Generic Name: diazepam
Brand Names: Valium, Diastat Acudial, Diastat, Diazepam Intensol
Discontinued Brand Names: Dizac, Qpam, Valrelease
Drug Class: Anxiolytics, Benzodiazepines, Anticonvulsants, Benzodiazepines
What is diazepam, and what is it used for?
Diazepam is a prescription oral medication that is used to treat anxiety. Diazepam also is used for the treatment of agitation, tremors, delirium, seizures, and hallucinations resulting from alcohol withdrawal. It is used for the treatment of seizures, relief of muscle spasms in some neurological diseases, and for sedation during surgery.
It belongs to the benzodiazepine family of drugs, the same family that includes:- alprazolam (Xanax)
- clonazepam (Klonopin)
- lorazepam (Ativan)
- flurazepam (Dalmane)
Diazepam and other benzodiazepines act by enhancing the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter (a chemical that nerve cells use to communicate with each other) that inhibits activity in the brain. It is believed that excessive activity in the brain may lead to anxiety or other psychiatric disorders.
The FDA approved diazepam in November 1963.
Is diazepam addictive?
WARNING
Diazepam can lead to addiction (dependency), especially when higher dosages are used over prolonged periods of time. In patients addicted to diazepam or after prolonged use, abrupt discontinuation may cause symptoms of withdrawal such as:
Seizures can occur in more severe cases of withdrawal. Therefore, after extended use, diazepam should be slowly tapered under a doctor's supervision rather than abruptly stopped.

QUESTION
Panic attacks are repeated attacks of fear that can last for several minutes. See AnswerWhat are the side effects of diazepam?
The most common side effects of diazepam are:
Other important side effects include:
- Paradoxical reactions with excitability
- Muscle spasm
- Lack of sleep
- Rage
- Confusion
- Speech problems
- Double vision
Possible serious side effects:
- Respiratory depression
- Neutropenia
- Depression
What is the dosage for diazepam?
- Diazepam may be taken with or without food.
- Diazepam is disposed of by the liver and excreted mainly by the kidney. Dosages of diazepam may need to be lowered in patients with abnormal kidney function.
- The usual oral diazepam dose for anxiety or seizures is 2-10 mg given 2-4 times daily.
- The usual rectal dose is 0.2-0.5 mg/kg and depends on the age of the patient.
Health News
- What Is Avascular Necrosis and How Does It Affect Bones?
- The Arch of the Human Foot Was Key to Upright Walking, Scientists Say
- Worried About Cataracts? Here's What You Need to Know
- FDA Issues Warning About Compounded Versions of Wegovy, Ozempic
- Sick Restaurant Workers Fuel Many Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
More Health News »
Which drugs interact with diazepam?
Alcohol or medications that cause sedation may add to the sedative effects of diazepam. Patients taking benzodiazepines should avoid such combinations.
The following drugs may prolong the effects of diazepam by inhibiting liver enzymes that eliminate diazepam:
- cimetidine (Tagamet)
- ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- itraconazole (Sporanox)
- omeprazole (Prilosec, Rapinex)
- erythromycin
- clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- darunavir (Prezista)
- fluvoxamine (Luvox)
- fluoxetine (Prozac)
Dosages may need to be decreased when these drugs are used with diazepam.
Carbamazepine (Tegretol), rifampin (Rifadin), and St. John's Wort decrease levels of diazepam by increasing the elimination of diazepam by liver enzymes.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Benzodiazepines, including diazepam, can cause fetal abnormalities and should not be used during pregnancy.
- Diazepam is excreted in breast milk and can affect nursing infants. Therefore, diazepam should not be used by women who are nursing.
What else should I know about diazepam?
What preparations of Valium (diazepam) are available?
- Tablets: 2, 5 and 10 mg.
- Oral Solution: 1 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml.
- Injection Solution: 5 mg/ml.
- Intramuscular Device: 10 mg/2 ml.
- Rectal Gel: 2.5, 10 and 20 mg.
How should I keep Valium (diazepam) stored?
- Diazepam should be stored at room temperature, 15 C to 30 C (59 F to 86 F).
Subscribe to MedicineNet's Depression Newsletter
By clicking "Submit," I agree to the MedicineNet Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I also agree to receive emails from MedicineNet and I understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet subscriptions at any time.
Summary
Diazepam is a drug prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders; and agitation, tremors, delirium, seizures, and hallucinations that result from alcohol withdrawal. Diazepam can lead to addiction (dependency), especially when higher dosages are used over prolonged periods of time. The most common side effects of diazepam are drowsiness, fatigue, diarrhea, rash, euphoria, and ataxia (loss of balance). Do not use diazepam if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
A Visual Guide to Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Learn about generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). See if your worries are normal or something more by learning about symptoms,...
-
Prescription Drug Abuse: Addiction, Health Risks, and Treatments
Learn how prescription drug and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse can endanger your health. Get the latest information on...
-
Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse) and Muscle Spasms
What are the differences between muscle spasms and cramps? Learn about the causes of muscle spasms and cramps (charley horse) in...
-
What Are Phobias? Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety Disorder, Other Fears
What are you afraid of? Learn about phobias such as agoraphobia, claustrophobia, arachnophobia, zoophobia, and more. Discover...
-
Anxiety, Stress, Worry, and Your Body
What is the definition of anxiety, stress, and worry? Find treatments to relieve stress, eliminate worry, and combat anxiety as...
-
Stress Relief: 10 Ways to Stop Stress
Stop stress and stress-related problems like overeating, headaches, hives, and anxiety. Try simple interventions like chewing...
-
Diet for Stress Management: Carbs, Nuts, and Other Stress-Relief Foods
While there are many ways to cope with stress, one strategy is to eat stress-fighting foods. Find out which foods to eat as part...
-
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Restless leg syndrome (RLS), an annoying, sometimes painful disorder that keeps millions of people awake at night. What are the...
-
Stress Quiz: Test Your Emotional IQ
Stress creeps into everyone's life at one time or another, while some people will suffer from poorly managed chronic stress. If...
-
PTSD Quiz: Test your IQ of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Can you have PTSD even if you've never been to war? Take the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Quiz to learn about PTSD, who gets it,...
-
Epilepsy & Seizures Quiz: What Causes Seizures?
Do you know the difference between seizures and epilepsy? What are the types of seizures? Take the Epilepsy & Seizures Quiz to...
-
Anxiety & Panic Disorders: Risk Factors for Anxiety
Do you feel anxious? Many things could make it more likely. Learn more, including what you can do if you feel anxious.
-
Neck Pain: Causes of Stiffness, Muscle Spasms, Treatment, and Relief
What causes chronic neck pain? If you have poor posture, bad sleep habits, or spine problems, these issues can lead to a stiff...
-
Anxiety and Panic Disorders: Conditions That Look Like Anxiety
Is it anxiety or something else? Click through to learn which conditions share symptoms.
-
17 Everyday Ways to Ease Depression
The right exercise, diet, and activities -- even playing with a pet --can help you recover from depression. Learn simple...
-
Anxiety & Panic Disorders: Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
A fluttering heart, knots in your stomach, clammy hands -- are you just nervous about something? Talk to your doctor if it...
-
Brain and Nervous System: Conditions That Can Cause Hallucinations
What medical conditions are known to cause auditory or visual hallucinations?
-
Stress-Free Holiday Travel Tips
Learn holiday travel tips for a stress-free adventure. The holidays can be a very stressful time and it is important to prepare...
-
Depression: Foods to Avoid If You Have Anxiety or Depression
Feeling a little jittery? It could be something you ate. Learn the foods to avoid if you're anxious or depressed.
Related Disease Conditions
-
What Are the Top 10 Medications for Anxiety?
Here are the top 10 medications for anxiety, which aim to treat the associated symptoms rather than cure the disorder.
-
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Symptoms and signs of a muscle spasm include an acute onset of pain and a possible bulge seen or felt beneath the skin where the muscle is located. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.
-
Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps are involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscles that do not relax. Extremely common, any muscles that have voluntary control, including some organs, are subject to cramp. Since there is such variety in the types of muscle cramps that can occur, many causes and preventative medications are known. Stretching is the most common way to stop or prevent most muscle cramps.
-
Inner Ear Infection
An inner ear infection or otitis interna is caused by viruses or bacteria and can occur in both adults and children. An inner ear infection can cause symptoms and signs, for example, a severe ear, dizziness, vertigo, nausea and vomiting, and vertigo. An inner ear infection also may cause inflammation of the inner ear or labyrinthitis. Inner ear infections are not contagious; however, the bacteria and viruses that cause the infection can be transmitted to other people. Good hygiene practices will help decrease the chances of the infection spreading to others. Inner ear infection symptoms and signs like ear pain and nausea may be relieved with home remedies or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Some inner ear infections will need to be treated and cured with antibiotics or prescription pain or antinausea medication.
-
What Can Trigger Vertigo?
Vertigo is the sensation of spinning or rocking, even when someone is at rest. Vertigo may be caused by a problem in the brain or spinal cord or a problem within in the inner ear. Head injuries, certain medications, and female gender are associated with a higher risk of vertigo. Medical history, a physical exam, and sometimes an MRI or CT scan are required to diagnose vertigo. The treatment of vertigo may include medication, special exercises to reposition loose crystals in the inner ear, or exercises designed to help the patient re-establish a sense of equilibrium. Controlling risk factors for stroke (blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, and blood glucose) may decrease the risk of developing vertigo.
-
Dizziness
Dizziness is a symptom that often applies to a variety of sensations including lightheadedness and vertigo. Causes of dizziness include low blood pressure, heart problems, anemia, dehydration, and other medical conditions. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause.
-
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that people get in their late teens or early twenties. Impacted wisdom teeth that only partially erupt allow for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Before your wisdom teeth are pulled, the teeth and the surrounding tissue will be numbed with a local anesthetic. Recovery from wisdom tooth removal depends upon the difficulty of the extraction.
-
Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic or severe stress can be harmful to your health. Learn what happens in your body when you are stressed and how you can manage your response.
-
Alcohol and Teens
Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by American teenagers. Teens that drink are more likely to drive under the influence, have unprotected sex, and use other drugs, like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Symptoms of alcohol abuse in teens include lying, breaking curfew, becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others, making excuses, smelling like alcohol, having mood swings, and stealing.
-
Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is a disorder that causes symptoms like pain, clicking, and popping of the jaw. TMJ is caused by injury to the temporomandibular joint. Stress, poor posture, jaw trauma, genetic predisposition, and inflammatory disorders are risk factors for the condition. A variety of self-care measures (application of ice, use of over-the-counter pain medication, massage, relaxation techniques) and medical treatment options (dental splint, Botox, prescription medications, surgery) are available to manage TMJ. The prognosis of TMJ is good with proper treatment.
-
Anxiety
Second Source article from WebMD
-
Stress Management Techniques
Stress may be considered as any physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental unrest and that may be a factor in disease causation. Managing stress in our lives is important. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. We can however, learn to manage stress through techniques such as exercise, relaxation, meditation, time management, and support systems so that we have control over our stress and its effects on our physical and mental health.
-
What Can Tremors Be a Sign Of?
Tremors mean shakiness. They are unintentional, rhythmic movements of a body part. Though they are not life-threatening, they can cause severe disability and worry.
-
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by symptoms such as trouble concentrating, headaches, sleep problems, and irritability. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. Treatment for anxiety may incorporate medications and psychotherapy.
-
Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common cause of painful legs that typically eases with motion, and becomes worse and more noticeable at rest. This characteristic nighttime worsening can frequently lead to insomnia. Treatment of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome is generally with medication as well as treating any underlying condition causing restless leg syndrome.
-
Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law. It can cause myriad health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver, birth defects, heart disease, stroke, psychological problems, and dementia. Counseling and a few medications can be effective for alcoholism treatment.
-
What Is the Difference Between a Seizure and a Convulsion?
Learn what the main difference between a seizure and a convulsion is, and how to recognize and treat either condition.
-
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Medications
Traumatic brain injury and related conditions, may require diuretics, anticonvulsants, sedatives, antidepressants, muscle relaxers, pain relievers, and stimulants to treat deficits in cognitive functions such as attention, memory, learning and language.
-
Dislocated Shoulder
The shoulder is the most often dislocated joint in the body due to its mobility. A dislocation occurs when the head of the humerus is dislocated from its socket. Symptoms and signs of a shoulder dislocation include nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness, weakness, and sweating. There are various methods of reducing a dislocation and returning the humeral head to its normal place. The method for reduction of a shoulder dislocation depends upon the type of dislocation, the patient, the situation, and the clinician's experience. Intravenous narcotics and muscle relaxants are often administered to relax the muscles and relieve pain.
-
What Are the Causes of Anxiety?
Anxiety is not caused by a single factor but often a combination of factors, such as genetic predisposition, traumatic experiences, personality, and physical health. Learn about potential triggers of anxiety and check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety disorders, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Migraines and Seizures
Migraines are a type of headache and seizures are the main symptom of epilepsy. Migraine headaches and seizures are two different neurological problems that have similar signs, symptoms, and auras, for example, sensitivity to light (photophobia) and sound, irritability, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms unique to migraine and migraine auras are water retention, problems sleeping, appetite changes, and talkativeness. Symptoms unique to seizure and seizures auras are depression, a feeling of heaviness, a feeling that a seizure is approaching, and depression. Many of the symptoms of migraine and seizures are the same, however, seizures do not cause migraines; however, people who have seizures are twice as likely to have migraines and vice-versa. People who have migraines are twice as likely to have seizures, and people with seizures are twice as likely to have migraines; however, one condition does not cause the other.
-
Meniere's Disease
Meniere disease (idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops) is an inner ear disorder with symptoms that include vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the sensation of ear fullness. The primary treatments for Meniere disease are diuretics, anti-vertigo, anti-nausea, and low salt diets. Surgery may be recommended if the vertigo cannot be controlled with medication.
-
Insomnia
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
-
How Fast Does BuSpar Work for Anxiety?
BuSpar or buspirone is a medication used to treat generalized anxiety disorder and typically takes about 2-4 weeks to take effect. Learn how the drug works to reduce anxiety symptoms, and check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety disorders, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Is Valerian Root Similar to Xanax and Valium?
Valerian root is one of the most popular alternatives to sleep medications. While valerian is a herb, Xanax and Valium are considered benzodiazepines (benzos).
-
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused by brain trauma. Types of cerebral palsy include: spastic, dyskinetic (dystonic or choreoathetoid), hypotonic, and mixed types. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and treatment is generally managing the symptoms of the condition.
-
Seizures: Symptoms and Types
Seizures occur when there is an abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain and are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Learn about the symptoms of different types of seizures, and check out the center below for more medical references on seizures, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
How Do I Stop Catastrophizing Anxiety?
Similar to other mental health and anxiety disorders, you can stop catastrophizing by managing your negative thoughts through these techniques.
-
Mental Health
Mental health is an optimal way of thinking, relating to others, and feeling. All of the diagnosable mental disorders fall under the umbrella of mental illness. Depression, anxiety, and substance-abuse disorders are common types of mental illness. Symptoms and signs of mental illness include irritability, moodiness, insomnia, headaches, and sadness. Treatment may involve psychotherapy and medication.
-
Does DMT Help With Depression and Anxiety?
Despite being a controlled drug, DMT is being considered to treat mental conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
-
What Happens During an Anxiety Attack?
Anxiety can occur during everyday life, it could be fleeting or it could persist and build. But if you have an anxiety disorder, you may feel your anxiety or panic overwhelm you with intense anxiety and fear.
-
Can Anxiety Cause Phantom Smells?
Phantom smells are a common symptom of anxiety disorders. Learn about how anxiety can cause olfactory hallucinations and what treatment options are available. Check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Brief Psychotic Disorder
Brief psychotic disorder is a short-term mental illness that features psychotic symptoms. There are three forms of brief psychotic disorder. The first occurs shortly after a major stress, the second has no apparent trauma that triggers the illness, and the third is associated with postpartum onset. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, unusual behavior, disorientation, changes in eating and sleeping, and speech that doesn't make sense. Treatment typically involves medication and psychotherapy.
-
Stress and Heart Disease
Stress itself may be a risk factor for heart disease, or high levels of stress may make risk factors for heart disease worse. The warning signs of stress can be physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral. Check out the center below for more medical references on stress and heart disease, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Can a Parent Cause Anxiety in a Child?
Parents who are stressed, anxious, harsh, fight, sarcastic, hostile or aversive may transmit or cause anxiety in their children.
-
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety disorder is a common childhood anxiety disorder that has many causes. Infants, children, older kids and adults can suffer from symptoms of separation anxiety disorder. Common separation anxiety treatment methods include therapy and medications. Factors that contribute to how quickly or successfully a child moves past separation anxiety by preschool age include how well the parent and child reunite, the skills the child and adult have at coping with the separation, and how well the adult responds to the infant's separation issues. For example, children of anxious parents tend to be anxious children.
-
Is Picking at Your Skin a Symptom of Anxiety?
Skin picking may be triggered by anxiety as a way to relieve stress. When it becomes frequent and intense, it can become a mental health disorder.
-
What Causes Myoclonic Seizures in Babies?
Epileptic syndromes that cause myoclonic seizures usually begin in early childhood, and last throughout life, though milder forms may improve with adulthood. Doose syndrome (myoclonic-atonic epilepsy), Dravet syndrome (severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy [SMEI]) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are all childhood epilepsy syndromes that may cause seizures in babies and toddlers.
-
Phobias
Phobias are unrelenting fears of activities (social phobias), situations (agoraphobia), and specific items (arachnophobia). There is thought to be a hereditary component to phobias, though there may be a cultural influence or they may be triggered by life events. Symptoms and signs of phobias include having a panic attack, shaking, breathing troubles, rapid heartbeat, and a strong desire to escape the situation. Treatment of phobias typically involves desensitization, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and beta-blockers.
-
Can Stress and Anxiety Cause Schizophrenia?
Stress is your body's way of responding to mental, physical, or emotional pressure and anxiety is your body's way of reacting to stressful situations. While stress is not a direct cause of schizophrenia, it can trigger an episode of schizophrenia in an already vulnerable person.
-
Can the Vagus Nerve Cause Seizures?
The vagus nerve is an important pathway to the brain in addition to helping to control seizures. Stimulation of the vagus nerve leads to the discharge of electrical energy into a wide area of the brain, disturbing the abnormal brain activity that causes seizures. The vagus nerve is used to treat seizures that do not respond to medications.
-
What Parenting Styles Cause Anxiety?
There are times when your child will feel anxious about different things — this is perfectly normal. Authoritarian parenting, which uses stern, harsh behavior with children, can lead to moderately-high levels of anxiety, depression, and withdrawal.
-
Febrile Seizures
Febrile seizures, or convulsions caused by fever, can be frightening in small children or infants. However, in general, febrile seizures are harmless. Febrile seizure is not epilepsy. It is estimated that one in every 25 children will have at least one febrile seizure. It is important to know what to do to help your child if he/she has a febrile seizure. Some of the features of a febrile seizure include losing consciousness, shaking, moving limbs on both sides of the body, and lasts 1-2 minutes. Less commonly, a febrile seizure may only affect one side of the body.
-
Which Color Light Helps Anxiety?
Chromotherapy is an alternative medicine technique that claims to cure various physical or mental disorders by using colors. Most practitioners of modern medicine believe that this technique lacks scientific evidence.
-
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a fear of being outside or of being in a situation from which escape would be impossible. Symptoms include anxiety, fear, disorientation, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, or dizziness. Treatment may incorporate psychotherapy, self-exposure to the anxiety-causing situation, and medications such as SSRIs, benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers.
-
Seizure vs. Seizure Disorders: What's the Difference?
Seizures and seizure disorders are not the same medical problems. A seizure happens when the electrical activity in the brain is uncontrolled. There are about 40 different types of seizure disorders, in which epilepsy is one. Symptoms depend on the type of disorder, but can include loss of consciousness, uncontrolled twitching or shaking of one side, or the entire body.
-
Does Delirium Go Away?
Delirium involves a sudden change in the way an individual thinks or acts. It may start suddenly over a few hours or days. Delirium typically goes away in a few hours to a few days or several weeks or months. During its entire course, it may disappear and come back again.
-
What Is a Cluster Seizure?
Cluster seizures are episodes of increased seizure activity in which two or more seizures occur in 24 hours. Multiple seizures occur one after the other typically with a recovery period between each seizure and are different from a person’s usual seizure pattern.
-
How Do You Stop Anxiety Attacks?
You may not always be able to avoid an anxiety attack, but here are 13 ways to manage or stop anxiety attacks when they happen.
-
What Are the Root Causes of Anxiety and Depression?
What causes anxiety and depression? Learn about symptoms and potential root causes that may increase your risk of developing mood disorders.
-
What Is the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack?
What is the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack? Learn about the differences between these common occurrences.
-
Can a Person With Anxiety Live a Normal Life?
Dealing with anxiety isn’t easy, but it is possible to live a normal life with the right treatment and support. Learn how anxiety can be managed successfully.
-
What Are the Six Types of Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders cause worry, fear and panic as an irrational response to mundane situations. The six main types are generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, separation anxiety, trauma-related disorders and phobias.
-
Is Anxiousness the Same as Anxiety?
Anxiousness is not the same as anxiety. Feeling anxious from time to time is normal, whereas severe, ongoing anxiety may be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder.
-
Can You Self-diagnose Anxiety?
While the internet is full of self-assessment tests to self-diagnose anxiety, only a thorough clinical examination by a doctor can accurately diagnose the condition.
-
How Does a Person With Anxiety Feel?
What are symptoms of anxiety? A person with anxiety may experience feelings of nervousness, restlessness, inability to concentrate, stomach problems, and more.
-
Is Valerian Root Good for Anxiety?
Valerian is an herb that has been used for many centuries to help relieve anxiety and as a sleep aid in traditional medicine. The studies for proving the effectiveness of valerian root for sleep and anxiety have not been conclusive. More studies are required to prove its effectiveness and find the optimal dose.
-
How Does Anxiety Affect You Physically?
Physical signs of anxiety include rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, headache, and more. Find out how to recognize and ease your symptoms.
-
What Does an Anxiety Attack Feel Like?
Anxiety attacks typically last 30 minutes or less and include feelings of extremely intense terror, fear, or anxiety. Check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Holiday Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
Though the holidays are a fun time for most, for others, they're a sad, lonely and anxiety-filled time. Get tips on how to avoid depression and stress during the holiday season.
-
What Does Anxiety Do to Your Body?
It increases a person’s chances of suffering from other medical conditions, such as heart diseases, raised blood pressure, high cholesterol obesity, depression and diabetes. In short term, anxiety may cause sleep disturbances and poor work performance.
-
What Is the 3-3-3 Rule for Anxiety?
Parenting a young child can be tough. The 3-3-3 rule is a mindfulness technique that's simple enough for young children and it asks them to name three things they can see, identify three sounds they can hear, and move three different parts of their bodies.
-
Is Trichotillomania an Anxiety Disorder?
Trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling, is an impulse control disorder. It could be caused by anxiety and stress. It can coexist with an anxiety disorder. However, psychiatrists consider it as a separate illness and not an anxiety disorder.
-
Epilepsy and Seizures: How to Treat?
A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder where brain activities are abnormal, causing more than one or recurrent episodes of seizures. Most cases of seizures can be managed conservatively with medication and supportive treatments.
-
Job Stress and Your Health
Early warning signs of job stress include headache, sleep disturbance, difficulty in concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, and low morale. Stress on the job can be damaging to your health in that job stress is the outcome when job demands cannot be met.
-
How Do Seizures Differ From Epilepsy and Convulsion?
You can have a seizure without epilepsy, but you can’t have epilepsy without seizures. Convulsions are a type of seizure that causes involuntary shaking.
-
Can Stress and Anxiety Hurt My Baby?
Research indicates that stress and anxiety in pregnant women may influence the health of the baby and result in several birth problems.
-
What Do Seizures Feel Like?
If you have a seizure, you may feel strange, notice unusual smells, experience tingling, see flashing lights, or start hallucinating.
-
What Are the Different Types of Seizures?
A seizure is a sudden change in the brain's normal electrical activity. During a seizure, brain cells fire uncontrollably than their normal rate, temporarily affecting the way a person behaves, moves, thinks, or feels. Recurrent seizures are called epilepsy. Seizures are usually categorized into three types depending on their onset.
-
What Are 6 Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders have an impact on one's behavior, thoughts, emotions, and physical health. The six major symptoms of anxiety disorders include worrying incessantly and excessively for no apparent reason; fear of any social or performance-related situations in which one may be subjected to scrutiny from others; irrational fear of an object or location; flashbacks, nightmares, and subsequent anxiety due to exposure to a highly traumatic event in the past; cleaning and rearranging things and objects around excessively and repetitively; and repeated panic attacks.
-
What Triggers Tonic Seizures?
Tonic seizures may result from a variety of health conditions, such as brain tumors and head injuries. Learn all the potential triggers for epilepsy now.
-
What Triggers Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a mental health condition that is characterized by extreme anxiety and fear of social settings. People with social anxiety disorder have a constant, intense, persistent fear of being watched, judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social situation.
-
Do Seizures Come in Clusters?
Yes, seizures can come in clusters. The term seizure clusters is used when three or more seizures that occur within 24 hours (or within six hours as defined in some studies).
-
How Do You Stop Multiple Seizures?
Seizures are a medical emergency. Whether the seizure is a first-time onset or a recurring episode, it is advisable to dial 911 and call for help. A group of drugs called benzodiazepines is usually administered to stop multiple seizures.
-
What Is the Best Test for Anxiety?
Screening for anxiety can help detect mental health problems early and ensure that you receive timely treatment. Learn about the best tests for assessing anxiety levels and how anxiety relates to anxiety disorders. Check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
What Are the 5 Symptoms of Anxiety?
Learn the 5 most common types of anxiety disorders and their symptoms below.
-
Is Psoriasis Linked to Anxiety?
Like other chronic conditions, psoriasis can take a toll on your emotional health. Anxiety can trigger or worsen psoriasis, and psoriasis can cause anxiety.
-
What Is the Main Cause of Anxiety?
Anxiety is usually caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors that may include stress, trauma, family history, and underlying health conditions.
-
What Is Anxiety Mostly About?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress or danger that alerts us of potential threats. Check out the center below for more medical references on anxiety, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
Can Anxiety Give You a Stomachache?
Anxiety triggers the release of cortisol, which can cause your stomach to produce more acid and give you a stomachache. Learn about how to cope with anxiety symptoms.
-
How Can I Help My Young Child With Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal part of daily life, even for children. Help your young child with anxiety by giving the feeling a label, validating their feelings, tracking causes of anxiety, and using other methods.
-
What Does Social Anxiety Feel Like?
People affected by social anxiety or social phobia often feel intense fear or anxiety of being judged or criticized while being in a social situation.
-
What Is the Best Treatment for Anxiety?
The best treatment for anxiety is typically a combination of psychotherapy and medication. However, lifestyle modifications can also help manage symptoms.
-
What Is the Main Cause of a Seizure?
Although the main cause of a seizure is usually epilepsy, seizures can occur due to anything that interrupts the normal communication between brain cells. Learn about common causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Check out the center below for more medical references on epilepsy, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
What Causes a Seizure?
A seizure is caused by disruptions in the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain. Check out the center below for more medical references on seizures, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
-
What Symptoms Are Caused by Anxiety?
It's normal to feel stressed or worried about things that happen in our everyday lives. However, people who experience anxiety disorders often feel heightened fear or worry about common situations.
Treatment & Diagnosis
- Shaking Hands (Hand Tremors)
- Hallucinations
- Alcohol Withdrawal
- Tremors
- Cerebral Palsy
- Anxiety
- Delirium
- Muscle Cramps
- Dizziness
- Seizure (Epilepsy)
- Vertigo
- Aggression
- Inner Ear Infection (Otitis Interna)
- Stiff-Person Syndrome
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Dystonia
- Doctor: Checklist to Take To Your Doctor's Appointment
- Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondria)
- Benign Positional Vertigo
- Agoraphobia
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Anxiety Treatment with Virtual Reality Exposure
- Anxiety: Facing Fear and Anxiety -- Jonathan Davidson, MD
- Epilepsy: Silencing the Seizures
- Anxiety, Panic, and Phobias: Seeking Help
- Epilepsy and Seizures FAQs
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder FAQs
- Stress FAQs
- Restless Leg Syndrome RLS FAQs
- Prescription Drug Abuse
- Trouble Sleeping? Insomnia May Be Why
- 10 Tips to Avoid Insomnia and Get a Good Night's Sleep
- Drugs: The Most Common Medication Errors
- Seizures: When the Computer Goes Haywire
- Medication Disposal
- Dangers of Mixing Medications
- Propofol (Diprivan) Safety
- How To Reduce Your Medication Costs
- Pharmacy Visit, How To Get The Most Out of Your Visit
- Indications for Drugs: Approved vs. Non-approved
- Seizure Symptoms: How to Assist the Victim
- Drugs: Buying Prescription Drugs Online Safely
- Hot Flashes: Anxiety Worsens Hot Flashes
- Grapefruit Juice and Drug Interactions
- Generic Drugs, Are They as Good as Brand-Names?
Medications & Supplements
- Benzodiazepines
- diazepam - rectal, Diastat
- diazepam - oral, Valium
- diazepam - injection, Valium
- Drugs: Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist about Your Drugs
- Anxiolytics (for Anxiety) Drug Class Side Effects
- Drug Interactions
- lorazepam
- alprazolam
- clonazepam
- What Are the Side Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs?
- Side Effects of Valium (diazepam)
- temazepam (Restoril)
- triazolam (Halcion)
- dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera)
- teriflunomide (Aubagio)
Prevention & Wellness
From 
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.