How hard is it to get a prescription for valium to help deal with stress?

Also, what are the pros and cons? Do physicians still prescribe it? Are there other drugs that help to reduce the effects of stress only when needed and not long term?

Chosen Answer:

Pros are it will work for a few weeks or a month or two and then will stop working due to tolerance
Depends on where you live. In the USA for some strange reason the doctors prefer more potent benzodiazepines which are stronger than valium and more addicting eg clonazepam (klonopin), alprazolam (xanax).
Cons, once tolerance has started developing this means addiction has started to kick in and you body will not be able to function without it.
The withdrawal symptoms can include psychosis, anxiety paranoia, seizures which can be life threatening and many other withdrawal effects.
The withdrawal effects and damage to the central nervous system can take many months or a year or 2 to fully recover from. You do not want to get addicted to these drugs.
Valium works the same way as other prescription tranquillisers, muscle relaxants and sleeping pills with same side effects and risks.
I would do some research on benzodiazepine addiction, long term use, withdrawal symptoms, protracted withdrawal and see what you find. Valium is a benzodiazepine.
You should look for what is causing your stress and tackle that. If it is job stress then change jobs. If it is bereavement try to accept the loss although hard.
Also excessive alcohol use can cause addiction similar to valium and sometimes stress is withdrawal symptoms from excessive alcohol so if that is the case cut out alcohol for a few months and see how you feel.
Change your life not your brain chemistry!
by: mark f
on: 21st May 07




13 Comments to “How hard is it to get a prescription for valium to help deal with stress?”

  1. kent_b_kawt Says:

    Not hard but you have to be willing to shop doctors if one won’t give it to you.

  2. socal_rachel Says:

    yeah, they still prescribe valium. but its rare that they do because there are so many other medications out there now that are less habit forming.

  3. Simone D Says:

    Pros can be that you feel less stress at that very moment.

    Cons are that it can be addictive and you don’t learn to manage stress on your own.

    Some physicians prescribe it for stress/anxiety that is interfering with your ability to function. Others prescribe it to whomever because they don’t have very high ethical standards.

    If you do take it, know that it does not help you in the long term and can result in dependency. You might see a counselor to help you manage stress in the long term.

  4. Heinz M Says:

    Depends on your doctor. Just realize it is addicting.

  5. cassaundra w Says:

    A physicial won’t prescribe it to you for stress. People with anxiety disorder, panic attacks, chronic paranoia, and ocd typically get a script from their psychaitrists. Also, people with really bad insomnia (mostly associated with night terrors) can get it from their doctors. The only con I can think of for Valium is the fact that it makes you really tired and if you’re small enough, it’ll just put you right to sleep. Other than that, it feels great, it makes you totally relaxed, and it lasts for about five hours if you can stay awake for that long.
    You can also convince your doc to prescribe it if you tell him that you have a horrible fear of flying but you have to get on an airplane for a very important reason. He’ll give you a few Valium, or a generic script. I’m used to using painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin for my stress, but that’s illegal, plus it might not work for you.

  6. Erad Says:

    Addiction to valium sucks. If you don’t have it, you can’t even cope with breathing. If you enjoy it and use more than prescribed, a train could crash through your living room and the only reaction is, “I wonder if I have time to go grab a Slurpee before the cops show up and need a statement.”

    That world is really, REALLY hard to leave.

    There are better relaxation techniques combined with possible medication than Valium these days. It is a miracle drug, but it doesn’t solve your problems.

  7. mouses1 Says:

    Run From This Drug!!!!!!!!!!!!
    This is very addicting! You can not get off of this drug!

    You will become weak,sweaty palms,headache,dizzy AND MORE!

    I would not use any drug unless I REALLY had to!
    Feel stress? go on a short vacation,walk,read or something other than pills!!

  8. mrlucky_chesterfield Says:

    valium is a more of a sedative
    (and lovely — therefor potentially habit forming)
    xanax is my fave for stress and anxiety
    but i avoid it for it’s habitual reasons
    it is probably easier to get than valium
    just beware of addiction

  9. vivi Says:

    if you are in uk it is almost impossible – as will only precribe
    for a week and that is normally for something like from a death. if you have long term stress you may need other medication or help – valium was originally used as a muscle
    relexant and i have prescription for broken coccyx and unable
    to sleep thru pain – doc only would prescribe i week as supposed be highly addictive – hleps me sleeps but i don’t careif i take it or not – alcohol on non work nights just as good.

  10. Erika W Says:

    you dont need valium just go to the doc n ask for something other then that but uf you truely want it ppl do sell them but it like 10 dollars a pop

  11. Kate M Says:

    I work at a pharmacy and while valium is still around it’s very rarely perscribed, maybe you should change your sights to some other drug, plus valium is pretty weak compared to a lot of other ones.

  12. CLICKHEREx Says:

    Practise one of the 5 relaxation methods at http://www.ezy-build.net.shaneris on page 2, and see the conquering stress website

  13. mark f Says:

    Pros are it will work for a few weeks or a month or two and then will stop working due to tolerance
    Depends on where you live. In the USA for some strange reason the doctors prefer more potent benzodiazepines which are stronger than valium and more addicting eg clonazepam (klonopin), alprazolam (xanax).
    Cons, once tolerance has started developing this means addiction has started to kick in and you body will not be able to function without it.
    The withdrawal symptoms can include psychosis, anxiety paranoia, seizures which can be life threatening and many other withdrawal effects.
    The withdrawal effects and damage to the central nervous system can take many months or a year or 2 to fully recover from. You do not want to get addicted to these drugs.
    Valium works the same way as other prescription tranquillisers, muscle relaxants and sleeping pills with same side effects and risks.
    I would do some research on benzodiazepine addiction, long term use, withdrawal symptoms, protracted withdrawal and see what you find. Valium is a benzodiazepine.
    You should look for what is causing your stress and tackle that. If it is job stress then change jobs. If it is bereavement try to accept the loss although hard.
    Also excessive alcohol use can cause addiction similar to valium and sometimes stress is withdrawal symptoms from excessive alcohol so if that is the case cut out alcohol for a few months and see how you feel.
    Change your life not your brain chemistry!