Overview Of Diazepam (Valium)

Uses And Benefits

Diazepam has been approved to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms, muscle spasms, seizures, and anxiety. Some doctors may use it to sedate patients before a medical procedure, particularly when they are not undergoing full anesthesia. This medication can calm anxiety symptoms and reduce the physical symptoms of a panic attack. It makes it very difficult to continue with distressing thought spirals, which patients may be unable to stop otherwise. Diazepam has been proven effective at reducing anxious thoughts related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

This medication is often prescribed on a short-term basis for individuals experiencing acute symptoms of panic following a catastrophic event. It may also be prescribed as a short-term means of helping generalized anxiety disorder patients. While they are taking diazepam, they can work on learning coping mechanisms for their anxiety. Their doctor can then transfer them to a different long-term medication that does not have the same effects on the brain.

Continue reading to learn about the side effects of this medication next.