Diazepam addiction can take over your life, making it difficult to face both big and small events that happen each day without turning to the drug to help you cope. Overcoming diazepam dependence usually requires the help of professionals trained in the field of addiction recovery.
The top rehabs for recovering from diazepam addiction offer a combination of recovery methods. Evidence-based therapy is combined with participation in support groups in order help you begin the journey of recovery from substance use or misuse. Take some time to consider all your options for top rehabs for diazepam addiction recovery in order to get started on your journey of recovery.
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What is Diazepam and What is it Used For?
Diazepam is the generic version of the brand-name drug Valium. This medication is in the family of benzodiazepines, which are considered central nervous system depressants and are often used for their sedating effects. Diazepam can calm the nerves and the brain. It may be prescribed for a variety of reasons such as relief from anxiety or muscle spasms or to control agitation caused by alcohol withdrawal.
Like other benzodiazepines, diazepam is usually prescribed on a short-term basis. This medication is available in several different forms, including tablets, extended release capsules and liquid. It can be taken with or without food but should be taken exactly as prescribed. Diazepam is widely available and has the potential to be a habit-forming drug. For this reason, patients are told not to take it in larger doses or more often than prescribed.
Other Names for Diazepam
The most widely known brand of the generic medication diazepam is Valium. Other brands of diazepam include:
- Diastat
- Diastat Acudial
- Diazepam Intensol
Sold on the street, diazepam goes by several different names. Some of these names include:
- Eggs
- Jellies
- Moggies
- Vallies
- Blues
- Vs
- Yellow Vs
- Benzos
- Downers
Diazepam Side Effects
Medications can have different effects in different people. Some side effects of diazepam are relatively minor while others can be very serious. When you first start taking diazepam, you may feel sleepy or uncoordinated until your body adjusts.
Some of the other side effects that diazepam may cause include:
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
More serious symptoms can develop in some people such as blurred vision, restlessness or difficulty urinating. Side effects that shouldn’t be ignored and should be reported to your doctor immediately include:
- Tremors or seizures
- Severe skin rash
- Inability to sit still
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
How Addiction to Diazepam Develops
Misuse of prescription drugs happens when you take medication in a way other than prescribed, such as by taking higher doses than prescribed. Misuse or abuse also includes taking someone else’s medication, or taking it only for the effect it provides. Those who use diazepam recreationally may just want to experiment with the mental effects the drug provides, or may want to be accepted by their peers.
Addiction to diazepam can develop without you even noticing it. You may like the way it makes you feel, and you may end up taking just a little bit more than prescribed at first. As time goes on, you realize that you aren’t getting the same effect from the same dosage, so you continue to increase the amount you’re taking. Continued use can lead to dependence, and can set off symptoms of withdrawal if you abruptly stop taking the drug.
Doctors often prescribe diazepam to people who are extremely stressed and overwhelmed with situations they are dealing with. If a person is feeling very stressed and they know diazepam can make them feel less stressed, it’s not surprising that they want to keep taking more of this substance just to reduce feelings of anxiety.
Addiction to any substance, including diazepam, can cause you to detach from family and friends, and it can lead you to lose interest in things that used to be important to you. Once you’ve crossed the line into addiction, you’re compelled to keep using this drug in spite of negative consequences, such as job loss, relationship problems or financial difficulties. Many people think that diazepam is less dangerous than street drugs since it can be obtained legally by prescription, but diazepam is a powerfully addictive substance.
Signs and Symptoms of Diazepam Dependence and Addiction
One of the first signs that you’ve become dependent on diazepam is seeking larger and larger doses to obtain the effect you’re looking for. You may feel very sleepy, and bodily systems may slow down, such as your breathing or heart rate.
When diazepam is misused, it can lead to dependence or addiction. When you begin to use diazepam even when you’re experiencing negative consequences such as health problems, conflicts in important relationships or failure to meet your day-to-day responsibilities at work or school, you are showing signs of diazepam addiction or dependence. You may steal pills, forge prescriptions or try to obtain prescriptions from multiple doctors. You may continually “lose” your prescriptions in an attempt to get your doctor to write more prescriptions.
Other symptoms of diazepam misuse include:
- Dizziness
- Poor concentration
- Slowed breathing
- Memory problems
- Slurred speech
- Unsteady gait
Diazepam Overdose
Diazepam is a powerful substance, and overdose can happen if you take more than the prescribed or recommended amount of this substance. Since it’s a central nervous system depressant, taking too much of this type of medication can lead to depressed respirations, causing insufficient oxygen to reach the brain. This can lead to coma, permanent brain damage or possibly even death.
Signs of a diazepam overdose include:
- Falling into a deep sleep
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Dizziness
- Upset stomach
- Blurred vision or double vision
- Confusion
- Excitability
- Uncoordinated movement
While overdosing on diazepam alone can be dangerous, mixing diazepam with other substances such as opioids or alcohol is even more dangerous. Benzodiazepines and opioids are both drugs with sedating effects, which can cause you to stop breathing. Combining diazepam with other substances can be deadly.
Diazepam Withdrawal Symptoms
If you have become dependent on diazepam, you may find that attempts to quit using this drug can set off unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can ensue within a few hours of your last dose of diazepam. You may experience strong cravings for the drug, and you may feel very agitated or shaky. You should never abruptly stop taking diazepam.
Other diazepam withdrawal symptoms you might experience include:
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Increased heart rate or blood pressure
- Hallucinations
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Muscle pain or cramping
- Seizures
The more physically dependent you have become on diazepam, the more important it is to get help from addiction professionals rather than trying to quit using diazepam on your own. This is even more important if you have also been misusing alcohol or other substances. Withdrawal symptoms can be very severe and in some cases may even been life-threatening.
Diazepam Addiction Help
Addiction to prescription drugs is a problem that won’t go away by sheer willpower or by ignoring it. The top rehabs for diazepam addiction offer treatment on either an inpatient or an outpatient basis. Whether you need inpatient or outpatient diazepam addiction help is a decision you will need to make with the help of your doctor or a mental health professional. The best approach to treatment can vary depending on how long you have been misusing substances, how many different substances you have been using and whether there are any coexisting mental health problems.
If you are physically addicted to diazepam and other substances, inpatient rehab offers a safe environment to go through detoxification while under around-the-clock care by medical professionals. Another benefit of inpatient diazepam treatment is that in early recovery, you are separated from people who may have contributed to your addictive behavior, such as your drug dealer or associates who encourage you to get high. While you are at a rehabilitation facility, you can focus exclusively on recovery and learning new coping skills that can help prevent you from returning to substance abuse.
Treatment on an outpatient basis allows you to continue to go to work and school and remain connected to your family or other support system. It’s a less expensive way of obtaining treatment for substance use and may work for you if your addiction isn’t severe.
What to Expect from Diazepam Treatment
Recovery from any form of addiction takes time. The first part of overcoming addiction to any substance, including diazepam, is detoxification, which is allowing the drug to leave your system. At an inpatient facility, you will be supervised around the clock by medical professionals for your own safety.
Getting past the initial days of withdrawal symptoms and craving can be difficult, but it’s only the beginning of recovery. Your treatment plan will include a combination of activities such as education about addiction and both individual and group therapy. You will learn about the importance of support groups in your ongoing recovery and how to rely on others in recovery when you have the urge to turn to substance use.
At the top rehabs for diazepam addition, you’ll learn new coping skills for dealing with stress and anxiety such as meditation, yoga or art therapy. Using evidence-based therapy, you’ll be able to get in touch with the feelings that made you want to turn to substances in the first place. Supportive relationships are an important part of ongoing recovery, and your family members will be encouraged to be involved in your recovery process.
When you choose a rehab facility for diazepam addiction, look for a facility with a proven track record of success along with a caring and supportive staff. Ask plenty of questions, and find out what treatment methods they use to help people recover from addiction to benzodiazepines. Rehabs that offer different approaches to treatment also offer the best opportunity for you to find a method that works for you. It’s a good idea to bring a loved one with you to evaluate different facilities.
The misuse of diazepam can cause changes in the brain that can make recovery challenging, especially in the earliest days of recovery. While recovery won’t happen overnight, learning to live a life that is peaceful and substance-free is possible when you receive treatment from one of the top rehabs for diazepam addiction.