Meds for anxiety

[Periwinkle51]

Is there a difference between Valium & Zanax?

[bigk1967]

Most medications work differently in people. But the general effect is the same.

[RubyWitch]

While both medications are benzodiazepines, they do have some differences as well as similarities. Both medications are best used on a short term basis, four months or less if taken daily, but best used on a PRN basis, (AS NEEDED) Valium has been around for a long time and people tend to view it as rather harmless, which is totally untrue, as it can induce tolerance quite rapidly. Xanax has been around for awhile and it's taken time to realize that long term use of this drug on a daily basis can create a great many problems. It is very difficult to withdraw from Xanax, it must be done very slowly and carefully, even if the dose was small and you weren't on it for a long period of time, for many people it becomes a nightmare to w/d from. Valium must also be tapered, but the w/d is much less difficult, In fact, most people withdrawing from Xanax use Valium to help them.
To get the real skinny on the differences of these two meds, I would suggest talking with a pharmicist who can explain it much better than I did,
I have PTSD and severe Panic Disorder. Valium did nothing for me. I was switched to Xanax and my Panic was under control. There is quite a bit of eveidence that Valium doens't have an affinity for Panic Disorder and is best used for mild anxiety. But there are people who find Valium to work for them very well. We are all so different, you can't say that one is better than the other........it depends on too much.
But the bottom line is that both are meant for short term or PRN use. For long term control of anxiety and panic, you need to look into the long acting benzos, like Klonopin. (Just as an example)
If you are contemplating starting either of these drugs, please make sure you have  a very in depth discussion with your doctor about the pros and cons. Don't let him/her hand you the old standard line that they know what's best and you shouldn't worry about all that "other stuff." Do some reasearch and go into that discussion armed with the facts. Knowledge is power. Know what you're getting into.
I wish you the best.
If you have more questions, please post again. I am not a drug expert, just someone with a long history of using both these meds.
Peace
Greenlydia