When properly used under doctor’s care, Valium is an indispensable tool of medical treatment. But some individuals abuse the drug, perverting its therapeutic uses to get high and eventually becoming addicted to the point where drug rehab is necessary.
Valium is the name used to market the drug diazepam, a powerful anticonvulsant and sedative used as treatment for a variety of maladies including anxiety, seizures, and even alcoholism. This versatile benzodiazepine-derived drug is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the word, so much so that the World Health Organization includes diazepam as a core medication on its list of essential medicines necessary in any functioning healthcare system. But, despite its medical importance, Valium is also one of the most commonly abused drugs, with individuals taking advantage of its muscle relaxant effects to achieve a sedated, euphoric high.
Individuals who have easy access to the drug, such as teenagers with parents or grandparents who have prescriptions, are frequent recreational users of the drug. They can use it alone or in combination with alcohol to create a dangerous cocktail that has both harmful physiological and mental effects.
In addition to these recreational users, there is also a substantial risk that those who are prescribed the drug legitimately can develop an addiction. Users of benzodiazepines quickly develop a tolerance to the drug, which in turn can lead to an unsafe upping of their dosage without a doctor’s guidance. Moreover, the neuron-chemical interactions caused by the drug can cause a patient to develop a physical dependence, with users experiencing painful withdrawal symptoms upon stopping Valium use. One 1990 study showed that, even at low dosages, patients taking the drug as prescribed developed a physical dependence to Valium with extended use.
The effects of withdrawal from long-terms usage of Valium are varied, and can range from seizures to acute “rebound” anxiety. For this reason, drug rehabs is frequently the only solution for curing a Valium addiction. The typical severity of withdrawal symptoms and risk of long term damage frequently necessitates the use of a stabilizing drug during detoxification, and in some cases the only option for treatment is a long-term tapering dose of diazepam itself. Inpatient care is thus the most common option for treatment of Valium withdrawal.
These inpatient treatment centers not only ensure that a recovering addict is medically stable from a physiological point of view, but also allows the patient to recover mentally with different varieties of therapy. This mental anguish resultant from the cessation of a drug that has effectively dulled all pain for the duration of its use is frequently just as intense as physical withdrawals and this anguish creates a barrier to recovery if it is not adequately addressed. Completely kicking the habit with a drug such as Valium is a difficult task; but, with the proper treatment of both mind and body, addicts can return to live normal, healthy, and Valium-free lives.
