Most people who are prescribed benzodiazepines are warned by their doctors not to drink alcohol while on the medication. The warning is even on every prescription bottle. However, not everyone takes this seriously. The problem with ignoring this warning is that mixing anti-anxiety medications, such as Valium, and alcohol can be quite dangerous or lethal.
What Is Valium?
Valium is a benzodiazepine, or anti-anxiety medication, that is usually prescribed for those struggling with an anxiety disorder. It can also be prescribed for those who are struggling with high anxiety before a medical procedure. It does a fairly good job at helping someone relax and/or manage their anxiety.
If you’re prescribed Valium, it’s likely that your doctor has prescribed this drug for short term use. It’s actually more effective when used for shorter periods of time. As a benzodiazepine, Valium is also addictive. The longer you’re taking it, the more likely your mind and body are to become addicted to it. Long-term use can also increase your tolerance, which means that you may need a higher dosage of the drug to get the same desired effect. As with many things, more does not always mean better.
Valium Addiction
It’s not uncommon for people to become addicted to benzodiazepines (benzos) like Valium. This is especially common for those who use them long term or abuse them. If you have developed an addiction to Valium, you’re likely to experience some withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop using the drug. Withdrawal symptoms may include:
- Feeling tired
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Confusion
- Feeling shaky
- Cravings
As with any benzodiazepine, you should not try to stop using the drug cold turkey. Rather, under medical supervision, you should begin a taper schedule, gradually decreasing the dosage over time. This will help reduce the severity of the withdrawal symptoms.
What Happens When Valium And Alcohol Are Mixed?
If you’re drinking on Valium, there are serious side effects that can occur. Both alcohol and benzos are central nervous system depressants. Taking the two together can have serious consequences.
Mixing Valium with wine or beer enhances the effects of both drugs, putting you at risk of complications or overdose. Despite the potential seriousness of the combination, still about one in five people will abuse alcohol well taking benzos.
Valium and alcohol interactions can cause the following side effects:
- Confusion
- Significant drowsiness
- Respiratory depression
- Vertigo (loss of balance)
- Loss of consciousness
How To Quit Drinking & Taking Valium
If you’ve been abusing beer, hard liquor, or wine with Valium, it’s imperative that you work on quitting to avoid dangerous effects. Again, keep in mind that you should not quit alcohol or Valium cold turkey because it can produce harsh and even lethal withdrawal side effects.
Benzodiazepines in general should not be abruptly stopped because the sudden stopping can cause your body to become confused and produce uncomfortable or dangerous withdrawal side effects. The same goes for alcohol, especially if you’ve been abusing it for a while now.
Withdrawal effects may include:
- Sweating
- Higher anxiety
- Headache
- Trouble sleeping
- Heart palpitations
- Body aches
- Confusion
- Irritability
Severe withdrawal effects could include:
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Delirium
- Seizures
Rather than quit drinking and taking Valium cold turkey, health experts state that you should begin to taper off them gradually. This is best done under medical supervision, as in a medical detox center, inpatient, or outpatient addiction recovery program. There you will be monitored by substance abuse professionals who can help minimize detox symptoms and assist you in getting free from addiction.
Treating Alcohol & Valium Addiction
If you’re struggling with alcohol abuse and/or an addiction to Valium, it’s important that you get treatment for both. Treatment centers will likely have you undergo an assessment to see how they can best treat both conditions. Treatment may involve a variety of therapeutic modalities, beginning with a detox program.
Conclusions
Valium and alcohol interactions can be serious. Physicians who warn against mixing benzodiazepines and alcohol do so because they understand the dangers. If you are taking a benzodiazepine such as Valium, refrain from drinking even a little bit. If you have been mixing Valium with wine or beer, and you feel you cannot stop on your own, reach out for some help. Continuing to abuse either or both substances can certainly lower your quality of life and could put your life in danger.
If you need help with substance abuse, there are many treatment centers ready to help you build momentum towards freedom and the kind of future you desire. You may require detox, which will help you overcome physical dependence, as well as continued treatment to address any psychological issues. Reach out for help today. Addiction does not have to control your life anymore.
34 comments
I have no idea about the effect of Taking Alcohol and Valium mixed together.
This is a wonderful Article that should get to all so they can Make changes in whatever wrongs they aren’t aware of.
This is so informative, I had no idea about this anxiety drugs until now and also the possibility of someone been addicted to it, thanks for the awareness.
Majority mixes Substances that are not meant to be mixed due to their Adverse Effect to the Body System.
We all need to be aware that Alcohol should never be Mixed with Valium.
This is so educative, I’m just knowing more about Valium today. It will really go a long way to help those that are addicted to it. Thank you for sharing.
This is a great article. Haven’t heard about valium before now but taking it with alcohol is very dangerous and the side effect isn’t good at all
Thanks for this piece of information. Addiction should be avoided at all cost.
Thanks for sharing this piece of information with us. Hope everyone will see this as a problem and will get treated as the above said.
Thw use of valium and alcohol can have drastic effect on people who mix it together for consumption. The drugs serve as depressants to the human mind.
You’ve really done a great work in putting this article together, it’s very well detailed, comprehensive and informative
Valium speeds up the interaction between alcohol it strengthens it. If not prescribed don’t use.
It is better for addicts to refrain from using both valium and alcohol together due to the negative effect it causes. It endangers the user’s mind and causes depression for them.
I think the best way is always going the natural way when it comes to any psychological problems or else you would be addicted to the drugs that you take to calm down
Valium and alcohol should not have to control your life anymore. Continuing to abuse either or both substances can certainly lower your quality of life and could put your life in danger. You need your total recovery now.
This shows the negative implications of disobedience. Thanks for the listed withdrawal effects.
Valium speeds up the interaction between alcohol. It help the alcohol generate faster in the body thanks for the awareness.
Valium speeds up the interaction between alcohol and drug. It hastens it thanks Detox for sharing this information.
Alcohol never really mix with other substances because it is dangerous for health. Mixing it with valium can be very dangerous for health. Users should try not to take the two together. Thanks for sharing.
This is in the HIGH END of drugs. This is so rare but still exist so thanks for the awareness, Drugs will always be dangerous and with alcohol in the mix this is gonna be a disaster.
This is the high time to work on quitting addiction. Which can be best carrying out under medical supervision of experts. It’s not easy to recover from any addict, but with determination and taking mind off it gradually may be of help to total recovery from drug.
I think with the withdrawal effects of Valium which include Headache.Trouble sleep, Heart palpitation, Body aches and Severe withdrawal effects. this substance should be taking minimally
This is not good for valium. Addictions is very bad habit of all people. Don’t take it. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Wow,how dangerous mixing valium and alcohol, thank you for usefull sharing
It is not right for William, he should stop drinking. Thanks for sharing this blog.
This information is quite enlightening…am glad I learn daily here.
This is an informative article. I hope people will learn from this because the danger spelt out in the usage of alcohol and valium is harmful to oneself. Thanks for sharing this with us.
This information was quite helpful and educative, I never knew valium with alcohol could be dangerous. Detox to rehab thank you for sharing this vital information.
From this content, mixing Valium with wine or beer enhances the effects of both drugs, putting you at risk of complications or overdose. And eventually cause; Confusion
Significant drowsiness
Respiratory depression
Vertigo (loss of balance)
Loss of consciousness
This is pretty much a recipe for disaster, and people should really stop taking both immediately and get help ASAP. Drugs and booze already have huge consequences when abused by themselves, no need for a combo that could give anyone a much faster shortcut to the grave. I do hope people who have this problem see the light at the end of their dark terrifying tunnel right away.
Wow I’m so informed with this. Thank you so much detox for always giving us viral information about stuffs. This is amazing.
With the above revelation, the shouldn’t be available to everyone and of prescribed, the pharmacist must demand for the prescription note. There should be adequate monitoring for those who were prescribed with the drug.
Valium should not be taken with alcohol based on the information above. It makes people incapacitated and restless.
Alcohol and valium interaction isn’t good. This is because the user will face hell.
Thank you for this article, the dangers of mixing Alcohol with drugs such as Valium is much more severe than whatsoever pleasure derived from it’s usage.