Benzodiazepine therapy can help whether your goal is to reduce, to stop, or to understand why you rely on them.
What this covers
Benzodiazepines include diazepam, alprazolam and others, taken for anxiety, sleep or to come down from other drugs, whether prescribed or not. They are Class C drugs. They can cause both psychological and physical dependence, and tolerance builds over time, so people can need more to get the same effect. Some people experience withdrawal after only a few weeks of regular use.
Signs use may be becoming a problem
- Needing more to get the same effect
- Taking them for longer than they were prescribed, or without a prescription
- Feeling anxious, shaky or unable to sleep when you miss a dose
- Worrying about running out
- Hiding how much you take, or feeling ashamed about it
- Using them to cope with stress, sleep or the comedown from other drugs
- Problems with memory, work, money, health or relationships
Stopping safely: read this
Stopping benzodiazepines suddenly can cause serious harm, including seizures. Withdrawal can bring anxiety, confusion, tremors, panic attacks and depression.
- If you are prescribed them, ask your prescriber about reducing gradually. A slow reduction is how withdrawal symptoms are usually prevented.
- If you are not prescribed them, you do not have to go through your GP: you can approach your local drug treatment service yourself, and FRANK on 0300 123 6600 can talk you through the options.
- Call 999 if you or someone else has a seizure, severe confusion or cannot be woken.
Mixing benzodiazepines with alcohol, opioids, or pregabalin or gabapentin slows your breathing and raises the risk of overdose and death; see polydrug use.
I am not a medical service and cannot prescribe or supervise a reduction.
What therapy can offer
- A place to talk honestly about your use without being lectured
- Working out what they do for you (calm, sleep, numbness) and what else could do some of that work
- Practical ways to cope with anxiety and sleep as you reduce
- Support alongside medical care; therapy works with a reduction plan, not instead of one
- Space to decide your own goal, and to change your mind
Confidentiality
Worried about your job or your driving licence? What I report, and what stays between us.
If it is someone you love
If someone you love is affected, you can have support of your own, whether or not they get help. Support for families and loved ones.
Short answers to common questions
Can I have therapy while I am still prescribed them?
Yes. Therapy can sit alongside your prescribed treatment, and I would encourage you not to change the dose without speaking to your prescriber.
How long can you take diazepam before it becomes a problem?
The NHS says diazepam is usually taken for no longer than 2 to 4 weeks, and that taking it for longer can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms. It adds that the risk is higher with higher doses taken for longer, or if you have had alcohol or drug problems before. If you have been taking it for longer than planned, it is worth telling your prescriber.
Can I drive if I take diazepam?
The NHS says not to drive, cycle or use machinery if diazepam makes you sleepy, and not to drive if you are in any doubt. GOV.UK says it is an offence to drive if a legal drug impairs you. It is also an offence to drive over set blood limits for certain drugs, including diazepam, clonazepam and lorazepam, unless they were prescribed, you took them as advised and you are fit to drive.
Can I trust benzodiazepine tablets that did not come from a pharmacy?
FRANK says you cannot normally be sure of the purity of benzodiazepines unless you have been prescribed them. Blister packs can make tablets look legitimate, but fake tablets can contain other dangerous benzodiazepines or other chemicals, and FRANK warns about nitazenes, a group of strong opioids, being cut into drugs. If this is where your tablets come from, you can tell me and I will not lecture you.
Is it illegal to have benzodiazepines without a prescription?
FRANK says benzodiazepines are Class C, which means it is illegal to have them for yourself, give them away or sell them. Possession can carry up to 2 years in prison, and supplying others up to 14 years. Many people worry about this before they ask for help. Whether you are prescribed them or not, you are welcome to talk to me about your use.
How can I help someone who is dependent on diazepam?
Encourage them to talk to their prescriber, GP or pharmacist, and do not push them to stop suddenly. NICE says stopping suddenly or cutting down too quickly makes withdrawal more likely, and it can be very serious. The NHS says stopping diazepam suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms and that any reduction should follow medical guidance. Be patient and keep the door open. NHS: diazepam