Valium Addiction

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Valium Addiction

Valium, the commercial name for diazepam, is a drug from the benzodiazepine category of substances.

In general, these are sedative medications, slowing down the normal functioning of the body and brain as a prescription drug to treat a range of ailments.

In the UK, Valium is generally prescribed as medication for individuals diagnosed with disorders such as anxiety and insomnia.

Along with Librium, Valium is also used in the field of alcohol addictions as it can affect the same areas of the brain that alcohol does but does not leave the individual feeling drunk or inebriated (1).

When used as directed, Valium can be extremely beneficial to individuals in this way. However, Valium is generally only suggested as a short-term treatment due to its status as an opioid.

If used for prolonged periods of times in high doses, it is possible for individuals to become addicted to Valium, creating more issues than the issue that it was originally prescribed to treat.

In the cases where an addiction does develop, it is important that individuals seek appropriate medical care. This is because the withdrawal process can be incredibly risky without proper supervision or support.

In some cases, it may be necessary for individuals to undergo a medical intervention, though this is covered later in this article.

Is Valium an addictive substance?

Compared to other benzodiazepines, especially those used to treat similar disorders, Valium has a far higher length of time spent in the body before the individual does not feel the effects any longer (2).

This is one of the many factors that make Valium an especially addictive substance.

There is a common misconception that because Valium is a legal prescription drug it is not addictive or dangerous. This is not the case.

Even if Valium is prescribed for a genuine medical issue, there is still a likelihood that individuals may become addicted to the substance.

In most cases, this will be discussed with the individual’s medical advisor and future plans will be made in the case that the individual does become addicted.

Some people may not realise that they are addicted to Valium, especially if they are taking it over a long period of time to treat a specific issue or disorder.

This is because Valium can cause serious changes in the brain, altering the brain’s pathways and areas associated with addictive behaviours and pleasurable reward.

Because of this, the rehabilitation process for a Valium addiction is one that can take a long time.

Not only is the individual recommended to undergo a full Valium detox, but they are also almost always recommended to follow this up with further treatments.

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

Benzodiazepines in general

As previously mentioned, benzodiazepines are a class of substances that slow down the functioning of the body and brain.

Because of this, they can be especially useful in the treatment of disorders such as anxiety and insomnia. They are often prescribed in these cases by a qualified medical professional.

When entering the body, benzodiazepines increase the effects of a specific chemical in the body known as GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) (3).

This chemical is responsible for reducing brain activity in the areas associated with emotions, reasoning, memory, and essential functioning e.g., breathing.

By increasing the effect of GABA in the brain, it is actually reducing the activity in the areas mentioned above, resulting in effects such as feeling sleepy (sedation), reduced anxiety, and looser muscles.

This is where it may be effective for the treatment of specific disorders, but if not properly managed, then the individual may become addicted, taking more and more of the substance to gain the same effects as the initial consumption.

This may also continue after the individual’s symptoms reduce, without medical advice, and without a prescription.

These can all be signs of an addiction, especially when combined with other factors such as seeking the substance outside of the medical system or from others who have been prescribed it.

Effects of Valium

Aside from the original effects for which it was prescribed, Valium can have a range of effects on the individual, especially when consumed over long periods of time and in high quantities.

As well as being useful warning signs in an individual to the potential of an addiction, these symptoms should also be tracked in order to report on once the individual begins rehabilitative treatment.

In general, Valium has two main categories of effects: the short-term and the long-term effects.

This is due to the fact that the body may begin to react differently once Valium has been in the system for a prolonged period of time.

The main effects in both categories are outlined in the following subheadings.

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

Short-term effects of a Valium addiction

As well as the side effects in general that individuals may experience when taking Valium, there are some short-term effects that may affect the individual’s general physical and mental wellbeing.

The most common of these are restlessness, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, diarrhoea, breathing problems, and irregular heartbeats.

Most of these effects can be avoided by following the prescription advice from the individual’s medical professional as well as avoiding taking Valium with other substances, especially other benzodiazepines and sedatives.

Long-term effects of a Valium addiction

If the individual continues taking Valium for long periods of time, then further issues can occur.

The most common of these include the development or worsening of mental health issues such as anxiety, strong mood swings, damage to nerves, memory loss, insomnia (often chronic), and cravings for further Valium.

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

Withdrawal symptoms from a Valium addiction

Withdrawal symptoms for Valium can occur in any individual who has been taking Valium for more than a few weeks, even if this is their prescription.

When the individual attempts to stop using Valium, they may experience several withdrawal symptoms.

These will vary between individuals and depends on their history of Valium addiction i.e., how long they have been using the substance, the dosage of their Valium consumption, and if they have been consuming any other substances.

The most common withdrawal symptoms are listed below:

• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Depression
• Muscle tension/cramps
• Excessive sweating
• Confusion
• Headaches
• Tremors/shakes
• Restlessness

It is highly suggested that individuals enter a rehab centre in order to combat the negative effects of a Valium withdrawal. This may be for the duration of the individual’s rehabilitation, or just for the time spent during a detox.

The detoxification process for a Valium addiction

As Valium is a benzodiazepine, and therefore in the category of opioid substances, there are several precautions that individuals must take before beginning the detoxification process.

This is the process in which the individual reduces usage of Valium and begins to remove any harmful chemicals or toxins that have built up as a result of its long-term usage.

With Valium, it is never recommended to go ‘cold turkey’ and stop usage immediately as the body is dependent on the substance, creating the risk of death with this method.

In most cases, individuals are recommended to undergo a process known as tapering as part of their detox.

Tapering involves the slow transition from Valium to a Valium-like substitute which reduces the negative withdrawal symptoms that an individual may experience and allows them to focus more on the future of their rehabilitation.

This method has been proven to reduce specific long-term withdrawal symptoms such as mood swings and increase general mental wellbeing (4).

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

Inpatient care for treating a Valium addiction

Inpatient care is the care received within a rehabilitation centre. This type of care is known to be the most effective form of rehab, and this is for many reasons.

When in a centre, individuals will have a tailored and specific addiction treatment programme, specialised around their individual needs.

This is a flexile plan, changing and altering which addiction treatments the individual may engage in depending on their feedback and engagement in other treatment programmes.

Specialisation is very important during rehabilitation, as it allows each individual to receive exactly the help they need, without following the ‘one size fits all’ approach to care which is far less effective and may not be efficient in treating a long-term addiction.

For a Valium addiction, individuals may engage in a variety of addiction treatment programmes during their stay in a centre, including therapies, group activities, and holistic treatments such as art and music therapy.

Within a centre, individuals will also have 24/7 access to expert staff members in the field of addiction, as well as any emergency support that they may require, especially during the detoxification process.

Outpatient care for treating a Valium addiction

For individuals who may not be suitable for inpatient care, for reasons such as finances, location, and personal preference, there are alternative options.

In these cases, these are the most effective forms of treatment as inpatient care is not suitable.

Outpatient care is any rehabilitation that occurs outside of a dedicated rehab centre.

Though many of the treatments and programmes may be the same or similar, outpatient care is a more part-time approach.

Whilst in outpatient care, individuals may attend addiction treatment sessions a few times a week or month, attending local centres or receiving support whilst at home.

For example, an individual struggling with a Valium addiction may have undergone a detox within a centre but then chosen to attend regular weekly counselling in their local area.

This is also effective, but the individual must be especially committed and motivated in their recovery, attending sessions regularly and making every effort to engage fully with the practices, techniques, and treatments that they are suggested to take part in.

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

Additional therapies for a Valium addiction

Therapy is one of the most effective forms of rehabilitative treatment for individuals struggling with a Valium addiction.

This is because, as mentioned previously, this is a form of treatment that can be specialised and tailored to each individual, focussing on their issues and their issues alone.

The most common form of therapy in the field of addiction is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

This is designed to aid individuals in creating their own coping mechanisms to deal with their addiction, as well as changing negative thought patterns that are associated with themselves and their addiction.

However, another similar therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), is becoming increasingly common.

At Rehab Recovery, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

This type of therapy is similar to CBT but has a much stronger focus on the individual’s emotions and the acceptance of their addiction.

In general, DBT is more suitable for individuals who have a stronger connection with the emotional effects of addiction, but it is being used more and more to help encourage individuals to consider their emotions as a primary factor affected by addiction.

As another common option, group talking therapy is an extremely common practise within both inpatient and outpatient treatments.

By talking to others in similar situations, as well as learning from their experiences and sharing their own, individuals receive a host of information.

This involves coping techniques, lifestyle tricks, and how to deal with addiction in the long-term.

This is also a great way to build an addiction support network to maintain even after leaving an addiction treatment programme.

How Rehab Recovery can help

Rehab Recovery provides support for all types of addiction – from alcohol and other drugs to food and lifestyle addictions.

For any further information about valium addiction, or to ask any questions relating to rehabilitation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

We offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 088 6686.

References

[1] Bayard, M., Mcintyre, J., Hill, K. and Woodside, J., 2004. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome. American family physician, 69(6), pp.1443-1450.

[2] Calcaterra, N.E. and Barrow, J.C., 2014. Classics in chemical neuroscience: diazepam (valium). ACS chemical neuroscience, 5(4), pp.253-260.

[3] Costa, E., 1980. Benzodiazepines and neurotransmitters. Arzneimittel-forschung, 30(5a), pp.858-861.

[4] Brogan, K., Siefert, A., Whitson, E., Kirsh, L. and Sweetan, V., 2019. Psychotropic Drug Withdrawal and Holistic Tapering Strategies: A Case Series. Adv Mind Body Med, 33(4), pp.4-16.