor
100mg metoprolol
and a couple others
and its been about at least 15 years now , just got another increase of 2 mg of the clones about 3 months ago..
So i guess im basically fucked eh??? lol
 
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