Get Treatment for Valium Addiction

Valium is a highly dependent drug. Often, Valium addictions happen accidentally. When used for a prolonged amount of time, the body becomes used to the amount of drugs administered. When this happens, the user has to take more to receive the initial effects. This is a dangerous thing to do because when a user does not take the medication, withdrawal symptoms will occur. This is especially difficult with Valium because many patients need this medication for longer periods to treat anxiety. When taking Valium, the patient needs to do exactly as the doctor says to stay clear of addiction. It is important to talk to your doctor before getting off of Valium to ensure that withdrawal symptoms do not occur.

Valium Withdrawal

Like many other drugs, the effects of Valium withdrawal are difficult to go through without proper care. It is important to consult a professional in order to stay safe. Do not stop taking Valium all at once; the symptoms will greatly lessen if the intake is reduced gradually. When Valium has been used heavily for a long period of time, the symptoms of withdrawal are typically delayed. However, for short time users, the effects begin soon after the last dose was taken. Often, the symptoms of withdrawal are similar to the symptoms that Valium is prescribed to take care of.

Valium Treatment

It is safest to quit Valium addiction at a rehab facility where the patient can be in the care of professionals who deal with addictions. They will be able to successfully step a user through the detox process with lessened withdrawal effects. After the detox process is completed, there are several addiction treatment programs. If you became addicted because Valium was prescribed to you, it is important to go to a specialized treatment or therapy to learn other ways to take care of your anxiety without becoming addicted to the prescribed medications. After the detox process, there are two main paths that can be taken: residential or outpatient treatment.

Residential Treatment
With residential treatment, there is a place to stay and get away from the chaos and temptations that go along with coming off of an addiction. Around the clock care is provided from a staff of professionals.

Outpatient Treatment
A main factor in choosing outpatient treatment is because it is less expensive. The individual is also able to stay around their support team, whether it includes family or friends. Unlike residential, the person is also able to remain in school or at work but usually at a lesser momentum than before.

Facts About Valium

Valium is classified in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. It is prescribed to those who suffer from anxiety disorders. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety. It may also help relieve certain kinds of muscle pain as well as certain symptoms that come with alcohol withdrawal. It is important to only take what your doctor prescribes because it may be habit-forming. Valium may be taken in the form of liquid or pills.

The History of Valium Use

Introduced in 1963, Valium became one of the most widely prescribed tranquilizers over the next 10 years.

Valium had certain benefits over other competitor’s tranquilizers. While all of them worked on the limbic system, the part of the brain that regulates emotions, Valium was less bitter in taste, could be formulated in smaller doses, and provided relief without the expected side effect of drowsiness. Part of Valium’s appeal lay in the belief that it was non-addictive and, unlike other tranquilizers, was almost impossible to be taken in a lethal dose by a suicidal person.

By 1974, Valium represented 81 percent of the tranquilizer market in the United States. However, at this same time, the media presented what they considered rampant abuse of Valium, stating that only about 10 percent of prescriptions for Valium written in 1974 came from mental health professionals and 60 percent to 70 percent of Valium prescriptions came from the family doctor, gynecologists and pediatricians. The media also noted that a disproportionate number of prescriptions were given to women over 30 to control so-called “free-floating” anxiety.

In 1975 when tranquilizer usage in the United States reached its highest level, Valium also began to appear as an illegal “street” drug and became integrated in the American culture through movies and plays. Celebrity usage became apparent when an autopsy report found Valium in Elvis Presley’s system when he died in 1977.

In 1979, awareness was raised again through coverage of the Senate subcommittee hearings during which several well-regarded physicians testified on the dangers of Valium. The Food and Drug Administration forced Hoffman-LaRoche, the manufacturer of Valium, to include the caveat in its medical-journal advertisements for Valium as well as in the information provided to physicians stating that “anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic drug.” This warning went into effect in the summer of 1980.

A 1981 report stated a possible link between Valium use and the rapid growth of cancer cells which had a greater impact on the drug’s popularity with the general public than the subcommittee meetings. However, a research study completed in 2005 showed that over 60 million prescriptions for Valium were written by American doctors and that 1.8 million Americans abused tranquilizers.

How to Get Help

If you or a loved one is addicted to Valium, it is important to seek help. Valium is a highly dependent and addictive drug. Once addicted, the effects are devastating. But, there is hope. If you are interested in receiving information on prescription drug detox or rehab, please call our toll free number. Someone is there to answer your questions about valium addiction and treatment.