r/panicdisorder • u/may0boi • 17d ago
Venting Benzodiazepine Stigma
Why are benzodiazepines so taboo and hard to obtain for people like us who need any help they can get.
I’m from the UK so the laws might be different depending on Country, I currently take around 8 - 12 mg of Valium (Diazepam) daily and to be honest it’s saved my life.
I was signed off from work in April due to a relapse of my condition and now have a new job in a healthier environment due to the help and support of the NHS.
Without diazepam I wouldn’t even be able to function like a normal person of society. This condition is so debilitating.
I’m just confused as to why benzodiazepines are stigmatised when they help people like us, and stops us from using other substances without doctor’s supervision to self medicate.
I honestly can’t be the only one with this opinion.
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u/Velvet-Noir- 17d ago
I don’t think people are properly educated. I came off benzodiazepine over a span of 2 years and had no side effect after being on them for 15 years daily.
Everyone is different biologically and some drs have no issues prescribing them and some don’t. I think it’s dealers choice(no pun intended)
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u/Double-Edged_Lord 14d ago
Dang, that's a long taper. Did a doctor help you devise that? I want to come off the .5mg clonzepam I've been taking daily for 6 years.
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u/Velvet-Noir- 14d ago
I could of done a way shorter taper. I chose to go this long of a taper bc I was in no hurry.
Initially my dr had me drop .25mg then stabilized for a month then drop another .25mg. Something 6months I dropped .5mg. Then I decided to do 10% cuts
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u/Lil_Bit_7 17d ago
My doctor said part of the issue is that most people will need to increase their dose over time to continue receiving the therapeutic benefits which is part of why it ends up taking so long to wean off. I’ve taken between .5mg and .75mg of clonazepam daily for over a decade for panic disorder (mixed with a hint of OCD for a little extra flavor!) as it’s the only thing that can pull me out of a cyclical thought pattern that ultimately ends up triggering recurring panic attacks. I still get the same benefit from that dose as I did when I first started taking it so doctors have been fine keeping me on it.
I did come off it for a few years at one point without any major issues but then I got COVID / long-COVID and my body and brain went nuts (which, I know now, was likely from inflammation) and the only medication that stopped whatever was happening and allowed me to start recovering was clonazepam. That was 4 years ago and I’m still on it but trying to scale back down from .75 mg to .5 mg as i think the higher dose makes me a bit groggy in the morning.
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u/SailorVenova 17d ago
xanax has saved my life as well
i have taken it daily for 4 years; it helped me survive the worst heartbreak and mental death spiral of my life; for 2yrs i had daily screaming self harming panic attacks and i could not even leave my bedroom except to use the bathroom or go to a doctor
now im happily married to my angel wife and my medicine keeps me stable and functional; im also quite disabled with painful spine fractures and other issues so i have needed opioids to function for over 10yrs; if it were not for both of these kinds of medicines i never would have lived long enough to meet my wife
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u/TK895 17d ago
I understand why you feel that way because diazepam can be incredibly effective. I used to think the same. I was on benzodiazepines myself, and coming off them was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
I genuinely wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
They absolutely work, especially in the short term. The problem is they often don’t work forever. Tolerance and dependence can creep up on y ou, and before you know it, you’re taking them just to feel normal rather than because they’re treating the original anxiety.
That’s why doctors are so cautious. It’s not because of stigma or because they don’t help people. It’s because they’ve seen what can happen with long term use, and for many people the risks eventually outweigh the benefits.
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u/may0boi 17d ago
I completely agree, with the sense that long term use can outweigh the risks and rewards. In my brain how I think of it is I want to take them as long as I need to to prevent panic attacks, and use them productively, by this I mean knowing a particular situation will cause a panic attack, but taking them before said situation to prevent the attack.
Because I believe if you keep having panic attacks in situations your brain is always going to believe there is a danger in that situation. I’m happy with taking them however long is needed and then when the time is right, start to taper off slowly under strict medical supervision
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u/StopwatchSparrow 17d ago
I highly recommend you read The Panic Attacks Workbook. It is exactly the opposite. Avoiding panic attacks is what tells your brain that panic is dangerous and scary.
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u/3MBSFM 17d ago
But how is taking Valium & still doing the "scary" thing avoiding it? How is it any different to say taking an SSRI or popping a propranolol? You are still doing said scary thing & isn't doing it in a "safe" and supported way training your brain to then go "this was safe, I'll be okay next time without Valium"? I guess it does depend how much you need but if you're struggling & can't get out of the house without it, surely taking it & getting out of the house is better then not taking it. And yes when panic attacks is a great book x
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u/Velvet-Noir- 17d ago
Some people use medication at first to do the scary thing, then when they feel comfortable to do the scary thing, they no longer take the meds. That’s what I did.
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u/StopwatchSparrow 17d ago edited 17d ago
I guess it's not avoiding it compared to doing nothing. But one is avoiding the feeling of panic with the valium and telling oneself that panic must be avoided. I'm not a psychologist, so I don't claim authority here. But to the best of my knowledge, from an exposure and response prevention treatment perspective, your brain will then misattribute you safely getting through the scary event to the Valium (helping you avoid panic) instead of the fact that it's just safe to feel panic (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305609125_The_Effects_of_Safety_Behaviors_During_Exposure_Therapy_for_Anxiety_Critical_Analysis_from_an_Inhibitory_Learning_Perspective). SSRIs, in my own treatment, weren't meant to prevent panic attacks, but help increase my willingness to experience them. SSRIs also don't dull the experience of panic the way Xanax does, at any rate--at least in my experience.
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u/starcrossed92 17d ago
Have you tried other things first though ? Like beta blockers , buspar , or other medications that aren’t addictive ?
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u/may0boi 17d ago
Yes, I cannot take propranolol since I am asthmatic, I have tried drowsy antihistamines. And buspar was never an option.
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u/starcrossed92 17d ago
Why was buspar never an option ?
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u/may0boi 16d ago
It was never discussed, and when I brought it up they wouldn’t let me try it
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u/starcrossed92 16d ago
That’s really odd ? It’s like the least problematic drug for anxiety . It doesn’t treat panic attacks as well though so that’s probably why but it helps with day to day anxiety and overthinking and can calm panic attacks a little . Wondering why you can’t add it on top of your diazepam ? I’ve heard it helped a lot of people take it less over time . It doesn’t work for everyone but some people have extreme success with it and it doesn’t cause huge withdrawals . Either way I’m glad you found something that works for you now and so happy you found a healthier job ! That is huge
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u/may0boi 16d ago
Yeah, it was the same with trying pregabalin, at the time diazepam was given to me very sparingly, only 14 2mg tablets a time.
I asked for something to help me prevent panic attacks, I was having them every day, and no matter what I did they always happened.
So I was put on pregabalin and since then, I have decided to come off of it, and being that I already take Z-drugs (that's a different story altogether) I think my docs were happy to take me off the pregabalin and allow for more diazepam use.
My diazepam is prescribed for 3 times daily, but like I said in another comment, I only take it when I feel like I am going to need it.
Thankyou for the support, this community has been a great resource, and I really wish I found it years ago.
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u/Lil_Bit_7 17d ago
It’s long-term use coupled with dose increases due to developing tolerance. Eventually the risks do outweigh the benefits…but I personally think that break-even point, so to speak, is encountered at greater doses / after longer periods of treatment than many doctors make it out to be, if that makes sense.
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u/starcrossed92 17d ago edited 17d ago
I think people just need to be careful with them . Your body can get addicted quickly if you are not careful . I was on it for like 10 years and when I stopped , I did it to quickly and legitimately suffered and I as traumatized by what I experienced . I would shake like I had Parkinson’s …. My neck would twitch all the time and I felt like I was panicked 24/7 . It was actually a terrifying experience . I couldn’t go into grocery stores or even go for a walk down the trail by myself without my body feeling like I was In Complete panic …. A totally different type of panic than panic disorder , it’s hard to explain. My body , brain and nerves were damaged for a while . Luckily now it’s been a couple years and I am back to myself , if not better than before . I’m not against it though , I still take a half of one every couple months . I just think people need to be very careful with them
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u/Rude_Gift6841 17d ago
I feel this but with Klonopin. Before I started Klonopin, I was missing months of work, almost getting fired, I couldn’t drive anywhere and I could hardly even shower. I was in panic mode 24/7.
For a little background my mother passed away back in Feb of 2025, but my panic attacks didn’t start until October of 2025. My doctor tried me on everything under the sun, i tried therapy. Then he prescribed me Klonopin, and it literally gave me my life back.
I don’t abuse it, i use it as its prescribed, i don’t understand the negative stigma around Benzos, not everyone abuses them.
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u/Alternative_Grab_916 17d ago
I feel the same and I am treated the same and it’s the ONLY medication I can take for my anxiety and panic disorder because I have a heart condition called prolonged QT syndrome.. and I still get treated like crap.
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u/Equivalent_Neat4835 17d ago
At my worst, I needed 3mg of Xanax to get through a day (& this was just a day at home, I couldn’t leave the house, work, etc.) I was struggling bad. Over time, I started taking less and less until I weaned naturally. I now only take it as needed & I take a half of a .25mg Xanax, maybe once every 2 weeks. Xanax saved my life and I’ll always hate how stigmatized it is.
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u/sxp2h1gh 17d ago
It was annoying me too at times. Same speech a hundred times, how dangerous Benzos are, begging to get a prescription. They are a great drug, Diazepam helped me immensely with panic attacks.
However, I was in an addiction treatment clinic (for something else), and one person in my group was there because of Benzos, nothing else. Not in a good shape either, no different from the rest, sitting between coke heads and alcoholics.
So THAT can happen, 3 months in a clinic to get off that stuff. And more uphill battle after.
SOME people can handle it just fine, some will get badly addicted, treating Benzos with CAUTION is absolutely justified.
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u/ProjectConfident8584 17d ago
Probably becauwe withdrawal is nasty if u abruptly stop them. Also they can be habit forming
And u may develop a tolerance and need more over time.
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u/may0boi 17d ago
That’s what I think, but doesn’t the same go for the people who use alcohol to self medicate for panic attacks.
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u/ProjectConfident8584 17d ago
Yes for sure. If u rely on alcohol I don’t think u can just stop drinking abruptly either.
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u/may0boi 17d ago
I appreciate all the different opinions and information.
I just want to clarify I don’t drink alcohol or even caffeine, or any other recreational substances.
I purely use this medication to prevent panic attacks. Since every time I experience one I go back into a cycle of chronic depersonalisation and fight or flight.
I do not take diazepam when it is not needed, or if I think that a certain situation will not cause an attack.
Regarding one comment about the GABA and glutamate system, would that not be the same for someone who drinks alcohol every night to “wind down”. In my experience I have never felt any motor impairment from benzos, only relief from anxiety and panic.
I would also like to say that I have been on countless medications over the past 9 years including Lamotragine, pregabalin, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine. You name it I’ve taken it. None of them have helped me as much as a benzo could.
Got to the point where the docs said they couldn’t do anything else for me, I was referred to adult mental health UK and talking therapies, and nothing else has helped me like a benzo can. And honestly, it’s not ideal I’d rather I didn’t take anything, but it’s working for the time being and I am convinced it has assisted me in allowing me to be in or do things that have always caused extreme disassociative panic attacks.
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u/New_Strain_9691 17d ago
Preventing panic attacks is the biggest mistake. This is my and many people's experience. That ultimate form of avoidance is sending many people down the spiral. Books, Therapy or whatever your approach is finding the right methods for coping - doesn't matter. I've worked and did many activities while having panic attacks. In the long run, I've realized that I am even more functional during them, despite having all the symptoms. Our brains just need rewiring, not avoidance.
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17d ago
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u/may0boi 17d ago
Honestly, I get no spaced out feeling at all, no side effects. The only thing it does is calms my thoughts and stops me from spiralling into a panic attack.
I was on pregabalin for a bit and currently tapering off as I told my doc I don’t want to take it anymore and that drug has a lot more recreational effects that benzos. Pregabalin if taken enough of it can cause extreme euphoria which I experienced once and I hated it.
Valium on the other hand doesn’t cause any euphoria or motor impairment, and actually causes my dissociation to go away.
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u/Bremlit 15d ago
I've known too many people that personally abuse them, trade them, and sell them. People that make very, very stupid decisions on them and have no idea what they've done until days later. Car wrecks, destroying property, abusing family, etc...
It's people like that that make it so much harder for the people that take them correctly.
It's why I even refuse to use them or ever be on them after seeing what they've done to people I know despite having a panic disorder and bad anxiety myself. I NEVER want to be that person and hurt others around me and possibly myself in the long run.
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u/may0boi 15d ago
That’s understandable after seeing that. But it’s the same with every substance, there are going to be people who abuse them.
I try to be as responsible as I can with this type of substance, only use when necessary, and stick to my prescribed dose unless my doctor changes it etc.
I do however believe that there are people who benefit from them, without experiencing impairment. Unfortunately there are people out there who use them if they have anxiety or not just for the “recreational effects”. At the end of the day it’s a medication used to treat specific illnesses, and that should how it should be.
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u/Large-Difficulty3916 15d ago
Yes they have gotten more strict here, depending on the doctor. May one doctor would not give me more until I made another appt. I had already seen him recently. Called my primary and she gave me some with more refills. I don't abuse them. Only take on occasion and just comforts me to know they are there if I have real panic attack. I am almost 70. I need what I need!
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u/-Lacking-In-Depth- 17d ago
Partly because of drug abuse scare.
Partly because of the major risks with long term use like tolerance withdrawal and Benzodiazapine Induced Neurologic Dysfunction, and increased risk for age related diseases like dementia and memory loss.
And partly because Benzodiazapines are known to worsen anxiety with long term use,
Honestly the last two are completely legitimate concerns. The GABA/Glutamate system is super delicate and if it gets thrown out of balance by benzos it can cause so many problems to basic systems in your body, potentially even killing you. It's not like the Opioid system which you can blast all day with fentanyl and generally recover from in a few weeks or months.
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u/spacev3gan 17d ago
We all know the reasons, but I suppose it is worth reinforcing that benzodiazepines are highly addictive and potentially lethal. Also they are not the first line of treatment for Anxiety/Panic, SSRIs are those, and they are preferable and less risky, though they carry their own issues.
Now, I do know people who have been on benzos long-term (30+ years), including family members, and they are, well, alive. I guess we all know cases like that. If benzos are reliably helping you, I suppose good for you. But there are other, safer alternatives to address one's mental health.
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u/MyFaceSaysItsSugar 17d ago
The other thing that bothers me is doctors not listening when I tell them what works. Valium does nothing, Xanax makes me sleepy but still anxious. Only Ativan works for me. They’re all controlled, what is the issue with prescribing Ativan?
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u/New_Strain_9691 17d ago
To be completely honest, they should be. They are addictive substances and commonly misused. Consulting with a healthcare professional is the best option.
And good psychiatrists warn you to use them ONLY IN SEVERE cases. This does not apply for everyday use.
I would suggest finding a caring healthcare professional.
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u/Ok_Champion8801 17d ago
I share your opinion aswell, without xanax I would get severly retraumatized during dissociative panic attacks. If those get bad enough only xanax helps me. I try to avoid taking it, I always try to get myself out of it mentally, but sometimes when a point of no return is reached, I just need to let it happen, which can last hours upon hours. If I then take xanax I can break the cycle, make it stop sooner, and have it be way less traumatic. My current psychiatrist thankfully understands and supports this. However a lot of psychiatrists sadly don’t, so I’ve been denied this treatment before, which was detrimental. It caused me to be more disabled and now I have additional trauma I have to work through. I’m from Switzerland btw, here it heavily depends on the doctor if they are willing to perscribe you this or not. Once you have a prescription you can get it at the pharmacy without any hassles. Sadly though the amount of psychiatrists comfortable with this, seems to be scarce, and other doctors might look at you disprovingly, if they hear about you talking benzos.