Valium is a very addictive drug that causes a range of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
With professional detox in Sheffield, these symptoms can be monitored and treated, ensuring your health stays stable.
If you’re ready to consider a Valium detox, or you have any other questions about addiction recovery in Sheffield, please give Rehab 4 Addiction a call on 0800 140 4690.
Valium is the brand name for diazepam. It’s a type of benzodiazepine that can be prescribed by a doctor, but is also commonly linked to dependence and addiction.
When you take Valium, it boosts a calming chemical in your brain, known as GABA, which helps reduce anxiety and promote calmness.
This is why Valium is effective at treating anxiety disorders, insomnia, seizures, and tense muscles.
Some people struggle to take Valium in a controlled way. They rely on the calm effects of the drug to help them cope with everyday life.
People can do this whether they’re misusing their Valium prescription or accessing Valium illegally. Either way, this is when Valium dependence is likely to develop.
While dependence can develop in any situation, it’s much more likely if the individual is taking large amounts of Valium, mixing drugs, or taking Valium for an extended period of time. If there’s any history of addiction, the user is also more vulnerable to dependence.
Valium addiction doesn’t happen straight away. The signs may slowly start to appear, and once the addiction exists, it’s very hard to recover from without professional help.
Addiction is more than just physical symptoms, it also affects the user’s self-control, meaning they find it extremely difficult to stop taking Valium.
In Sheffield, there are many options for withdrawing from Valium. Detoxes can take place in rehabs, detox centres, or even at home (in mild cases).
In England and Wales, the number of drug poisoning deaths due to diazepam (Valium) use has risen significantly since the 90s.
In 1993, there were 52 diazepam-related drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales, while in 2024, the figure rose to 302. This is the highest figure since 2020, when there were 304 deaths in this category (1).
As for Scotland, 10% of individuals assessed for a new specialist drug treatment episode in 2019/20 stated that diazepam was the main drug for which they were seeking treatment.
Back in 2006/07, this figure was just 6%, demonstrating the increasing rates of Valium dependence and addiction in Scotland (2).
Dependence on Valium shows up in different ways, and it isn’t always obvious.
Some common signs are:
Denial is a very common emotion to feel when you’re dependent on Valium. People commonly feel in denial about their own level of reliance, and they also struggle to accept when a loved one is dependent.
Keep this in mind if you’re unsure whether a loved one is dealing with dependence, as they may be concealing the realities of their dependence from you. It’s not personal, it’s just a coping mechanism.
Professional detoxing avoids the dangers of quitting Valium cold turkey and/or withdrawing without medical supervision.
It offers:
All of these benefits make professional detoxing the safest route for everyone, regardless of the severity of their addiction. Even people with severe Valium addiction are in the safe hands of medical professionals who can track and treat withdrawal symptoms.
Detoxing from Valium can be very dangerous. It should always happen in a medical setting via tapering. When you try to stop Valium on your own, you may become very unwell, and dangerous symptoms can kick in too quickly for you to manage.
These symptoms include: delirium, suicidal thoughts, psychosis, extreme agitation, and seizures.
When someone experiences these severe symptoms, it’s known as Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome. It’s not something that everyone will go through, but it’s unpredictable.
If this syndrome shows up when someone is detoxing in a medical setting, they will immediately receive the help they need to cope with it.
Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome is more common in individuals who:
Although Valium is a long-acting benzodiazepine, people who take Valium can still experience Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome, particularly if their risk is high.
This includes people over the age of 45 and those who have used benzodiazepines for over 12 months (4).
If you experience any of these symptoms outside of an addiction treatment facility, please call 999 immediately.
We’ve discussed the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms, but what are the more common symptoms that Valium rehab clients can expect to experience?
Some possibilities are:
This is temporary in almost all cases. Symptoms last days to weeks, but once the detox phase is over, and the client has completely withdrawn from Valium, they will no longer deal with these unpleasant symptoms.
Some of the main options for Valium detox services in Sheffield are:
The best option for you depends on your current situation. Usually, residential detox programmes are the most effective. They allow patients to recover away from home, with full supervision and support, and they even provide an aftercare plan that keeps relapse rates low.
Outpatient detoxes can also be very successful, especially for people who are unable to attend residential rehab and are low-risk enough to not have to stay overnight.
Home detoxing in Sheffield is another route, which is great for people who have a mild dependence and a suitable home environment.
It’s not safe for people whose situation is high-risk, as they require 24/7 care, which home detoxing doesn’t provide.
You won’t be thrown into a Valium detox without preparation. Medical professionals will assess your health and find out whether you have any unique requirements for the detox, such as specific health requirements.
Although they can’t necessarily give you a fixed timeline, they’ll give a guide as to how long they think the detox phase may last.
At this stage, they’ll also put together a detox plan that contains everything they hope to achieve during the detox, and any medications that may be used if needed.
Tapering is used during Valium detoxes. This means you won’t suddenly stop taking the drug. They’ll give it to you in gradually smaller doses until your body doesn’t need any at all.
As you go through this, your health will be constantly monitored. This includes your emotional health.
Sometimes, you’ll get therapeutic support throughout the detox, but other times, you’ll only start therapy after the withdrawal. Either way, it will be written into your detox plan.
Many people who are physically reliant on Valium are also psychologically impacted, i.e., addicted. Getting a detox helps with the former, but not so much the latter.
Once someone is sober, it is easier to stay away from Valium, as the body is no longer craving it.
However, without sufficient psychological support, it’s still very likely that the individual will soon relapse.
That’s why residential rehabs in Sheffield offer full recovery support after the Valium detox. This can look like:
(Don’t live in Sheffield? Explore our other location pages to find out about detoxing in your town or city).
The main reason to choose Sheffield for your Valium detox is that you live in the area. Getting a detox in a local treatment centre is convenient for many reasons, from saving time and money to maintaining a sense of familiarity.
If you opt for an outpatient detox, it makes sense to stay in Sheffield, as you’ll need to travel to the detox facility on a daily basis.
Just keep in mind that this commuting will happen throughout your entire treatment plan, so if you’ve registered for a 28-day plan, that’s how long you’ll be doing the journey for (plus any trips included in your aftercare plan).
On the other hand, inpatient treatment programmes don’t require you to stay in Sheffield. You could go anywhere in the country, or even abroad, to complete your Valium addiction treatment (provided your health allows you to).
Many people choose to recover in Sheffield because:
So, if you live in Sheffield, or you’re considering residential rehab and can’t decide where to go, we’d highly recommend Sheffield for a Valium detox.
Dependent on Valium and unsure where to get support? We’re here for you any time on 0800 140 4690.
The choice to get help is a brave one. We take much of the stress away by arranging the practicalities.
This means working out your preferences and requirements, finding the right type of treatment, liaising with a suitable provider, and swiftly putting you in contact with them.
In other words, we simplify your treatment research significantly. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to find out more!
Below, we outline answers to common questions about Valium detox:
Yes, you can detox from Valium if you also drink alcohol.
It’s best to get sober before you immerse yourself in the rehab experience, as most rehab programmes promote full abstinence. This means your detox will involve withdrawal from both Valium and alcohol.
With Rehab4Addiction, you can take your place at a Sheffield treatment facility extremely quickly. Our advisors work fast, and they’ve been known to secure places within days.
However, the quality of your treatment is extremely important to us. At times, you may need to wait longer, as we would never pair you with an unsuitable provider for the sake of speed.
Rehab reduces the relapse risk, but it cannot stop people from relapsing completely.
Addiction is a powerful disease that causes many people to relapse even after years of sobriety. As much as relapse should be avoided, we have to accept that it happens, and it doesn’t mean the Valium user can’t get sober again.
Individuals who have completed Valium treatment at rehab are less likely to relapse for many reasons, such as:
Most people require a detox when they begin addiction treatment, but not everyone does.
Certain drugs don’t cause physical dependence, so there’s no need to gradually withdraw from them through tapering.
Clients can begin the psychological part of treatment immediately, getting involved in different types of therapy, and looking into the causes of their Valium addiction.
However, Valium and many other drugs do require a detox, which is usually a medical detox.
It’s a key part of recovery that reduces cravings, improves health, and lowers the relapse risk.
