It is usually only recommended for a short period of time of up to 4 weeks. If you're prescribed diazepam for more than 4 weeks, your dose may be reduced gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Long-Term Valium Use for Anxiety is Not Recommended. Valium is a benzodiazepine, which is usually prescribed for the short-term treatment of anxiety. Benzodiazepines are potent medications with high addiction potential, which is why medical professionals discourage long-term use.
For anxiety: Adults—2 to 10 milligrams (mg) 2 to 4 times a day. Older adults—At first, 2 to 2.5 mg 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed.
Long-term use of diazepam can lead to chemical dependency and, eventually, to severe addiction. Understanding the health complications of Valium addiction may encourage nonmedical users of this drug to reach out for help.
Diazepam may be taken every day at regular times or on an as-needed (“PRN”) basis. Typically, your healthcare provider will limit the number of doses you should take in one day. Your healthcare provider will determine the dose and method of taking the medication that is right for you based upon your response.
Dosage for tablets and liquid
The usual dose is: anxiety – 2mg, taken 3 times a day, this can be increased to 5mg to 10mg, taken 3 times a day. sleep problems (related to anxiety) – 5mg to 15mg, taken once a day at bedtime. muscle spasms in adults – 2mg to 15 mg a day.
Diazepam can be helpful when used as directed, but it can also result in adverse effects, including dependence, withdrawal symptoms, overdose, and addiction.
It's okay to feel anxious, but not all of the time. If you feel that you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms in your daily life or to an intense degree, you may have an anxiety disorder. It's important to reach out to a mental health care provider to help confirm a diagnosis.
Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse.
A little anxiety is fine, but long-term anxiety may cause more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure (hypertension). You may also be more likely to develop infections. If you're feeling anxious all the time, or it's affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
It is possible to become addicted to diazepam. To reduce the risk of becoming addicted, it's best to take the lowest dose that treats your symptoms, and to take it for only a short time (2 to 4 weeks).
Some of the common medications that may be prescribed as an alternative to Valium include antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) like fluoxetine ( Prozac ), tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline ( Elavil, Endep ), monoamine oxidase inhibitors ( MAOIs ) such as phenelzine ( ...
It helps keep the nerve activity in the brain in balance, and is involved in reducing anxiety, relaxing muscles and inducing sleepiness. By increasing the activity of GABA in the brain, diazepam increases these calming effects.
SSRIs and SNRIs are often the first-line treatment for anxiety. Common SSRI brands are Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. Common SNRI brands are Pristiq, Cymbalta, and Effexor XR. Pros: They are effective for a lot of people and they have a solid safety profile.
How long will I need to take diazepam for? People are not normally prescribed diazepam for more than four weeks as people can become dependent on it if they take it for longer. They may also get withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it. You and your doctor should talk about how long you might need to take diazepam.
Response and effectiveness. The peak effects of diazepam are seen within 1 to 1.5 hours in most people. Diazepam is metabolized to active metabolites and its effects may last for more than 24 hours and extend with repeated dosing as the drug accumulates in the body.
Examples of SSRIs that are commonly used to treat chronic anxiety include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft).
Valium is a drug used for managing anxiety disorders and short-term treatment of anxiety symptoms. The drug, which is also sold under the generic name diazepam, works by actually slowing down activity in your brain.
Valium is a long-acting drug with effects that last for more than 12 hours. Its long duration of action is due to two main reasons: Valium is soluble in fat, and quickly leaves the bloodstream to reside in fat. Once diazepam is out of the blood, it takes longer for the body to break it down and get rid of it.
Both agents significantly improved depression ratings over eight weeks of treatment. Diazepam was a significantly better antidepressant than moclobemide at four week, although not at eight weeks. All patients ceased diazepam within one year and none reported withdrawal reactions.
Diazepam is used to treat anxiety that is more serious than that caused by the normal stress of everyday life. Diazepam is also used to relax muscles and treat muscle spasms that occur due to injury and conditions like cerebral palsy and paraplegia.
Diazepam may increase the risk of serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma if used along with certain medications.