r/ClonazepamQuestions

My friend has really bad anxiety about taking medication in general, and Valium (diazepam) has made that anxiety even worse after she started reading about the possible side effects and the risk of dependence.
She needs to take Valium to help her get through some upcoming nerve blocks, including a superior hypogastric plexus block and ganglion impar block. Her anxiety around medical procedures is already pretty severe, so she feels like she needs something to help her relax, but she’s now scared to even take the medication.
She keeps reading that Valium can be addictive and habit-forming, and that has made her worry that something bad could happen even if she’s only taking it for a procedure.
For anyone who has severe anxiety about taking medications and has used Valium for a procedure:
How did you get comfortable taking it?
Did knowing you were only taking it occasionally help with the anxiety?
What was your experience with the side effects?
Did Valium actually make your procedure anxiety better?
Has anyone taken it specifically before a superior hypogastric plexus block or ganglion impar block?
Were you able to take it without becoming dependent on it?
She’s really looking for reassurance from people who have been in a similar situation because the fear of taking the medication itself is becoming almost as stressful as the procedure.

For brief context I am a 29F with history of CPTSD, diagnosed with depression, anxiety, OCD, and bpd (😅)

I have dealt with debilitating anxiety and panic attacks since a was a child. I have felt prisoner to my own brain pretty much my entire life. I’ve gone through various addictions as a crutch but when I decided to let go of the big one, alcohol, I struggled very hard. About a year into sobriety my mom gave me a half a Klonopin when I came home crying, shaking, and hyperventilating. My mom had offered it in the past but I always said no due to my fear of addiction.

Well, fast forward another three years and here we are. I am totally dependent on Klonopin, and prescribed it by my psychiatrist.

My Klonopin dependency has been a bit of a roller coaster. I’ve had months where I took 2-3mg a day, and now I’m taking 1mg maybe 3-4 times a week. I really try to be mindful of when I seek medication and have a rule of trying to tough out the anxiety for at least 2 hours before giving in.

This drug, while horribly addictive and harmful, has been the only thing to give me relief from the intense emotional pain I feel. I can’t imagine letting it go and I wonder if there is a way to continue having Klonopin as an emergency medication while not becoming so physically dependent that withdrawals require medical intervention.

My question is: has anyone managed to reduce their Klonopin use to a manageable and healthy rate that doesn’t make your body dependent on the drug daily? Or are my only options addiction or quitting?