Valium can be both a beneficial prescription medication and a dangerous, addictive drug. People who misuse this substance risk considerable harm, including serious medical problems, addiction, overdose, and death. When you know how to recognize Valium addiction symptoms, you will be better prepared to get help for yourself or a loved one.
If you or a loved one are struggling with Valium, our drug rehab in Atlanta, Georgia can help. Call us now at 678-325-7250 or verify your insurance now.
What Is Valium?
Valium is the brand name of diazepam, a prescription medication that is used to treat people who have anxiety disorders. It may also be prescribed to patients who have been experiencing muscle spasms, seizures, and certain other medical concerns.
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine, a category of drugs that is often referred to simply as benzos. Benzos have sedative and anxiolytic properties, which means that their effects include:
- Relaxation
- Drowsiness
- Easing of muscle tension
- Slowed activity within the central nervous system
- Diminished anxiety
While these effects can be extremely helpful for someone who is taking Valium for a legitimate medical purpose, they have also made this drug popular among people who are seeking a certain type of illicit high.
Valium use can also cause an array of problematic effects, including:
- Confusion and disorientation
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Impaired coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Addiction
- Overdose
- Death
Anyone who uses Valium for any reason can experience adverse effects, including addiction. However, the risk of these negative outcomes is greater among people who abuse the drug, either in an attempt to self-medicate or for recreational purposes.
Signs of Valium Abuse
People sometimes confuse the signs of valium abuse with valium addiction symptoms.
It’s important to remember that substance abuse is a behavior, while a substance use disorder (which is the clinical term for addiction) is a chronic, progressive disease.
Not everyone who abuses Valium or other substances becomes addicted to them, but abuse is a common precursor to addiction. If someone in your life has been abusing Valium, intervening today could prevent them from developing an addiction, which can put them at risk for myriad additional problems.
Someone who has been abusing Valium may exhibit signs such as:
- Dramatic changes in mood, attitude, and energy
- Confusion or disorientation
- Delayed responsiveness
- Difficult staying awake
- Unsteadiness on their feet
- Running out of Valium before their prescription is up
- Continuing to use Valium after their symptoms have subsided
- Visiting several doctors and/or lying about their symptoms to get additional prescriptions for Valium
- Trying to buy, borrow, or steal Valium that was prescribed to someone else
- Lying about how they have been spending their time and who they have been associating with
- Downturn in performance at work or in school
Regardless of why a person began to use Valium, continued misuse of the substance is likely to lead to addiction.
Valium Addiction Symptoms
When someone has become addicted to Valium or another prescription medication, they will often try to hide evidence of their problem from friends, family members, and colleagues. In some cases, they may not even realize (or at least won’t be willing to admit) that they have become dependent on the drug.
If you suspect that someone you care about has a problem, keep an eye out for Valium addiction symptoms such as:
- They spend considerable amounts of time seeking, using, and recovering from the effects of Valium.
- They fail to meet their responsibilities at work, in school, or at home (such as not paying bills or even cleaning their house) as a result of their Valium use.
- They have begun to use Valium in ways that are particularly and obviously dangerous, such as by combining it with alcohol or other addictive drugs.
- They continue to use Valium even after they have incurred harm (such as physical damage, legal problems, and ruined relationships) as a result of prior use.
- They have reduced or ended their participation in sports, hobbies, or other activities that used to be important to them due to their Valium use.
- They have developed tolerance, which means they need to use larger amounts of Valium to achieve the effects that they could previously experience after taking much smaller doses.
- When they try to stop using Valium, or when they are prevented from doing so, they begin to experience a variety of distressing physical and psychological symptoms.
Tolerance and withdrawal are two of the most prominent Valium addiction symptoms.
Tolerance can prompt a person to use Valium more frequently and in larger amounts, while withdrawal can prevent them from stopping. Both can increase a person’s risk of lasting damage, including death.
Types of Treatment for Valium Addiction
Treatment for Valium addiction can occur at several levels of care and may involve a variety of therapies and services. Addictions can impact different people in vastly different ways, which is why it is so important to find a provider that will develop a customized plan just for you.
If you’re unable to get through the withdrawal process on your own, a detox program may be the ideal place to begin your recovery journey. Then, once you have successfully rid your body of this drug, you can transition into a residential treatment or intensive outpatient program.
At the residential level, you will live at the center where you are receiving treatment. The benefits of this level of care include full days of treatment, 24/7 support and supervision, and having the opportunity to temporarily step away from the stresses and distractions of daily life.
Following residential treatment, or if you don’t need that service, you may be best served in a partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient program.
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) usually feature full days of treatment, five days per week, but you only need to be at the center when you are receiving care. In the evenings and on weekends, you can spend time at home or in an alternative supported residence.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) usually feature a few hours of treatment a few days per week. This gives you greater flexibility and independence while still retaining a structured connection to essential clinical services.
Remember: There’s no right or wrong path. What matters most is finding the path that’s right for you.
Find Valium Addiction Treatment in Atlanta
Peachtree Recovery Center offers personalized outpatient treatment for adults in the Atlanta, Georgia, area who have become addicted to Valium and other substances.
Programming options at our center include a PHP, an IOP, an evening IOP, and traditional outpatient care. We also offer gender-specific services for both men and women, as well as dual diagnosis treatment for patients whose struggles with Valium addiction are accompanied by anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns.To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.