Librium is a trade name for Chlordiazepoxide, a benzodiazepine-type tranquilizer, which is used primarily to treat short-term anxiety, specifically in those undergoing alcohol withdrawal treatment. It is a Schedule IV drug.

Alternative  & street names

The generic term for Librium is Chlordiazepoxide, and it is marketed under other brand names, such as  Libritabs, Mesural, Multum, Novapam, Risolid, Silibrin, Sonimen and Tropium.

How is it taken?

Librium should be taken orally as a tablet usually 1 to 4 times per day.

Effects of consumption

Most commonly prescribed to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome within a supervised treatment facility, Librium may also be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome or as a short-term treatment (2-4 weeks) of acute anxiety. Librium makes users drowsy, so users should avoid driving; consuming alcohol can add to the drug’s drowsiness effect.

Smoking cigarettes could decrease the drug’s effectiveness.

Impact on the mind/body and health risks

Librium is an effective short-term treatment but not an effective long-term treatment for insomnia because patients develop a tolerance for the drug that cancels out its sleep-inducing properties.

Librium loses its sleep inducing properties in a user within two weeks, but can effectively control anxiety for up to four months.

Common Librium side effects include confusion, constipation, drowsiness, fainting, altered sex drive, liver problems, lack of muscle coordination, nausea, menstrual irregularities, rash, or fluid retention.

Signs of abuse of Librium

Librium can be abused like any other tranquilizer of the benzodiazepine class of drugs. The bodies of Librium addicts are unable to function normally without regular doses of the drug. Because Librium slows down brain activity, when users stop taking it their brain activity often begins to race out of control.

Users who overdoses on Librium may exhibit symptoms such as difficulty staying awake, mental confusion, hypotension, respiratory depression, impaired motor function, reflexes, coordination, balance, dizziness or muscle weakness, or coma.

Common treatment options

As none of the withdrawal symptoms for Librium are seriously life-threatening, addicts can wean themselves off Librium under the care of a doctor in an out-patient setting by a gradually lower dose.

However, due to the strong psychological dependence on the drug, a 24/7 in-patient detox facility might also be considered.

Librium withdrawal/detox symptoms

Withdrawal from Librium can cause physical dependence, addiction and benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome with symptoms similar to alcohol withdrawal.

If usage is stopped abruptly, the effects of withdrawal can be quite severe, with symptoms including convulsions, catatonia, suicide ideation, hyperthermia, delusions, homicide ideations and/or violence, PTSD, psychosis, mania, confusion, or delirium tremens.

If the Librium dosage is gradually lowered over time, withdrawal symptoms would be less severe, but still might included anxiety, hypochondriasis, paranoia, impaired concentration and memory, insomnia, nightmares, rebound REM sleep, confused senses – hearing, smell, taste, vision, muscle spasms, electric shock sensations, dizziness, headaches, photophobia, dry mouth, flu symptoms, vomiting, hot and cold flashes, hallucinations, feelings of unreality, depression, mood swings, or irritable bowel syndrome.