Valium Addiction & Treatment

Medically Assisted
Valium Detoxification

Valium is the brand name of the generic drug diazepam, which is a prescription benzodiazepine medication most commonly used in the treatment of severe anxiety or sleep-related disorders. Valium is classified as a tranquilizer, and is widely misused for the relaxing and sometimes euphoric effects it produces. If you or someone close to you has been suffering from Valium misuse or dependence, medically monitored detox will almost always come as a recommended first step on the road to recovery. Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can be severe and potentially life-threatening when left untreated. Our team of compassionate and highly experienced professionals work together to alleviate the more severe symptoms of withdrawal while adequately preparing clients to take the next appropriate step on their personal recovery journeys. We focus on more than physical stabilization and a safe, comfortable Valium withdrawal. We offer therapeutic services, holistic treatment options, and personalized aftercare planning to ensure continued success in sobriety. Contact us today to learn more about our integrated and effective program of Valium detoxification and recovery in New Jersey. 

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Valium is a prescription benzodiazepine, most commonly prescribed to treat severe anxiety or sleep-related disorders. The medication works by slowing down activity in your brain, central nervous system, and spinal cord, helping to control feelings of anxiety as well as muscle spasms and seizures. Valium can be ingested in a number of ways. While it is most often taken orally in the form of a pill or tablet, it can be injected directly into the bloodstream in a liquid form, injected into muscle, inserted rectally, or used as a nasal spray. In its generic form, diazepam, the medication is marketed in over 500 brands worldwide. Because of exceedingly high prescription rates, Valium is concurrently one of the most frequently misused benzodiazepines. If you or someone you love has been struggling with a Valium use disorder of any severity, Princeton Detox & Recovery Center is available to help. 

Valium is currently one of the most commonly prescribed medications throughout the United States, and has been since it was first introduced to the pharmaceutical market in 1963. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the number of American adults who filled a benzodiazepine prescription rose 67 percent between 1996 and 2103 — from 8.1 million to 13.5 million. Not only are benzodiazepines like Valium highly addictive, but they contribute immensely to the current drug-related overdose crisis. According to the same NIDA study, 30 percent of overdose deaths that directly involve opioids also involve a benzodiazepine like Valium.

Mixing Valium with other substances like alcohol or opioid narcotics increases the risk of overdose significantly, seeing as all three substances increase risk of respiratory depression and cause sedation. Combining benzodiazepines with alcohol or opioids also impairs cognitive function, and has led to an increase in emergency room visits and accidental injuries over the course of the past several years. 

Signs and symptoms associated with Valium misuse and addiction include:

• Taking more than the intended dose for an extended period of time.
• Attempting to cut back on the amount of Valium being taken but being unable to do so.
• Neglecting personal obligations and responsibilities.
• Isolating from family members and close friends. 
• Experiencing a wide range of personal consequences (legal, financial, interpersonal) but continuing to use Valium in spite of these consequences. 
• Raiding the medicine cabinets of friends, family members and acquaintances in hopes of finding unused Valium prescriptions.
• “Doctor shopping,” or attempting to obtain more than one Valium prescription at a time. 
• Developing a physical tolerance, meaning that a higher dose of Valium is required in order for the same results to be produced.
• Experiencing a wide range of uncomfortable and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms within the first several hours after taking the last dose.

While benzodiazepine overdose is possible, the majority of overdose deaths linked to benzodiazepines also involved an opioid narcotic like heroin or fentanyl. Accidental overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines like Valium also frequently involve alcohol. The most common symptoms associated with benzodiazepine overdose include impaired cognitive functioning, respiratory depression, diminished reflexes and postural ability, and coma. If you are in the presence of someone you believe might be experiencing a Valium overdose, it is crucial that emergency medical help is sought immediately. 

Signs and symptoms associated with Valium withdrawal include:

• Physical symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, body tremors, intense headaches, severe stomach cramping, muscle aches and pains and general feelings of physical discomfort.
• Psychological symptoms like intense anxiety and panic attacks, insomnia and other sleep-related issues, overwhelming psychological cravings, severe depression and mood swings, often marked by agitation and irritability.
• Significant cardiovascular symptoms, including irregular heart beat, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure and even heart attack in the case of pre-existing cardiovascular issues.
• Additional symptoms, like seizures, which can be life-threatening if not treated as they arise in a medically monitored detox facility. 

Medical detox always comes as a recommended first step on the road to Valium addiction recovery, seeing as the symptoms associated with benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening when left untreated. To learn more about available treatment options, contact Princeton Detox & Recovery Center today. 

The best treatment options for Valium misuse or addiction depend on your unique case. When it comes to professional treatment, several factors should be taken into close consideration, including:

1. The severity of the benzodiazepine use disorder. If the Valium use disorder is moderate or severe, entering into a longer term treatment program is likely a good idea. It is important to note that because this specific chemical substance is so potent and habit-forming, addictive disorders progress over an extremely short period of time. 
2. The potential of withdrawal symptoms. Because the physical and psychological symptoms associated with Valium withdrawal can be unpredictable and uncomfortable, it is important for anyone who has been suffering from a benzodiazepine use disorder to enter into a professional medical detox program for short-term monitoring. 
3. The presence of any co-occurring disorders. If a person has been simultaneously suffering from a Valium use disorder and a mental illness, entering into a longer term dual diagnosis treatment program might be necessary.

In most cases, it is recommended that a person who has been suffering from a diagnosable Valium use disorder of any severity enter into a multi-staged treatment program, which begins with medical detox and transitions into the next appropriate level of care. Depending on your personal needs, you might choose to follow detox with an extended stay in an inpatient treatment center, or continue with a more flexible and less time-demanding option, like outpatient treatment.

Treatment options include:

Medical detox. In medical detox a person undergoes a safe and comfortable Valium withdrawal under the close supervision of a team of medical professionals. 

Residential inpatient treatment. This is the most intensive treatment option; residential programs typically last for between 30 and 90 days depending on the needs of the individual. Most inpatient programs incorporate individual, group, and family therapy, 12 Step program education and involvement, and holistic treatment modalities to provide a comprehensive treatment experience. 

Partial hospitalization. This level of care is a step down from inpatient treatment, and includes full days of intensive therapeutic care (usually 7 days a week) with the freedom to return home in the evenings. 

Intensive outpatient treatment. Also known as IOP, this level of care is ideal for those who have completed a short stay in medical detox and are looking for a flexible treatment option with an ample amount of personal freedom. IOP is ideal for those with an extremely short-lived Valium use disorder and no co-occurring issues. 

Outpatient treatment. Outpatient treatment, or OP, is one more step down from IOP, with group sessions typically only meeting between 2 or 3 times a week for several hours. 

Aftercare. Because Valium addiction is a chronic health condition, ongoing treatment is necessary to longer term recovery. Most aftercare plans consist of ongoing involvement in a peer support group (like Alcoholics Anonymous or Recovery Dharma) and ongoing individual therapy. 

12 Step program involvement. While many recovering individuals choose to participate in a 12 Step recovery program like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, there are numerous other options available. Peer support is often an important part of most aftercare plans. 

Individual therapy and/or ongoing psychiatric services. Because many individuals who suffer from a Valium use disorder simultaneously struggle with co-occurring issues, ongoing therapy and/or psychiatric care often come recommended.

If you or someone you love has been suffering from a Valium use disorder of any severity, Princeton Detox & Recovery Center is available to help. Our medically monitored drug and alcohol detox program was designed with client comfort in mind. We provide our clients with a safe, pain-free prescription drug withdrawal in a therapeutic setting, actively preparing them to take the next appropriate step on their personal recovery journeys. As soon as you make the decision to reach out for help you will be put in contact with one of our experienced and compassionate Treatment Advisors, who will help you determine whether or not our Valium detox program is right for you. If we believe our program is a good fit, we will proceed with a brief pre-assessment and a free, no obligation health insurance benefit check. We accept coverage from most major national health insurance providers as well as most regional providers throughout New Jersey and surrounding areas. To learn more about Valium addiction and treatment or to begin your own personal journey of Valium addiction recovery, contact us today.