Diazepam is a type of benzodiazepine that depresses the central nervous system and has anxiolytic and hypnotic effects. It’s also known as a sedative, a tranquilliser, or a sleeping drug. Valium was once the brand name for Diazepam, and in this document, the substance will be addressed as Valium or Diazepam indistinguishably. The substance has a variety of medical applications, but it also has a lengthy history of abuse and addiction.
Diazepam is prescribed to people suffering from acute anxiety or insomnia in the United Kingdom as a premedication. It is better reserved for single-use rather than continuous treatment because of the risk of users developing a tolerance or substance abuse disorder.
Diazepam is also used to help those experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It works the same way as alcohol because it affects the same neurotransmitters but doesn’t make you drunk.
If your loved one needs support dealing with an Alcohol Addiction, contact us today on 0800 999 1083. We can help you by recommending treatment options.
Diazepam is available in many forms for different purposes: an emulsion for injection; oral suspension; rectal solution/rectal tubes and tablets (2 milligrams, 5 milligrams, 10 milligrams)
In the United Kingdom, benzodiazepines are only available on prescription. Diazepam is a class C prohibited substance, as are all benzodiazepines.
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine. All benzodiazepine medicines have a similar chemical structure and are frequently used to treat the same diseases.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is an organically produced substance in the brain that sends messages throughout the nervous system. Diazepam boosts the activity of GABA in the user’s brain. Your body is likely to be in a condition of heightened anxiety and agitation if you don’t have enough GABA created in your brain. GABA has a soothing impact on the brain, which is why it’s commonly used to treat illnesses like anxiety and panic disorder and withdrawal symptoms from other drugs.
Even those taking Valium as prescribed by their doctor can develop Valium addiction. The speed with which the body develops a tolerance to the drug is one of the key reasons it is highly addictive. Dependence develops when the body becomes accustomed to a specific dose of medication and requires more to have the same effect. The fact that the medicine is rarely recommended for more than two to four weeks is the key reason behind this.
The body begins to rely on the chemical effects it has on the brain after some time longer than four weeks, which can lead to dependence. This is the effect of elevated GABA in the case of diazepam. When the medicine is abruptly stopped, substantial depletion of this neurotransmitter occurs, leaving the person in the opposite state as when diazepam was used.
Chronic benzodiazepine use is also thought to diminish dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine levels. The delicate balance of these neurotransmitters is critical for sustaining neural network balance. As a result, it is critical to gradually wean a person off these drugs to avoid severe Valium withdrawal symptoms.
Various risk factors significantly increase the likelihood of developing a benzodiazepine addiction. Tolerance is widely regarded as a result of excessive or long-term use of the medicine. To achieve the same effect, the user must take more and more of the substance due to tolerance. As a result, diazepam is not suggested to be prescribed for more than four weeks.
A history of substance usage is another key risk factor for developing a diazepam addiction. This is likely partly due to the medication’s interactions with other medicines. It can reduce the effects of stimulants while increasing the effects of depressants that affect the central nervous system, such as alcohol or opiates.
Research reveals that women are more prone than men to abuse prescription medications, but males are more likely to obtain them illegally. Excessive usage of benzodiazepines was also linked to low household income and a lack of education. On the other hand, there is a link between homelessness, older age, everyday use of crack cocaine, and excessive use of benzodiazepines.
If you’re worried that you or someone you know has a Diazepam addiction, keep an eye out for the following signs:
The following are some of the physical signs and symptoms of Diazepam addiction:
The following are some of the behavioural indicators of Diazepam addiction:
When you develop a dependency on Diazepam, stopping it abruptly can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Some of them are exceedingly hazardous, even life-threatening. If you have a physical dependence on Diazepam/Valium, you should seek medical or professional Valium addiction treatment before attempting to detox.
The dosage will most likely determine the intensity of withdrawal symptoms you’re on and the length of time you’ve been addicted. Symptoms of diazepam withdrawal include:
If any of the above-mentioned withdrawal symptoms appear, you should seek medical help right away. If any of the above withdrawal symptoms are severe or persistent, you should also seek medical help.
Diazepam’s soothing properties are intended to help with disorders like insomnia, seizures, and anxiety. Diazepam usage, however, can have a variety of negative health consequences:
You can easily avoid these side effects by strictly following the doctor’s dosage instructions and avoiding mixing Diazepam with other sedatives.
Long-term health consequences can be severe, but with the correct support structure and medical care, these consequences can be reversed.
Long-term side effects of Diazepam use include:
When you use Diazepam/Valium above the recommended dose, you face the danger of overdosing, especially if you combine it with alcohol or other sedatives. When used with Diazepam, alcohol acts as a suppressant, slowing physiological activities, including breathing and heartbeat. These functions can shut down in extreme circumstances, resulting in cardiac or respiratory failure.
The following are some Valium overdose symptoms:
Underlying concerns frequently accompany the development of a substance addiction disorder. The connection between depression and Valium abuse has been well-documented. Only identifying half of a comorbid condition has resulted in an incorrect diagnosis, poor treatment adherence, and a worsening clinical course.
One of the most common co-occurring disorders linked to benzodiazepine abuse is anxiety. Diazepam stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. This produces feelings of well-being, relaxation, and euphoria at large dosages. Someone who has access to the substance may find it difficult to resist the feeling of relief. It is suggested that the anxiousness is treated medically to stop the individual’s drive to consume Diazepam.
Rehabilitation can begin after you are no longer under the effect of drugs. The first stage in treatment is to get rid of any traces of Diazepam from your body (detox). Although diazepam withdrawal is rarely life-threatening, the safest way to detox is to go to a medically supervised detox centre. Doctors will utilise medications and the tapering technique to help patients cope with the withdrawal symptoms.
You’ll proceed to therapy after detox, where therapists and drug counsellors can help you figure out why you started misusing Diazepam in the first place.
It’s advisable to enrol in a comprehensive treatment programme as an inpatient. This is a full-time rehabilitation programme in which you reside in a therapeutic community for the duration of your treatment. Medical experts are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure you have ongoing assistance during your treatment.
The safest approach to withdrawing from Diazepam is through a carefully controlled progressive tapering programme or a full inpatient medical detox, where you can be thoroughly watched 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Inpatient medical detox is recommended if you have previously experienced seizures, have had thoughts of suicide or self-harm, have another chemical dependency, are unable to manage a self-detox in the community, are on a very high dosage or have been taking the medication for a long time. All of these factors increase your chances of relapse or severe withdrawal symptoms if you try to detox without medical care.
When someone has been taking substantial dosages of diazepam for a long time, withdrawal can be exceedingly unpleasant, stressful, and dangerous. The effects can last long, and strong Diazepam users are more likely to experience long-term withdrawal symptoms, especially if the withdrawal is not done properly. If you’re considering quitting Diazepam, we can’t stress enough that you should get medical support first or call us right away.
Diazepam detox, like any other benzo medicine, requires medical supervision, and users should never attempt to detox from Diazepam without medical supervision. Professional healthcare experts will do a comprehensive mental and psychological evaluation of a patient before starting the process of weaning them off Diazepam in a treatment facility. To avoid the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, staff may offer anticonvulsants, anti-seizure, or anti-anxiety drugs to help with the process.
Comprehensive therapy and medical detox are required to address the underlying issues that led to addiction in the first place. It’s critical to learn how to process the mental and emotional harm caused by Diazepam addiction and how to function in daily life without relying on the crutch of grabbing a bottle of pills. That insight comes via therapy, in which the patient and therapist work together to develop ways to help the patient deal with the urge to use Diazepam and how to respond to situations that trigger those temptations.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a type of therapy that examines the client’s mental and behavioural patterns in an attempt to understand the processes that led to addiction, is an essential tool at this stage of treatment. Once these patterns are recognised, a therapist can assist the patient in developing newer, healthy habits that can be used to guard against relapse. The core of relapse prevention is detecting and changing dangerous mental patterns. After participants have completed official treatment, they must engage with a support group that can assist them in remembering the principles of therapy.
12-Step groups and other aftercare programmes provide the individual with a network of peers who have gone through similar experiences and speak the language of recovery at this time. These peers are available to chat to if the person requires someone to talk to, and companionship and support when saying “no” to Diazepam becomes difficult.
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Patients may be offered outpatient treatment if the Diazepam addiction is not severe enough to justify supervision and protection against relapse triggers. This possibility may happen if people seek therapy at an early stage in their addiction before they become physically and psychologically dependent on Diazepam to get through the day. Medical detox with 24-hour supervision is suggested for Diazepam detox, regardless of whether inpatient or outpatient treatment is considered appropriate for recovery.
The individual returns home every night as an outpatient. Patients may be able to return to their private lives after participating in therapy sessions or getting their medicine dosage and may be able to resume employment, academic, or family obligations. However, according to specialists, one of the many requirements imposed on clients who qualify for outpatient therapy is that they must visit treatment centres on a regular basis, possibly spending most of their day there.
Outpatient individuals are often advised to attend a 12-Step programme to help them cope with the realities of abstinence. Regardless of treatment status, a Diazepam addiction is still an addiction, and recovery must be maintained and supported.
A list of possible types of therapy used in Diazepam treatment is provided below:
CBT is one of the most effective therapies for drug addiction treatment. It is a sort of therapy that tries to assist patients in changing their negative thought patterns. It is predicated on the notion that negative thinking and acquired behavioural habits are linked to psychological problems. CBT is a solution-based strategy for patients who desire to improve their embedded behaviours.
Get in touch with us as soon as possible to begin your journey to recovery. Friends or family members of the user should speak with a treatment professional to learn how they might support their loved one more effectively. They should never abandon a person struggling with addiction to confront the situation alone, but instead, encourage them to seek professional help. Call us on 0800 999 1083 for confidential help and to discuss treatment options.
No matter where you live, there are drug and alcohol rehab options for you to discover. Treatment providers are waiting to answer your questions. Get started today.
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