Valium detox in Bristol is the most effective first step for treating Valium dependence or addiction.
We know that detoxing can feel intimidating, but when you detox at rehab in Bristol, you’re surrounded by qualified medical professionals who are familiar with all dangerous side effects, and can keep you in a stable state as you withdraw from Valium.
Rehab isn’t your only option, but it’s often the most successful. To discover more about how you can get sober in Bristol, call Rehab4Addiction on 0800 140 4690.
Valium (medical name: diazepam) is a type of prescription benzodiazepine that mostly treats anxiety, due to its calming effect.
It can also treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome, insomnia, seizures, restless legs syndrome, and muscle spasms.
When someone takes a benzodiazepine such as Valium, they may get used to the positive effects it produces, and want to keep taking more of it. Over time, this can lead to a dependence on Valium, which is when the body can’t function properly without the drug.
Dependence is more likely when certain factors are at play, such as:
Sometimes, people feel immune to Valium dependence, as they believe they’re in full control of their usage. However, addiction is an illness, so even people with the most self-control can still end up dependent on, or addicted to, Valium.
The difference between Valium dependence and Valium addiction is that dependence is a physical reliance on Valium, whereas addiction introduces psychological symptoms.
It’s also a more severe diagnosis, as someone who is addicted to Valium is risking serious damage to their health, yet continues to take the drug as they are no longer in control.
Valium detox in Bristol is a treatment for people who are battling Valium dependence or addiction.
It allows Valium to be safely removed from the body in a medical setting, where the patient is surrounded by experts. This keeps the withdrawal process as safe as possible, and lowers the relapse risk by dealing with the physical symptoms directly.
Detoxing from Valium is the first step to getting sober, but not the last. It’s usually followed by psychological treatments, as people with a Valium addiction need to get to the root of their disorder to stay in recovery long-term.
If someone avoids detoxing from Valium, they’re risking developing an addiction, which can create lifelong problems. Even while they’re still in the dependence phase, they may be experiencing:
Detoxing from Valium can be life-threatening.
This is why we promote safe, gradual withdrawals within rehab facilities (which is known as tapering). That way, there’s no sudden change for the body, and doctors are on hand to provide medication when necessary.
If someone detoxes from Valium suddenly, it can cause:
Sometimes, Valium is used as part of alcohol detoxing, but this doesn’t mean it’s risk-free.
When Valium is prescribed in this context, it’s intended to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms safely, and it’s done in a very controlled way.
Withdrawal symptoms should be expected as part of a Valium detox. There are many potential physical and psychological symptoms you could experience, and being aware of them helps prepare you for the detox phase.
Please keep in mind that you won’t necessarily experience all of the following symptoms.
Physical Valium withdrawal symptoms:
Psychological Valium withdrawal symptoms:
Some people experience severe Valium withdrawal symptoms, which can be life-threatening. This is why it’s highly recommended to detox in an inpatient rehab setting, where 24/7 care is provided.
Severe withdrawal symptoms to look out for include:
Withdrawing from Valium isn’t a one-size-fits-all method. Detoxing should be adapted to suit the client, taking into account factors such as their physical and mental state, the severity of their dependence, and whether they have any co-occurring disorders.
The environment of the detox also makes a huge difference to the client’s experience.
Inpatients are three times more likely to complete treatment than outpatients (1).
By detoxing at inpatient rehab in Bristol, you’re taking yourself away from key triggers, and entering a structured environment where your sobriety is prioritised.
Rehab staff work round the clock to keep clients safe and sober. During the detox phase, they know the signs to look out for, and can decide when the client is ready to move on to psychological treatments (if necessary).
Not all rehab patients stay overnight in the treatment facility. Some choose to attend rehab for their detox, and go back home every evening. They will then either keep up the same schedule for their psychological treatments, or finish rehab after their detox (the same decision inpatients make).
If people are in a supportive home environment, and dealing with a mild Valium dependence, outpatient detoxing can be a great middle-ground between residential rehab in Bristol and home detoxing.
However, for moderate to severe dependence, inpatient rehab is usually the most successful option.
It’s possible to withdraw from Valium at home. This doesn’t mean quitting cold turkey, which is very dangerous, but taking part in a structured detox offered by a home detox provider in Bristol.
Mild dependence issues can be treated successfully at home, if the client follows the given medical advice and relies on their support system.
As home detoxing in Bristol doesn’t cover the psychological side of addiction, it’s important to explore possible further treatments, such as therapy.
Below, we outline what to expect during a Valium detox in Bristol:
Valium detox in Bristol starts with an assessment phase.
As each patient is so different, and has a different experience of Valium dependence, this phase ensures the detox caters to the patient’s needs as much as possible.
Health care professionals will ask about the patient’s medical history to find out whether there are any vulnerabilities they should be aware of, such as conditions that prevent the patient from taking a certain medication, or conditions that make the patient prone to particular withdrawal symptoms.
Once the medical information has been obtained, rehab staff can start to plan the Valium detox.
There are general timelines and symptoms, but based on the patient’s medical history and addiction situation, staff will put together a personalised detox plan that helps all involved to know what to expect.
A key part of this plan is tapering. Patients will slowly withdraw from Valium over a planned period of time, and some patients will follow a slower plan than others. The timeline is dependent on how long they used Valium for, how strong their dose was, and how healthy they currently are, amongst other factors. Usually, the detox lasts a few weeks.
In this stage, staff will begin the detox, and monitor the patient’s progression. They’ll keep an eye on withdrawal symptoms, as well as general physical and mental wellbeing, to check the patient is undergoing a successful detox, and to provide medication if necessary.
Following the Valium detox, many clients in Bristol continue with a treatment programme that includes things like therapy, counselling, and workshops.
This isn’t a requirement, so some people finish their treatment after the detox. However, in order to stay sober long-term, it’s extremely important to explore the mental and emotional factors of addiction.
Completing a 28-day rehab treatment programme reduces one’s relapse rate immensely.
When you opt for a 28-day programme, you benefit from aftercare in Bristol. This means the rehab continues to support you for one year after you leave, through resources such as:
What happens when aftercare comes to an end?
Hopefully, by this stage, you will have learnt enough about your addiction to understand your triggers, engage with healthy coping mechanisms, and lean on your support system. It’s strongly recommended to keep up with self-help groups and therapy, and to stay open with your loved ones.
Generally, we wouldn’t advise working during a drug or alcohol detox. It takes a lot of energy to withdraw from drugs, and can cause you to feel very unwell.
If you try to work during this phase of recovery, it may take you a lot longer to withdraw completely and feel healthier.
Some outpatient programmes in Bristol allow patients to work during the detox phase, though adaptations usually have to be made, such as working part-time.
This would only be suitable if someone was in a healthy enough state to work, and was dealing with a mild dependence or addiction.
If you go to inpatient rehab, you won’t be able to work. You will have to dedicate a fixed amount of time to recovering at rehab (usually 28 days).
This allows you to ease into sobriety without the pressures of everyday life. Some rehabs allow family visits, and family therapy, but others are stricter as they prefer for clients to be completely independent from their home life for one month.
It’s natural to fear Valium withdrawal. No stage of recovery is easy, and detoxing is no exception.
People may fear Valium withdrawal for various reasons, including that they:
You can ease some of these worries by learning more about Valium detoxing (as you’re doing right now) and speaking to Rehab4Addiction staff about your concerns.
Although we can’t say that detoxing will be pleasant, it’s something you have to get through to get to the other side of addiction, and the long-term benefits will be worth it.
Detoxing happens every day at rehab facilities in Bristol, so staff are fully prepared and equipped to help you withdraw from Valium safely.
Just like inpatient rehab, we value your personal experiences. When you get in touch with us, we’ll assess your individual needs, and help you find a treatment programme that gives you the best opportunity to get sober.
We tailor to your addiction severity, privacy needs, budget, and more. Simply give us a call on 0800 140 4690 for confidential, no-obligation support and advice.
Below, we outline answers to common questions about Valium detox:
No, it’s not safe to stop taking Valium without professional guidance. It can lead to dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
Tapering is the safest method, and should be done in a medical context, where 24/7 monitoring occurs (e.g., residential rehab in Bristol).
Yes, you can get a Valium detox on the NHS, but it’s difficult to access.
Due to long NHS waiting times, it isn’t often advised to go via the NHS route. Detoxing is urgent for many people with Valium dependence or addiction, and the longer you wait to receive treatment, the higher the risk.
While private Valium detoxing can be expensive, there are budget-friendly options in Bristol, and it can mean you get sober much faster.
Yes, you can detox from other benzodiazepines. The detox won’t be exactly the same as it is for Valium, but the general process is the same, i.e., assessment, plan, and monitoring.
Any type of physical dependence can be treated with a detox, including alcohol, heroin, methadone, and tramadol. Psychological dependence (which is part of addiction) can’t be treated with a detox, but it can be worked on in therapy and addiction counselling.
