Does anyone have experience with taking a benzodiazepine?

Benzos are magical for most people. They are also very addictive, although taking one once in a blue moon for extreme situations is completely reasonable to me. For a presentation I am not sure if I would recommend it, because anxiety can sometimes help you. For sure I would try one first, don’t make the presentation the first time you ever popped one.

I will only say this: Benzodiazepine based medicines are still medicines. They may only relieve anxiety but nontheless they are psychoactive drugs and should be used only in pathological cases, not just because you’re anxious about your performance in stressful conditions.

I know that your medical system has the tendency to have you rely on medication even when it isn’t really necessary, but you really shouldn’t. There’s plenty of other ways to cure anxiety, namely analysis, that may actually last longer than taking a pill and that come without the unnecessary stress on your nervous system and methabolic balance.

EDIT: also, as @JLeslie said they’re highly addictive. Not to mention that their lightning fast action is actually largely due to the placebo effect.

@Thammuz: I completely agree and that is very true. I really get so nervous before doing presentations that my voice cracks all the time, I sweat, shake, get VERY red in the face and often my sentences make no sense. This is why I have considered taking one of these meds. At this point, I would take the risk.

@mass_pike4 Go ahead and try it.

@mass_pike4 It’s your life, i have no way to prevent you from doing that. All i say is that you shouldn’t use this as a first option.

This kind of thing should be the last resort after everything else has falied. And from the question it didn’t seem like you have already undergone analysis or actually had some kind of treatement for this.

It might be just me projecting since my girlfriend is really in a similar situation, though.

Benzo’s are usually perscribed to individuals who are currently going through periods of extreme and acute anxiety or stress. While they used to be handed out all the time, because they are so addictive doctors now are trying to perscribe them less. If you take them for one presentation and it works for you, you’ll take them for the next presentation and the next and so on, until you can’t do a presentation without them! Which is a bit rubbish, because that’s already an addiction starting.

I’m probably biased, but I worked in an addictions clinic for a while and so many people were hooked on them and literally couldn’t get through the day without them. Not that it’s definately going to happen to you if you take a benzo, but it’s always a risk and you could probably get round your problem another way without exposing yourself to the possibility.

If I were you, I would try taking ½ a Xanax at a time when you don’t have to perform and see how it affects you. I don’t have direct experience of them, but I do know people who take them occasionally for anxiety and find it helpful. But definitely do a test case first.

I take Klonipin for an anxiety disorder. I was on it several years ago as an as-needed medication and it was like a magic potion. I would start having a panic attack then I’d take one and I could take anything the world sent my way. (Although, the world had to hurry because I fell asleep in about 20 minutes. Good reason to test before you need it for a speech! lol)

After several years off of it, I am now on it daily for extreme and fairly constant anxiety. It never had that magical moment this go-round, but it has relieved my daily struggle with anxiety. I call it my miracle drug.

These meds are highly addictive, but I think it has a bit to do with the person taking them as well. I never had trouble stopping. Even if I run out and can’t get a refill for a few days, I am fine. My only concern about ever having it “taken away” is that the doctor wouldn’t replace it with something else if my anxiety returned.

On the other hand, I have a friend who went through some difficult withdrawals from Ativan. Ativan makes me throw up. Every. single. time. (Another good reason to try a new med before you use it for a speech!!)

First order of business is to talk to your doctor, though.

I have prescribed them often, very low dose, on a one time basis, for fearful patients. They work great.

You won’t get addicted from the first pill like crack or heroin by the way. You are not going to get a high that you chase for the rest of your life, and if you are basically a happy person, just have this one phobia, then I would not be very concerned about getting addicted, and you are aware it is addictive, so I would think you won’t abuse it. Although, if you are an addictive personality, meaning you already abuse alcohol, or some other drug, or if addiction is in your immediate family, I say probably better to never take a benso.

Benso’s for me took away my physical manifestations of the sadness I was going through at the time. I was very anxious, woke up with dry heaves every morning, had almost no appetite, and would just start to shake sometimes, it was very disturbing for me. I was going through a personal loss, and the benzos made me able to function. Took the edge off, the out of control feeling. After a few weeks, I stopped taking them. This all happened about 22 years ago. In the years since I have reached for them on 2 or 3 other occasions, just a few pills.

If I had something I could not avoid, and the anxiety symptoms were intense, I probably would be willing to take a couple to get through the situation, but it has to be a pretty intense situation for me to actually want one, generally I am not a drug taking person.

Xanax for me is my favorite, but some doctors don’t like to prescribe it, even if they are willing to perscribe benso’s. Klonopin makes me a little tired, but does remove the anxiety. I have never taken any of the others, except for being dosed before a surgical procedure, so I have no idea how one little pill would be.

If they give you Xanax it will probably be the lowest dose, which I think is .25 and you can easily break it in half. Many find relief with just a half. If you are going to take it, maybe take a half and practice the presentation a few days before and see what you think.

I know someone who got experience. Benzos are like a first aid measure she told me. Nothing to be afraid of taking them as an exception not driving a car. When taken 1–2 weeks in a row, addiction can already kick in. Therefore, be careful.