Unfortunately, a Valium addiction can have a devastating impact on your physical health, your mental wellbeing, your finances and even your relationships.
Although Valium is often prescribed to manage medical issues such as anxiety, muscle spasms and sleep problems, long-term abuse can quickly lead to an addiction.
Once an addiction develops, stopping suddenly without the help of medical support can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, our team of specialists are there to help people to access safe Valium detox and rehab treatment.
Whether you have been taking Valium for a number of months or many years, a professional detox and rehab treatment will reduce the health risks and complications associated with withdrawal and will also reduce your chances of experiencing a relapse later down the line.
If you are searching for confidential Valium detox clinics in London, this guide explains how detox works, what withdrawal symptoms to expect, and how rehab can support your recovery from addiction.
Valium is simply the brand name for diazepam, which is a type of benzodiazepine medication that is commonly prescribed for a range of health conditions.
This includes helping people with anxiety disorders, panic attacks, muscle spasms, insomnia or even alcohol withdrawal symptoms [1].
Valium and benzodiazepines in general work by slowing activity in the central nervous system. It does this by increasing the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is a neurotransmitter that calms brain activity. This helps people to feel relaxed and sedated [1].
Valium can be highly effective and helpful when it is used as prescribed for the short term and under medical supervision.
However, prolonged use will naturally lead to an increase in tolerance and eventually an addiction. When an individual’s tolerance is increasing, people start to take higher doses of the substance to achieve the same calming effect that they once experienced by taking less.
This then increases the risk of addiction.
The medical detox phase is one of the most important parts of the recovery process.
During your detox, medical professionals will slowly reduce your drug consumption, slowly withdrawing you from Valium whilst managing potentially severe withdrawal symptoms safely.
Because benzodiazepines affect the nervous system, withdrawal from Valium can’t be particularly unpredictable and dangerous without professional and medical support.
Unlike some other addictive substances, abruptly stopping consuming Valium could lead to severe complications. This is why medically supervised detox is strongly recommended.
It is incredibly important not to attempt to detox from Valium or any type of benzodiazepine alone, without professional help.
This is because withdrawal from Valium can be life threatening if it is not managed correctly.
Very similar to an alcohol detox and withdrawal, stopping benzodiazepines too quickly could trigger a range of issues including seizures, psychosis or severe medical complications.
A medical detox that operates slowly significantly reduces these risks through gradual dose reduction and ongoing medical and psychological monitoring.
Unfortunately, lots of people do not realise how serious their benzodiazepine addiction has become until withdrawal symptoms appear when they stop or reduce their intake.
There are a number of common signs that someone might need to attend a detox and rehab treatment, including some of the signs listed below:
If these symptoms sound familiar to either you or someone you know, then a professional addiction treatment and detox might be required to recover.
There are a number of common withdrawal symptoms associated with a Valium detox. It is important to understand that withdrawal symptoms will vary depending on a number of factors, including how much you consume, how long you have been addicted to Valium for, your overall physical health and whether other or not other addictive substances are involved [2].
Common Valium withdrawal symptoms include some of those listed below [2]:
As you can see, some of these withdrawal symptoms can be particularly challenging and life-threatening.
It is also important to note that some people who detox from Valium also experience prolonged psychological and mental health symptoms during their recovery, particularly if the individual has been addicted to Valium for a long period of time.
It is important to understand that a Valium detox timeline will vary from person to person.
This is because Valium is a long-acting benzodiazepine, meaning that withdrawal symptoms will likely develop more slowly than with shorter-acting drugs.
How long your detox will take will also depend on a number of factors, including how severely you are addicted to the substance, how long you have been addicted to the substance for and whether or not you have previously attempted to detox.
Whilst everyone’s recovery journeys are different, typical timelines are as below.
With the first 24 hours of withdrawing from a substance such as Valum, your early withdrawal symptoms will begin. These could include anxiety, restlessness and insomnia.
Within the first two weeks of your withdrawal, your withdrawal symptoms often peak. This will include things such as cravings, panic attacks and severe mental health symptoms such as depression or anxiety.
Over the next six weeks, your withdrawal symptoms will usually begin to settle slowly, although some people do continue to experience anxiety and sleep issues for a number of weeks after initially detoxing.
When recovering from Valium, it is important to understand that mental health and psychology symptoms can continue for a number of months. This is why therapy is so important, as it helps people to manage their long-term mental health symptoms and reduce the risk of a relapse after detoxing.
Many people feel anxious about the idea of detoxing from Valium, due to the associated health risks. However, it is important to understand that most detox programmes involve gradually reducing your Valium dose over time to avoid any severe health issues.
We have outlined below the usual detox process, to help people feel more at ease when it comes to what to expect from the detox process.
Your journey will initially begin with a full assessment of your addiction, your mental health, your physical health and other lifestyle factors that might be influencing your addiction. Medical professionals will ask you a number of questions during this stage and it is important to be as open and honest during this time as possible.
Once you have been assessed, medical professionals will stabilise your dosage before your withdrawal begins. Once you have been stabilised, medical professionals will then start your withdrawal. During this time, your Valium dose will be slowly reduced over a number of days or weeks, depending on your specific addiction and circumstances.
During the entire duration of your withdrawal from Valum, staff will monitor your withdrawal symptoms and health status closely. They will also provide you with any medication to calm any symptoms if necessary.
When recovering from an addiction, a detox alone rarely addresses the root causes of addiction. This is why rehab clinics across London and the rest of the UK offer therapy.
There are now a range of therapy techniques offered in drug and alcohol rehab clinics across London, including cognitive behavioural therapy, one to one therapy, group therapy, family therapy and even holistic therapy, which could involve music or art therapy.
Combining a medical detox with drug and alcohol rehab offers the strongest foundation for long-term recovery and reduces your risk of relapsing from the substance later down the line.
Unfortunately, many people struggling with an addiction to Valium combine the addictive substance with other addictive substances, such as alcohol or opioids. This significantly increases the risk of an overdose.
This is because combining depressant drugs can slow down your breathing, reduce your heart rate and impair levels of consciousness. This can result in an overdose and loss of life.
It is particularly dangerous to combine Valium with alcohol, heroin, methadone and sleeping tablets. Combining these highly addictive substances could cost you your life and should be avoided at all costs.
A dual diagnosis is when an individual suffers from an addiction and mental health issue at the same time. Many people with a benzodiazepine addiction also experience mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, panic disorder and other trauma-related mental health conditions [3].
This is known as dual diagnosis and effective drug and alcohol rehab programmes address both addiction and mental health together, rather than treating them separately [3].
Most rehab clinics across London and the rest of the UK provide aftercare support once inpatient treatment ends.
Aftercare might involve weekly therapy sessions, over the phone therapy, online meetings or aftercare and support groups. A significant percentage of your time in rehab will be used to work out a relapse prevention and aftercare plan which you must follow once you leave the rehab setting.
Whilst some people attempt a home detox from a Valium addiction, this approach can be extremely risky and is not recommended.
This is because benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms can escalate very quickly, especially after heavy or prolonged use. Without around the clock care and medical supervision, you could experience serious health complications such as seizures or psychosis. For safety reasons, a professional detox is strongly recommended.
It is well researched that early treatment often leads to better recovery outcomes for individuals suffering from an addiction to Valium or other substances.
Seeking help sooner will likely reduce your risk of developing severe withdrawal symptoms, slow your risk of relapsing, improve your mental health and protect your future.
Even if addiction and the thought of recovery feel overwhelming, it is important to understand that effective treatment is available for you if you want and need it.
Below, we provide answers to common questions around this important topic:
Yes. A withdrawal from benzodiazepine can be incredibly dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Those with a severe addiction and withdrawal symptoms run the risk of developing seizures, hallucinations or psychosis without the right medical support.
Most detox and withdrawal plan last between one and eight weeks, depending on the severity of your addiction, how long you have been addicted to Valium for and the state of your overall health and wellbeing.
It is important to understand that a home detox is not recommended when it comes to a Valium detox. This is due to the risk of severe withdrawal complications such as seizures and hallucinations.
After a medical detox, many people continue their rehab treatment with therapy. Therapy helps to address the psychological causes of addiction and reduces the risk of a relapse.
Yes, it can be. With professional detox, rehab and ongoing aftercare support, many people achieve long-term recovery from a benzodiazepine and Valium addiction.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction to Valium, then it is important to seek help as early on as possible. Addiction can affect every aspect of life and will likely escalate over time if it is not treated.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, our team of specialists are able to help people get access to safe, confidential Valium rehab treatment, including a detox. Whether you require inpatient detox, outpatient support or therapy support, our team of experts will be able to help.
For more help and support with your addiction, call our friendly and helpful team for free on 0800 140 4690 or by visiting our website for free by searching for www.rehab4addiction.co.uk.
