Unfortunately, a diazepam addiction can affect every part of a person’s life, and the lives of those around you, too.
What might start as a normal, everyday prescription for issues such as anxiety, insomnia, muscle spasms or panic attacks can gradually develop into a physical addiction.
Over time, lots of people find themselves unable to stop taking diazepam without experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.
For people living in Bristol, a professional diazepam detox and rehab treatment can offer a safe route towards their recovery.
However, attempting to stop taking benzodiazepines without professional medical support can be incredibly dangerous and should be avoided where possible.
This is because withdrawing from diazepam can lead to a number of issues, including seizures, psychosis, severe anxiety and other serious health complications.
Due to these risks, a medically supervised detox is strongly advised.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, our team of specialists are able to help people across Bristol access safe and effective addiction treatment for diazepam addiction.
Whether you have been abusing diazepam for a number of months or many years, it is important to understand that support is available for you through a mixture of detox, rehab treatment, therapy and aftercare. With this type of support, recovery from a diazepam addiction is possible.
Diazepam is a type of benzodiazepine that is commonly prescribed under the brand name Valium. It is used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, panic attacks, muscle spasms, insomnia, seizures and even an alcohol addiction [1].
It is important to understand how diazepam works. Diazepam works by slowing activity in the brain and the body’s nervous system. This creates a calming effect in the body, which can reduce unwanted feelings of anxiety and tension.
Whilst diazepam can be effective when it is used for short periods of time, prolonged and excessive use increases the risk of dependence and addiction.
Lots of people in Bristol first start to take diazepam for a legitimate reason via a legitimate prescription. However, others might get hold of the drug illegally or misuse their prescription by taking higher doses than advised by their doctor.
Regardless of how the addiction begins, a diazepam addiction can be extremely difficult to overcome without professional help such as drug and alcohol rehab [1].
It is important to understand that a diazepam addiction can develop slowly, over a number of months or even sometimes years.
Some people may not even realise they have become addicted to the substance until they try to stop taking the drug and find themselves struggling.
There are a number of warning signs that someone has become addicted to diazepam, including some of those listed below for you.
Because benzodiazepines affect the individual’s brain chemistry, a physical addiction can develop quite quickly. Even those who take diazepam exactly as prescribed might experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking it suddenly.
It is important to understand that a withdrawal from diazepam should never be underestimated. This is because a benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening when it has not been managed properly with professional support.
Just like with an alcohol withdrawal, stopping diazepam too quickly can trigger a number of very serious health issues, including seizures.
Some people might also experience a number of health issues, including hallucinations, psychosis, suicidal thoughts or severe panic attacks during their withdrawal. For this reason, detoxing from diazepam at home without medical supervision is not recommended.
A medically supervised detox from diazepam will involve around the clock monitoring, medication support 24/7 and gradually reducing your dose.
Professional detox clinics in Bristol and across the UK tend to withdraw people slowly, to help the body adjust safely and in its own time.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction to diazepam, then seeking professional rehab support could reduce the risk of experiencing serious withdrawal symptoms which could end up being life-threatening.
A diazepam detox is the process of removing the addictive substance, in this case benzodiazepines, from the body safely.
A detox is usually the first stage of addiction treatment, as it is needed before you are able to undergo any treatment for the mental health side of your addiction.
During diazepam detox, medical professionals and rehab treatment specialists will gradually reduce your dosage over a controlled period of time. This process is often known and referred to as tapering.
A gradual taper helps individuals when it comes to the intensity of their withdrawal symptoms whilst lowering the risk of serious mental health issues including depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety or also seizures.
Your exact detox plan and timescale will depend on a number of different factors, including the severity of your addiction, how long you have been addicted to, whether or not you suffer from any other mental or physical health issues and whether or not you have previously tried but failed to detox in the past.
It is important to understand that a diazepam withdrawal will vary from person to person depending on the individual’s specific circumstances.
Some people experience mild symptoms, while others develop severe psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms.
There are some very common diazepam withdrawal symptoms, including some of those listed below [2].
It is important to understand that withdrawal symptoms might start within just a few hours or days after reducing your diazepam use.
This is because diazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine, meaning that symptoms can sometimes take longer to appear compared to shorter-acting addictive substances.
In some cases, withdrawal symptoms might continue for a number of weeks or even months after reducing your intake, although this is usually only for those with a severe addiction. This is why ongoing rehab, aftercare support and therapy are often incredibly important after a medical detox.
How long a detox from diazepam lasts depends on the individual and their specific circumstances. For some people, their detox might last just one or two weeks, whereas others might require a longer and slower withdrawal, lasting a number of weeks or months [3].
As discussed above, there are a number of things that impact your detox time period, including your dosage, how frequently you use diazepam, your age and overall health, whether you suffer from mental health issues and whether you have previously tried but failed to withdraw in the past.
Attempting to rush through a diazepam detox is not possible, as it will only ever increase the risk of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, which is why a slower withdrawal approach is always recommended.
Therapy is incredibly important for anyone suffering from an addiction or mental health issue. Whilst a medical detox addresses physical addiction, you will also need to undergo therapy to unmask the psychological root causes of your addiction.
Without professional therapy and ongoing support, lots of people return to diazepam after they complete their detox, which is a waste of both time and money. This is why rehab treatment is often recommended following detox.
There are now a range of different therapy techniques available across Bristol and the rest of the UK. This includes one to one therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, group therapy, holistic therapy and even family therapy if appropriate.
Rehab treatment is not there to make you overthink your issues or trauma.
Instead, it aims to help people understand the root causes of their addiction issues, whilst helping them to develop healthier coping strategies and routines going forward.
Inpatient rehab is ideal for anyone with a moderate to severe addiction, as it provides structured treatment in a safe and supportive environment.
During inpatient rehab, individuals stay at the clinic for a number of weeks or even months whilst they receive detox, therapy and ongoing after and addiction support.
This type of rehab treatment is ideal for anyone who has a severe addiction, who has previously relapsed and who has an unstable home environment, as well as mental health issues.
By removing people from their home environment, they are significantly more likely to be able to focus, avoid triggers and create healthy and happy routines.
Some people in Bristol might be more suited to outpatient rehab treatment instead of inpatient rehab.
Outpatient rehab treatment allows people to continue living in the comfort of their own home while attending appointments and therapy sessions on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the severity of their addiction.
Outpatient treatment may suit people with a mild addiction, strong family support, a stable home environment and lower risk when it comes to withdrawal symptoms.
However, it is important to understand that outpatient rehab or detox might not be suitable for everyone.
For example, a benzodiazepine withdrawal can be incredibly unpredictable, especially for those with long-term addiction issues. For this reason, outpatient rehab and detox is not recommended for those with a diazepam addiction.
Many people struggling with a diazepam addiction might also experience mental health issues.
When this happens, this is known as a dual diagnosis. Some of the most common mental health issues experienced alongside a diazepam addiction include anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder or panic disorder.
When an individual suffers from a dual diagnosis, treating both issues together is often incredibly important for long-term recovery.
This is because dual diagnosis treatment aims to address the full picture, rather than simply focusing solely on the individual’s physical addiction.
It is also important to understand that when someone suffers from a diazepam addiction, they also run the risk of developing an addiction to another addictive substance.
In fact, a diazepam addiction often exists alongside other substances, such as alcohol, opioids, cocaine, cannabis or sleeping tablets.
Mixing diazepam with some of the above addictive substances can be particularly dangerous. By abusing a number of addictive substances at the same time, you make your recovery a lot harder and more complex.
As discussed above, a diazepam detox is essential for anyone who wants to recover from their addiction.
Suffering from an addiction to benzodiazepines also puts you at a greater risk of developing an addiction to other addictive substances, whilst also puts you at a greater risk of developing a mental health issue.
If you or someone you know and love is suffering from an addiction to diazepam, then it is important to attend a rehab facility to detox and recover from your addiction.
Withdrawing from diazepam can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms that will need to be monitored around the clock by medical professionals.
To get the help and support that you need and deserve, call our helpful and friendly team today by calling us on 0800 140 4690 or by searching for us online at www.rehab4addiction.co.uk.
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3990949/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1862031/
