What is Valium?
Valium is used to relieve anxiety and to control agitation caused by alcohol withdrawal. It is also used along with other medications to control muscle spasms and spasticity caused by certain neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy (a condition that causes difficulty with movement and balance), paraplegia (inability to move parts of the body), athetosis (abnormal muscle contractions), and stiff-man syndrome (a rare disorder with muscle rigidity and stiffness). Valium is also used along with other medications to control seizures. Valium is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by calming abnormal overactivity in the brain.
What is Valium used for?
Diazepam, first marketed as Valium, is a medicine of the benzodiazepine family that acts as an anxiolytic. It is commonly used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, muscle spasms, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome.
Valium for Sleep
Valium is used off-label to treat insomnia; it is approved to treat anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms, and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Ambien and Valium belong to different drug classes. Ambien is a sedative/hypnotic and Valium is a benzodiazepine.
Valium for Anxiety
Valium is a drug used for managing anxiety disorders and short-term treatment of anxiety symptoms. The drug works by actually slowing down activity in your brain.
Valium for Pain
“There’s a belief that Valium, which is probably the most commonly used one, is helpful as a way of relieving muscle spasm in acute back pain but in fact, there’s basically no evidence to support its use in someone with acute back pain.
Valium Dosage
Valium comes as a tablet, a solution, and as a concentrate (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken 1 to 4 times a day and may be taken with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Valium exactly as directed.
Valium concentrate comes with a specially marked dropper for measuring the dose. Ask your pharmacist to show you how to use the dropper. Dilute the concentrate in water, juice, or carbonated beverages just before taking it. It also may be mixed with applesauce or pudding just before taking the dose. Stir the mixture gently for a few seconds. Take the entire mixture immediately; do not store it for future use.
If you are taking Valium along with other medications to control seizures, do not stop taking Valium without talking to your doctor, even if you experience side effects such as unusual changes in behavior or mood. If you suddenly stop taking Valium, your seizures may get worse. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. [1]
Can You Get Addicted to Valium? Signs & Symptoms of Valium Addiction
Some prescription drugs, such as Valium, are more addictive than others. Most addictive drugs affect your brain’s reward system by flooding it with dopamine. This results in a pleasurable “high” that can motivate you to take the drug again. Over time, you might become dependent on the drug to feel “good” or “normal.” You might also develop a tolerance to the drug. This can push you to take larger doses.
- Taking medication that isn’t prescribed to you or misusing your medication
- Spending money on drugs even when money is an issue
- Hiding your drugs and always keeping a supply
- You use or want to use the substance regularly
- Sudden anger or aggression when sober
- You feel out of control
- You experience symptoms of withdrawal once you stop using the substance
- People who have Valium addiction often struggle to talk about how they feel. This is because drugs block out realistic information that can help them stop using
- You might need more and more drugs to feel high, which could mean that you have developed a tolerance for the drug you are taking
- If you have a Valium addiction problem, it could cause a lot of problems with your relationships and make you feel anxious
- You do things that others think are strange or morally wrong to obtain the drug, like stealing or lying about things
- You try and fail to stop Valium addiction
Signs of Valium Addiction & Valium Side Effects
Valium may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Muscle weakness
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Confusion
- Difficulty urinating
- Frequent urination
- Changes in sex drive or ability
Some Valium side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
- Loss of control of bodily movements
- Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
- Slurred speech
- Slowed breathing and heartbeat
Valium may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Valium Addiction Potential. Why Is Valium Addictive?
Valium may be habit-forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer time than your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, if you use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications. Do not drink alcohol or use street drugs during your treatment. Drinking alcohol or using street drugs during your treatment with Valium also increases the risk that you will experience these serious, life-threatening side effects. Also, tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.
Valium may cause physical dependence (a condition in which unpleasant physical symptoms occur if a medication is suddenly stopped or taken in smaller doses), especially if you take it for several days to several weeks. Do not stop taking this medication or take fewer doses without talking to your doctor. Stopping Valium suddenly can worsen your condition and cause withdrawal symptoms that may last for several weeks to more than 12 months.
Your doctor probably will decrease your Valium dose gradually. Call your doctor or get emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual movements; ringing in your ears; anxiety; memory problems; difficulty concentrating; sleep problems; seizures; shaking; muscle twitching; changes in mental health; depression; burning or prickling feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet; seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others; overexcitement; or losing touch with reality.
Valium Addiction Treatment
Valium is a benzodiazepine medication that can cause seizures during the withdrawal process. As a result, it’s best for people with a Valium addiction to enter a formal addiction treatment program. In rehab, patients can move through withdrawal with the help of a qualified medical team. Then, comprehensive therapy can help people address the root causes of Valium addiction and acquire the skills necessary for lifelong sobriety.
Worldwide, more than 2 billion Valium tablets were sold in a single calendar year. More than 500 derivative drugs have been made with this drug, Valium being the most well-known brand name. The World Health Organization considers Valium to be an essential medicine that should be an inherent part of a basic health system. The drug’s effectiveness and range of conditions it treats have made it a household name. [2]
The widespread use of this drug for both treatment and recreational uses has led millions of people to become dependent on Valium. Many have lost money, years of their lives, and relationships to Valium addiction.
Medical Detox for Valium Addiction
Valium addiction is a complex issue that requires long-term treatment – not a quick fix. The first step in overcoming Valium addiction is to seek help from your medical provider or a trained professional. Clearing prescription drugs from the body and overcoming withdrawal symptoms is the goal of detox, which is the first step of treatment for prescription drug addiction.
If you are addicted to drugs, your very first step in recovery should be to medical detox in a safe and medically supervised setting. We Level Up TX detox center medically assist clients to clear their systems of addictive substances.
For anyone who suffers from addiction, just the thought of having to stop using can cause severe mental distress. Given that, the medical detox process is managed with the help of a medical detox center. A comprehensive team prescribing medications can alleviate your withdrawal pains while monitoring your health 24 hours. Assuring both your safety and comfort.
We Level Up Texas Valium addiction treatment tailors the program to the individual and the individual to the program of recovery. We begin by assessing our client’s history of mental health, drugs, and alcohol-related past. The needs of each patient are specific and personalized, as we aim to provide comprehensive support for mental health, addiction, and dual diagnosis treatment.
Clients at We Level Up Texas residential rehab programs will live comfortably within the facility during this crucial and fragile time. This supportive environment is designed to give clients 24-hour care for sobriety, removing temptations for relapse and applying an air of recovery into every component of the treatment timeline. We Level Up TX treatment center, we find that when patients are living in a supportive community, especially during their early recovery process, they can truly focus on what matters most: their recovery.
Make this your opportunity to reclaim your life. Call today to speak with one of our treatment specialists.
Sources:
[1] Diazepam – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
[2] How to Spot Valium Addiction Signs, Symptoms and Treatment – https://americanaddictioncenters.org/valium-treatment
