Diazepam (Valium)

Overview

Popular names 'Vallies', 'V', 'Blues', 'Valley Girls'
What is it?

Diazepam (or Valium) is a popular benzodiazepine drug used mainly in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, and sometimes for alcohol and opiate withdrawal.

Sought after effects

• Sedative
• Relaxant

 

Undesired effects

• Headaches/dizziness
• Memory problems (particularly if sleep is interrupted)
• Tremors/shakiness

 

What does it look like?

Tablets:

Small, white or off-white tablets, usually 2mg when prescribed

Yellow or off-white tablets are usually 5mg

Blue tablets are usually 10mg

 

Oral solutions of 2mg/5ml or 5mg/5ml (with sugar free versions available) and injectable formulations of 5mg/mL exist

Rectal tubes also exist as 2mg/mL and 4mg/mL formulations

 

 

 

How is it taken?

Orally: swallowed as a tablet/capsule, drunk as an oral solution)

Snorted: The tablets are sometimes crushed and taken nasally 

Injected: injectable formulations as well as gelcaps are known to be used intravenously (injected into the limbs, groin or neck) or intramuscularly

Taken rectally: using rectal tubes