While valium can be helpful for those who need it, it can also be addictive if used improperly or for an extended period. This article will be beneficial for identifying valium addiction symptoms and available treatments. Understanding the signs and seeking help can lead to a successful recovery and improved quality of life.
What Is Valium?
Valium is a brand name for the medication diazepam, a benzodiazepine drug used to treat various conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures. It also helps to reduce nervous tension, panic disorders, and anxiety and proves useful in alcohol withdrawal and when used as a muscle relaxant. Valium can also create a pleasant feeling thanks to its therapeutic effects, especially for people who used to struggle with anxiety, emotional pain, and panic attacks. And this is where it easily leads to addiction.
Using Valium, and Its Side Effects
As indicated previously, valium use can create a pleasurable feeling of calm. It works by slowing down the chemical messages sent by the central nervous system. This helps the patient or user to experience more calm, feel less stressed and tensed, and gain better composure.
Regarding its side effects, there are several warning signs to look out for, as valium lasts longer in the body. Some of these warning signs include;
- Vision trouble
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Slurred speech
- Constipation
- Tremors
- Confusion,
- Depression
- Vertigo
These warning signs do not necessarily indicate a sign of addiction. However, failing to acknowledge them can cause these signs to worsen over time, especially when issues of misuse, increasing dosage, and drug tolerance set in. When a prescribed valium user begins to develop higher tolerance, they may experience more side effects, including the following:
- Restlessness
- Behavioral changes
- Agitation
- Loss of appetite
- Psychosis
- Hallucinations
- Incontinence
- Skin reactions
Valium Abuse and Signs
Valium abuse refers to the non-medical use of the prescription drug diazepam, which is the active ingredient in valium. This abuse occurs when individuals take more of the drug than prescribed or take it without a prescription. It can also involve taking the drug in ways other than as directed, such as crushing and snorting the pills. If you or someone you know is struggling with Valium abuse, it is important to seek help from a medical professional. But what are the signs to look out for?
At first, you may hardly notice any sign. But over time, the following red flags or signs will begin to show:
- Muscle weakness
- Extreme sleepiness
- Vision disturbances
- Compromised judgment
- Increased risk-taking
- Panic episodes
- Attempt to take valium with other drugs like alcohol
- Attempts to stop taking valium
- Seeking pills from others
- Shopping for doctors
Valium Addiction and Effective Treatment
Valium addiction can be difficult to break free from once it gets its hold on a patient, especially without professional assistance. Even worse, trying to quit after an extended period of valium addiction can be life-threatening. And that’s why addicts need to seek help from a treatment program facility in the presence of medical supervision.
If you’re not sure whether valium addiction has set in, here are some indicators that suggest dependency.
- Escalation: An addict usually risks increasing their dosage, seeking higher effects as their demand increases. They may also begin experimenting with other methods of taking the drug, for example, snorting, injection, and combining with other drugs.
- Deceiving: Valium usage demands a level of secrecy, which makes an addict resort to deceiving those around them with the hope of not being found out. And this makes the addicts very difficult to understand or pin down.
- Neglect: Valium addicts will start neglecting their health, hygiene, grooming, and wellness as their attention shifts to finding ways to secure valium.
- Accumulation: A valium addict may start spending large amounts of money to accumulate enough valium. That may include stealing money from others or borrowing themselves into serious debt.
Find Help with Valium Addiction
Valium addiction leads to broken families, unhealthy relationships, and ruined lives each year. But through effective, evidence-based treatment like supervised detox, residential treatment, etc., addicts can start a journey to sobriety and healthy living.
- Residential treatment: An addict will benefit from a dedicated facility to promote wellness, sobriety, and, more importantly, complete recovery.
- Valium detox: Formal and supervised valium detox procedures can help addicts regain control of their lives. This helps particularly when an addict begins to go through the difficult withdrawal stage.
- Outpatient program and continued care: With the help of continued after-treatment, a former addict can maintain their recovery over an extended period with the help of therapy, medications, and regular visits to the treatment facility.
A simple medicine like valium can quickly lead to a monstrous addiction. But with the help of compassionate experts and treatment programs, an addict can reclaim their lives.