Help Do benzos build up tolerance so quickly or is it just me?

[Cryptonite]

Hi everyone,

in the last couple of weeks, I've been testing benzos (alprazolam/xanax and diazepam/valium) for the purposes of SN anxiety / survival instinct. I make breaks between taking benzos approx 3/4 days.

At first, I took 0.5mg Xanax, which had no effect. Then I took 1mg, which had some effect. Then I took 2mg and it had the same effect as 1mg had.

The same goes with valium. At first, I took 5mg, which had some effect. Then I took 10 mg, which had the same effect as 5 mg. Now I've taken 15 mg, and it still does have the same effect as 5 mg.

I know benzos build up tolerance, but I didn't expect it could be so quick. Is it this way for everyone, or is it just me?

Thanks for your feedback!

P. S. I also don't really like the mild effect of euphoria that comes with it. I hoped it could just numb the emotions.

 

[Lostandlooking]

It sounds unlikely that you'd develop a tolerance if you take 3 or 4 days between each dose. At least it sounds unlikely to me. I don't know why you're not experiencing a stronger effect from a higher dose.

I've been taking temazepam 20 mg for years, approximately once a week. If I take them a couple of days in a row (can happen when it's a crisis or something like that), I notice them becoming less effective after a couple of days. I guess that's when I start developing a tolerance. I don't feel I have a tolerance using them only once a week. But maybe I'm wrong.

Their effectiveness can vary (for me) depending on circumstances. Sometimes they work great and I get to sleep easily even though I'm anxious and worried about something. (that's why I take them) But other times I've taken the usual dose and barely felt an effect. That often correlates with higher anxiety levels. That's how they work for me at least.

Good luck with testing. Hope this helps.

 

[AliceTheGoon]

I took ativan a couple months for sleep and it stopped working. If I laid off for a week it would work maybe once or twice then stop working again.

 

[Idkaho2]

Tolerance is dependent on the individual and their unique biochemistry. You can indeed develop benzo tolerance very quickly in the timeframe you said.

 

[LONE WOLF.]

I've been on Valium for over 5yrs and yes you will build a tolerance very quickly, l now only use 20mg twice a week otherwise they would have no effect! Quacks in the UK don't like giving Valium out 'Stingy Sod's' l'm gonna drop down to just 20mg on a Saturday night as l know my Valium prescription will come to a end in 3 month's and l don't fancy being hung out to dry!

 

[thisiswhoiam-]

thats not tolerance. u are not getting a better effect because that is the drug's effectiveness ceiling for you for this particular effect you are looking for. Benzos work in several ways, and tolerance builds differently for each effect of the drug and depends on the individual as well. Remember that benzos also work stronger or weaker depending on the situation, the more stressed u are the lower dose will do something, if u are doing something stressful u will feel the effects stronger etc.

 

[Lostandlooking]

the more stressed u are the lower dose will do something, if u are doing something stressful u will feel the effects stronger etc.

For me that works the opposite way around. The more stressed I am, the more I would need to feel the medication having effect.

 

[thisiswhoiam-]

that is true as well, its just that u will feel the effect of a drug more easily in a situation where you need the effect provided. But if you are more stressed u will need more to calm your nerves. Maybe that sounds contradictory. But what is described in this thread is >99% not a tolerance issue. Also GABA receptors return to normal very slowly, once you get addicted to benzos if u want to feel the same effects u had at the start it will take from 1 to few years to maybe return to norm. Tolerance for benzos doesnt really drop in any way that is even worth waiting for if you are an addict. There is also sorta cross-tolerance between benzos and alcohol, and maybe z-drugs and other things that affect GABA(its not as simple as 1:1 tolerance rise). So if u mix substances to get a bigger high it will be difficult to be satisfied with just taking one drug later. Tolerance develops differently for sleeping effect, anti anxiety effect, anti convulsion effect etc.

 

[Lostandlooking]

I see what you mean. If you're not stressed at all, taking a benzo might not do all that much (subjectively of course) because there's no anxiety to be relieved. But if you're in mental distress they can make a huge difference. What the op was refering to might not be a tolerance buildup. It was just that 5 mg seemed to be the right dose for them to relieve the anxiety. And taking 10 mg therefore had the same effect as 5 mg. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[lebrodude]

This is exactly why I haven't been taking benzos even though I have a big stack of 'em.

I mean they'd sort my anxiety right out I'm sure, but I want to keep my body as new to them as possible for when the time comes.

 

[LONE WOLF.]

This is exactly why I haven't been taking benzos even though I have a big stack of 'em.

I mean they'd sort my anxiety right out I'm sure, but I want to keep my body as new to them as possible for when the time comes.

Smart thinking, am doing the same thing myself