Choosing the best Valium treatment and rehab program is an important decision for anyone facing this substance use disorder. Misusing and becoming addicted to Valium can be dangerous and may have far-reaching consequence for all areas of your life. Know the Valium addiction symptoms, the side effects, and your treatment options, so that when you are ready you can reach out and seek the help you need for recovery.
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What Is Valium and What Is It Used For?
Valium is a prescription medication belonging to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. All of the drugs in this class are central nervous system depressants. This means that they slow the activity of the brain and nervous system. The resulting Valium effects are drowsiness, a slowed heart rate and respiration, and lower blood pressure.
Diazepam is the generic name of the drug sold under the brand name Valium. It is prescribed to treat anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms, and alcohol withdrawal. It is useful for managing anxiety in the short-term and relaxing muscles and brain activity, but it is not a medicine that is designed to be used over a long period of time. Although not approved for other conditions, Valium may also be prescribed to help manage panic attacks and irritable bowel syndrome.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies Valium as a schedule IV controlled substance. Schedule IV drugs have important medical uses but also carry a risk of misuse and ultimately dependence and addiction. Illicit use of Valium is often done to achieve a sense of euphoria and in combination with other drugs, but some people become addicted to it after being prescribed it for a valid medical use.
Other Names for Valium
Valium is a brand name for the generic benzodiazepine, diazepam. Some other brand names for diazepam include Diastat and Dizac. When sold illegally, there are many other names, some specific to Valium and diazepam and others that may refer to any type of benzodiazepines:
- Vallies
- Moggies
- Jellies
- Eggs
- Vs
- Yellows or Yellow Vs
- Blues or Blue Vs
- Foo foos
- Howards
- Benzos
- Downers
- Tranks
- Drunk pills
- Sleeping pills
- Nerve pills
- Z bars
Who Needs Valium Rehab?
Any form of Valium abuse can potentially lead to addiction and a need for rehab to stop using and for long-term recovery. Misuse or abuse of a prescription drug includes several problematic behaviors: taking larger doses than prescribed; using for a longer duration or more frequently than prescribed; using Valium without a prescription or using someone else’s prescription.
Even someone who has been using the drug with a prescription and mostly as directed may develop a tolerance and then Valium withdrawal effects when they try to stop using it. Long-term use of this kind of medication is not recommended for this reason. You may think you are just taking your medicine as prescribed but then later find that you can’t stop using it without experiencing uncomfortable symptoms or cravings. Anyone who uses Valium is susceptible to becoming dependent on it and needing rehab.
Addiction to Valium, known as a substance use disorder, is an important reason to seek help through rehab. A drug addiction is extremely difficult to overcome without professional assistance. If you have even just two or three of these symptoms of Valium addiction, you may need rehab:
- You have tried to stop using Valium, or tried to use less, but failed in your attempts.
- You spend a lot of time using, trying to get, or recovering from using Valium.
- Over time, you find yourself using greater amounts of the drug or using it more frequently than you intended.
- In spite of problems it causes with people you care about, you continue to use Valium.
- You keep using it in spite of physical or mental health problems.
- Because of how and when you use Valium, you have been unable to meet all your normal responsibilities.
- You have given up some of the activities you enjoy, or some of the time you spend on them, in order to use the drug more.
- More than once you have used Valium in a dangerous situation.
- When not using Valium, you experience cravings for it.
- Over time you find that you need more of the drug or you need to use it more often to get the same effect. This is called tolerance.
- When you stop using the drug you experience withdrawal symptoms.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with a Valium dependence or addiction can benefit from rehab. However, you do not have to have this diagnosis to need or to get help from professional treatment. If your use of Valium is out of control, is causing problems in your life, or just doesn’t feel right and you cannot stop, consider reaching out for help and going to rehab.
Risks and Dangers of Misusing Valium
Becoming dependent on and addicted to Valium is a big risk of misusing the drug in any way. This is a habit-forming substance, and even using it for too long at the recommended dose can lead to addiction. Having a substance use disorder comes with additional risks and dangers, like mental health problems, accidents and injuries, financial or legal troubles, and problems with family and friends. An addiction to Valium can completely derail your life and cause issues you never even imagined.
You may also face the risk of Valium side effects. At a recommended and prescribed dose, you may experience side effects with Valium. But if you misuse the drug and take more than you are supposed to, the risk is higher and the effects may be more severe. You may experience any of these Valium side effects:
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea
- Appetite changes
- Nausea
- Restlessness
- Trouble urinating or frequent urination
- Blurry vision
- Sexual dysfunction
- Seizures
- Tremors
- Fever
- Irregular heartbeat
- Skin rash
- Difficulty breathing
Valium may also cause an overdose. Because it slows down brain activity, a Valium overdose has the potential to be fatal. Too much can severely slow breathing and heart rate. The sign of overdose most often seen is a deep sleep from which it is impossible to wake someone, even if they are still breathing.
Other signs of a Valium overdose include slow, labored breathing, blue lips or fingernails, confusion, drowsiness, excitability, rapid eye movements, hiccups, upset stomach, tremors, and weak muscles with poor coordination. If treated right away, most people recover from Valium overdose.
Many people who misuse Valium do so along with other substances, but this can be extremely dangerous. Alcohol and other drugs that are depressants can have an additive effect on a Valium overdose. Mixing Valium with alcohol, another benzodiazepine or depressant, or with an opioid drug can lead more quickly and easily to a potentially fatal overdose.
Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab for Valium
When it’s time to reach out and seek help for a Valium addiction, there are multiple options. Treatment is not always the same for every person. There is no single course of treatment that is best for each individual. This is why it is so important to understand your choices, your own needs, and to make a decision on the best type for you or your loved one.
For benzodiazepine addiction, there are two main treatment types: residential, also known as inpatient, and outpatient. Residential, or inpatient care, can be divided into short-term and long-term treatment programs. Short-term rehab is usually a few weeks long, or up to six weeks. Longer rehab programs can last anywhere from three months to a year.
Both long- and short-term residential rehab programs use a model of a therapeutic community to help residents. If you choose inpatient care, you will live in a facility and benefit from staff members with different areas of specialty, from other residents, and from a social system that acts like a supportive community.
Many people who choose inpatient treatment do so because they want a safe place to heal and to focus on getting better. They may not have a safe home to live in or are worried about relapse. They also want to get the most they can out of treatment, and residential facilities have more services and types of therapy to offer patients.
Outpatient treatment for Valium addiction is any program in which you do not live at a facility but instead stay at home. Intensive outpatient programs may require you to participate in sessions every day for a few hours, but most are less intensive and have just a few shorter sessions per week. You may receive therapy and medical care, or attend support group meetings in an outpatient program.
People who choose outpatient rehab are typically those who have a safe home with family members who can provide support and a substance-free environment. Outpatient treatment is also often the best choice for people who need to keep working or be home to care for children.
How Long Does Valium Stay in Your System? What to Expect in Detox
Before any treatment plan can begin, you need to go through detox. Valium withdrawal will kick in and feel very uncomfortable. This process of getting the drug out of your system is necessary to begin treatment, but it is also dangerous. Never attempt it alone. For some types of drugs, detox can be painful, but with benzodiazepines it can actually be fatal.
Valium withdrawal symptoms that you may experience during the detox process include: recurrences of anxiety, panic attacks, an irritable mood, insomnia, tremors, excessive sweating, trouble thinking clearly, headaches, nausea and vomiting, and heart palpitations.
The Valium withdrawal side effects are also known as withdrawal syndrome. How long it lasts depends on each individual. Typically, benzodiazepine withdrawal lasts as long as the drug stays in the body, anywhere from a few days to two weeks. When withdrawal syndrome is severe it may cause psychosis, seizures, and even death.
Therapy for Valium Rehab
Valium addiction treatment is largely focused on therapy, because there are no medications that are approved to manage this particular substance use disorder. Therapy is a useful, effective way to change behaviors and negative thought patterns, and to manage behaviors to prevent relapsing in the future. Several different types of therapy can be used in rehab for Valium:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is one of the most commonly used types of therapy for all kinds of mental health issues. It can be adapted to specialty needs, such as coping with trauma. Therapists using CBT guide patients to be more aware of their behaviors and moods and teach them to make positive, practical changes.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Similar to CBT, DBT focuses on accepting and processing negative, uncomfortable feelings and thoughts. This then makes it easier to adapt and make positive changes.
- Motivational enhancement therapy (MET). MET is a useful therapy if you struggle to find the motivation to stop drug use. It helps patients find that internal motivation that will lead to lasting, positive changes.
- Interpersonal therapy. This is a type of therapy that can be used in conjunction with behavior therapies to help you work on developing better, healthier relationships, which will in turn help you have a more lasting recovery.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This is a trauma-focused therapy that helps patients process any underlying traumatic experiences. It is not unusual for drug abuse to have foundations in past trauma, so this kind of therapy can help you face it and move past it for recovery.
Other Types of Treatment Used in Valium Rehab
Valium treatment is not just psychotherapy and behavioral therapies. There are other important types of treatment, mostly supportive, that can add to the effectiveness of overall care. For instance, many rehab facilities will offer you group therapy and support groups to get the benefits of positive social support from people going through similar struggles.
Another important aspect of rehab is addressing and treating any underlying mental illnesses. The best rehabs will give you a thorough mental health evaluation. If you get a diagnosis for anxiety disorders, depression, a trauma disorder, or any other mental illness, you can expect to get treatment for it at the same time that you address Valium misuse and addiction.
At Valium addiction treatment you can also expect to have access to a number of supportive services. While there is no approved medication for benzodiazepine addiction, medical care is usually an important part of treatment, with a focus on wellness and healthy lifestyle choices.
You may also benefit from alternative therapies and medicine. Therapies that use music, dance, movement, writing, art, animals, and recreation can all provide benefits as you strive for recovery. Alternative and complementary medical practices like acupuncture, meditation and mindfulness, and holistic types of care may also help you feel better as you go through treatment.
The Importance of Aftercare
Treatment in rehab, whether you choose an inpatient or an outpatient program, should not end with the last session or the last day in the facility. The best rehabs offer aftercare programs. Aftercare refers to any type of therapy or treatment you receive as a transition between your main treatment program and life back at home. It may include outpatient therapy sessions, ongoing medical care, alternative medicine, or attendance at support groups.
The reason that aftercare is so important is that you are vulnerable to relapse. Valium addiction side effects include cravings and temptations to use again, no matter how good your treatment was or how committed you are to recovery. You will always be at risk for relapsing and using again, but that risk can be reduced with good aftercare treatment.
What to Look for in the Best Valium Rehab
As you begin your search for Valium addiction help, you may become overwhelmed by all the choices. Have one or two family members or friends, people who lend positive support, help you go through the options. And as you do, keep in mind that not all rehabs are the same and that some are better than others. Here are the things you really want to look for and see in the program or facility you choose:
- The best rehabs will start with a thorough evaluation, including diagnosis for any mental illnesses.
- You should choose a rehab that will either offer detox services or direct you to a recommended service so that you can go through withdrawal and detox before beginning treatment.
- Effective treatment must be tailored to your needs, so look for a facility that creates an individualized treatment plan for each new patient.
- Your preferences and unique abilities are important. The best treatment plan will be one that includes you in its creation.
- Choose a rehab program with a multi-disciplinary staff of professionals with different areas of expertise.
- The best rehabs offer a variety of types of therapy and support services, including alternatives, to meet the needs of each patient.
- Make sure your rehab includes aftercare services and addresses the issue of relapse with prevention strategies.
How to Know Which Rehab is Right for You
You know what to look for in what is objectively a good rehab. Now you need to make a choice based on what is best for you. Consider practical factors, like the location. If you will be doing outpatient therapy, is it close enough for you to drive? If you will be staying in a residential facility, is it too far away for your family to visit and participate? Cost is another practical consideration, especially if you do not have insurance that will cover any of your rehab treatment.
Some rehab facilities have a special area of focus or a particular philosophy, which you may want to consider in making your choice. For instance, some treatment centers have a religious focus, which is great if you are spiritual and find strength in your faith. Others may be focused on nature and being outdoors, while some focus on health and wellness.
Call and visit rehab centers before you make a final decision. Ultimately, you need to be comfortable with the choice you make. And often it is in seeing the facility for yourself, talking with staff and residents, and asking any questions you have that will make you feel comfortable. If something doesn’t feel right on a tour or visit, you can always back out.
Valium addiction is very serious. It can take over your life, and if you mix it with other drugs, overdose, or try to detox alone, it can even be fatal. When the time comes to get help for this terrible illness, rely on those who care about and support you. Let them help you make a choice for getting treatment and going to rehab. There are plenty of options for care, but not all are the best for you. The most important thing you can do in the end is to reach out and ask for someone to help you.