Alprazolam vs Diazepam For Anxiety: Which One Is Right for You?

Are you someone dealing with anxiety issues and in search of immediate relief? Well, to recover fast, you need to take medicines, and what can be a better option for anxiety than Benzodiazepines? These have been used for a very long time as the first line of treatment for solving every mental disorder. Every drug belonging to this family has already proven its efficiency for which they are almost irreplaceable. In this blog, we will discuss Alprazolam vs Diazepam to help you understand the difference between these two and also the conditions under which each of them is best suited.

Differentiate Alprazolam vs Diazepam: Key difference between Dosage, Potency, & Interactions

Alprazolam

This drug is available under the brand name Xanax and belongs to the family of Benzodiazepines. Alprazolam is quite efficient for treating various mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. This belongs to the group of Schedule IV drugs, which is a clear indication that it is vulnerable to cause dependency in individuals taking it. This increased dependency will ultimately lead to addiction to the drug.

Certain conditions make individuals ineligible for the drug. They are:

• Allergy
• Glaucoma
• Pregnant
• Breastfeeding
• Lung problem
• Alcoholic

Diazepam

This benzodiazepine medication is available for use under various brand names such as Valium and Diastat. Diazepam helps in the treatment of a wide variety of conditions, such as anxiety, muscle spasms, insomnia, and seizures, by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter GABA. This drug comes under the category of a Schedule IV substance, indicating slightly lower potency, but there is still a significant risk of getting addicted.

Factors due to which we must avoid Diazepam are:

• Liver disease
• Glaucoma
• Pregnant
• Old age
• Poor lungs
• Alcoholic

What Is the Difference Between Diazepam and Alprazolam?

There are various similarities between these drugs, such as their schedule category, working mechanism, and even their uses. All of these might make you wonder are Alprazolam and Diazepam the same? To answer this in simple terms, we can say that no, they aren’t similar. Let’s look into the factors that are behind alprazolam and diazepam differences.

Alprazolam vs Diazepam Dosage

The doses of each of these drugs can vary based on the conditions of the patient. Like other drugs, the initial dosages of both of these are also quite low and are further increased gradually. Be careful with the doses and never overdose on them.

Alprazolam Doses

• For anxiety disorders, the starting dose is 0.25 to 0.5 mg and can go up to a maximum of 4 mg.
• The initial dose for panic disorder is 0.5 mg.

Diazepam Doses

• The initial dose for anxiety is 2 mg, which must be taken three times per day.
• For any sleep-related issues, 5 mg to 15 mg must be taken once a day.
• The doses for muscle spasm are 2 mg to 15 mg per day.

Alprazolam vs Diazepam For Anxiety

A person can’t take both of them together, so he/she have to decide which will be suitable according to their condition. Since both drugs are from the same family, this situation makes it more confusing to choose one for the treatment of anxiety. Both of them have various similarities and very few differences. Both these drugs differ in half-life, so if you want a drug that would be long-lasting, then opt for Diazepam. But if you want a faster relief and it is okay if the effect does not last long, then Alprazolam seems to be the best option for you.

Alprazolam vs Diazepam For Insomnia

Alprazolam and Diazepam aren’t directly given by the doctor to help people suffering from insomnia. These drugs are sometimes used as off-label or even over-the-counter options for insomnia because of their ability to provide calmness and help the body relax. So, now a question might arise, which is better for sleep, Diazepam or Alprazolam? You can choose Diazepam over Alprazolam for improving sleep quality. This is because it has a long half-life, which will last throughout the night and also prevent occasional awakening in the night. This also does not cause much sedation, which won’t hamper your daily work.

Let’s look into various other factors in brief.

Factors	Alprazolam	Diazepam
Brand name	Xanax	Valium
Onset	15 to 60 minutes	1 to 3 minutes for injection and 15 to 60 minutes for oral tablets.
Half-life	11.2 hours	48 hours
Potency	High	Comparatively  low
Formulations	Oral tablets and solutions	Oral tablet, injection, solution, rectal gel

Which Is Stronger, Diazepam or Alprazolam?

Both these drugs are highly potent, but certain studies have found that Alprazolam is slightly more potent than Diazepam. This difference is barely noticeable until someone actually tries to find out. If the doses of people taking Diazepam are compared with those taking Alprazolam, we can see that the Alprazolam dose is slightly lower.

Drug Interactions

Certain drugs are not compatible with each other, and mixing them can be very harmful. So, before taking any medicine, just make sure that your previous and the new ones are compatible with each other to avoid causing an interaction between them. Let’s discuss the drugs that aren’t compatible with Alprazolam or Diazepam.

Drugs that interact with Alprazolam are:

• Adderall
• Ambien
• Benadryl
• Cymbalta
• Lexapro
• Lyrica
• Norco

Diazepam Interactions

• Ambien
• Benadryl
• Cymbalta
• Flexeril
• Lexapro
• Lyrica
• Nexium
• Norco
• Prozac
• Xanax
• Zyrtec

Can You Take Alprazolam and Diazepam Together

Unless advised by the doctor, you shouldn’t combine both these drugs. If you are planning to take both these drugs for entertainment purposes, then be prepared to face the consequences. The after effects of this can be quite dangerous and give rise to health risks such as:

• Breathing problem
• high sedation
• failing to concentrate
• lack of coordination
• Overdosing
• Addiction

Conclusion

So, at the end, we hope that you now have a clear picture in your mind regarding how both Alprazolam and Diazepam are wide apart from each other. We believe that this will be of great help the next time you get confused between the two. You can now decide for yourself regarding which drug is best suitable for your condition. Just remember to consult with your doctor before rather than taking any steps on your own.