Valium, firstly what is it? It’s a minor tranquillizer Benzodiazepine. Valium is actually a brand name of the drug Diazepam. It’s used for the short term treatment of a range of anxiety symptoms (and also used to treat seizures, spasms and alcohol withdrawal). There is a wealth of information on the Internet about Diazepam/Valium, I will use this space to share some personal experiences.
Perversely, the first thing I felt after taking Valium was anxiety. I have never liked taking medication or drugs and the idea that valium was going to work so powerfully on my brain, and actually change feelings. My anxiety increased for some time and I felt dizzy. I am sure that this was purely psychosomatic, as I have never felt any similar symptoms while taking it consequently. After thirty minutes or so I felt calmer, and started to feel effects of the medication. The light in the room seemed more vivid, and my arms felt a bit lighter, I did not experience any change in the tightening of my throat that heralded anxiety for some more time, but eventually I did feel quite relaxed but not so relaxed that felt able to go out and challenge my phobias. I should mention that I took the Valium at about seven in the evening, by the time I wanted to go to bed at half past eleven I was wide awake, in fact I had some trouble getting to sleep, but when I slept I was out like a light for hours, and woke up late the next day.
The next day I felt an odd kind of hangover, again I think this might have been psychosomatic. I felt slightly dizzy and distant, with a faint nausea in my stomach. The problem is I read the label. They always tell you to read the label but in the case of anxiety sometimes it might be better to have someone else read it for you and pass on the useful information. Valium is not by any means alone in this; all the ant-anxiety drugs I have ever seen come with extremely frightening labels and instructions. I think this lead me to believe I would undergo much discomfort from taking the drugs. Often an anxiety sufferer’s mind wants to see the worst, and then make it happen.
This article is continued with a positive experience of Valium on the drugs section at Anxiety 2 Calm.
I have recently been put on valium 2mg three times a day if need be.
After many years of prozac, floraxtine, beta blockers, lithium, steraline, and others…, can’t think of them all, but you name it I have at leats tried them, I have tried psyhcitarists, counsellors, hypnotherapy, CBT, (Cognitive behaviual therapy), anxiety groups, herbal remedies, etc. Nothing worked, it was like taking fluff each morning. Now I am on valium (dyzamapam) I feel it is the right drug for me. The doc’s have finally listened to me.
I feel calm after taking them, I do sometimes feel anxiety after taking them, but then the calm happens, (calm after the storm), whole physical body feels floppy, I forget about my agitation, jumpiness, edgyness and shakes, I also forget about worries over and over and over again in my head, the worry is stil there but some distance away and its not going round and round anymore. I get drowsyness and confusion and feel distant, spaced out from the world, but then I was like this when I wasn’t on the valium. Anxiety in general makes people feel in a bubble and emotionally detatched from the worldly people.
I find I can only and only want to take one, when I know I havent got to go anywhere, then I can enjoy the drowsniness and anxiety free feeling. But when I DO need to take one, like before an interview, even going outside, I get paranoid about taking one because of the first part of anxiety I get after taking one, the anxiety wears off after about half an hour and the calm comes, but still, it frightens me. I have blurred vision caused by the drowsniness. So, when I do need to take one I don’t usually take one and then I find if I HAVE to REALLY go out, even though I feel anxious, I can do it! Just with extreme discomfort. People may think valium isnt for me, but I beg to differ, it does do me the world of good taking them, it’s just working out a time and place.
I am also on zopiclone for night time, and my god! anyone with trouble sleeping, get your doc to put you on this stuff, it knocks you out like a light and the warm, fuzzy feeling you feel as your drfiting off is like going under general anasthtic, it’s not scary, it’s so calm, the only downfall I get is the next day a kind of metal taste in mouth.
I am on 2mg valium and like I say, i only take one when i feel like it. And thats not always when i feel anxious, its when i just feel like taking one, usually when i am at home alone, coz if anything did happen, like severe anxiety and falling asleep on them from the drownsyness at least i am at home! anyway, if i took one when i need to go out to work or driving, it’s not good, coz people will think i am high on drugs the way i will act all dopey.
I am just taking one day at a time, trying too anyway. With my anxiety I worry about silly little things, I have a little cleanign job 4 hours a week, all i can cope with at the moment, even that is difficualt, it doesnt matter how long i have been at the job, i will guarentee i get anxious the day before and so the day before doesnt exist its just spent in a worrying chaotic, dazed mood and i work myself up and get sick. Uusally i come back the next day and say ‘what was i worried about?’ but then the next time it wont go away it happens all over again. People telling me it will all be alright are just words that flow through me, they don’t do anything for me. The valium I take usually the day before work, so i worry less because the valium effects make me confused and drowsy to not care so much, at leats it stops the constant head whirl of the same worry over and over again. I will write the worry down onto paper and find an answer for it a conlusion to my worry, but the worry is still there.
Keeps popping up. I have left all my little dead end jobs in the past due to my anxiety. Most people worry about their job on their 1st day, always nervous meeting new people and new enviorment etc, but as time goes on it gets easier for them, but for me and maybe other anxiety sufferes, its the other way round. I dont get as anxious on my 1st day as I do as time goes on, people start to get to knw what im really like, a dopey cow, alwayts making silly mistakes due to my anxiety on my mind, i am expected to know more about the job, but im so self absorbed in anxiety and if people are looking at me etc, that i forget things, also small talk conversations with staff and customers, its all false with me and i stutter or blush or dont know what to say or say something stupid. I have always had jobs where i am alone if i can help it, like leaflet distribiuting, claening work, work from home would be ideal for me but most are all cons! I feel people look at me as i walk down the street. So anyway, i take valium the day before but not on the day because i know i need to be alert for work not dopey and then i would feel anxious, thinking that i look anxious, and people will notice, its a vicious cycle. Thanks for reading and I hope to me and everyone else suffering, breaks out of this cycle at some time in their lives. Thinking of you all
I have anxiety problems but only take them whenever they’re around. To be honest, aside from all of the drowsy effects of it all, it gives me this unbelievable ability to focus. Instead of thoughts racing around my head uncontrollably, I can hone in and solve problems like I can’t do any other time. (this isn’t just one instance. I do product development and the major problems of systems that i deal with i solve at 4 in the morning on valium). I like it. But it is definitely an addictive drug. Be very wary when using it especially for a focus related reason. You can trick yourself into thinking you’re doing it for good, but really it’s just hurting you.
I take 5 10mg valiums a night washed down with a glass of nice wine. Mainly because I like the feeling of being absolutely fucked without drinking too much alcohol and being able to sleep in about 20 seconds. Is that too much/ dangerous?