Benzodiazepine to diazepam conversion
Tapering is often easier after switching from a short-acting benzodiazepine to long-acting diazepam, which gives a smoother, more even decline. This works out the approximately equivalent diazepam dose using the Ashton Manual table. The switch and your final dose are decisions for your prescriber.
Convert to a diazepam equivalent
Ashton equivalence table
Approximate doses equivalent to 10 mg of diazepam, from the Ashton Manual. Half-lives and individual responses differ, so treat these as a starting point for a conversation with your prescriber.
| Benzodiazepine | ≈ 10 mg diazepam | Common AU brands |
|---|---|---|
| Diazepam | 10 mg | Valium, Antenex, Ducene |
| Alprazolam | 0.5 mg | Xanax, Kalma, Alprax |
| Clonazepam | 0.5 mg | Rivotril, Paxam |
| Lorazepam | 1 mg | Ativan |
| Oxazepam | 20 mg | Serepax, Murelax, Alepam |
| Temazepam | 20 mg | Temaze, Normison |
| Nitrazepam | 10 mg | Mogadon, Alodorm |
| Bromazepam | 6 mg | Lexotan |
| Chlordiazepoxide | 25 mg | Librium |
| Clobazam | 20 mg | Frisium |
Source: Ashton CH. Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw (The Ashton Manual), 2002.
Why switch to diazepam first
Short-acting benzodiazepines leave the body quickly, so levels rise and fall through the day — which can make tapering feel like repeated mini-withdrawals. Diazepam is long-acting and comes in small tablet strengths and a liquid, so the decline is smoother and the final steps can be very small.
- Your prescriber usually switches one dose at a time, not all at once.
- Once on diazepam, taper with the diazepam liquid or tablet-cutting calculator.
- Go slowly — benzodiazepine tapers often take many months.
Plan your full taper in TaperMate
This calculator handles one dose. The TaperMate app calculates a full reduction schedule with hold periods, microtapering and symptom monitoring — so each new dose is one tap away, not a daily maths problem.
Sources to discuss with your prescriber
- Ashton CH. Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw (The Ashton Manual), 2002. benzo.org.uk/manual
- CoRx Consortium. Benzodiazepine & Z-drug Deprescribing — includes a dose-equivalence table. corxconsortium.org
- RELEASE Toolkit — releasetoolkit.com.au