I am a recovering pharmaceutical addict--five years off mood/mine altering substances including alcohol, benzodiazapines (valium, clonazapam, xanex etc) and any other physically addictive medications (pseudoephedrine, codeine etc.) I can tell you that there is a huge difference between psychologically/physically addictive substances and medications that take just a week or two to wean off of. If I were to take one valium, I'd be screwed. I'd go circling around the drain again, and end up in the toilet. The neurontin, phenytoin, tegretol, topomax, epilim, lamictin etc have never left me craving for more and they haven't wrecked my life the way rivotril or valium would.