Valium (Diazepam) Withdrawal & Detox
If you become accidentally addicted to Valium, a common benzodiazepine used to relieve anxiety and feelings of panic, you are not alone. Many people are unable to stop taking Valium on their own. Others who take Valium in larger doses than prescribed find they get addicted to the euphoric feelings the drug may provide.
You can recover quickly and safely at Restored Path Detox.
Abruptly stopping Valium may result in severe and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Our medically monitored detox will help you stop Valium safely and manage your withdrawal symptoms without pain.
Once your detox is complete, our professionals provide you with the therapeutic plan and tools you’ll need to regain your life.
Our Approach
We combine effective detoxification techniques with comfortable, caring, and integrated care. Using targeted medications to alleviate your Valium withdrawal symptoms, round-the-clock medical supervision, and a range of specialized services, you can focus on healing.
Our Individualized Approach Includes
- Medical, mental health, and whole-person assessment
- Case management and treatment planning
- Individual supportive counseling
- Supportive counseling groups
- 24/7 medical supervision
- Nutritious meals
- Medication management
- Continuing care planning
- Recovery support
Our Environment
We are near a hospital, should any complications arise, but our atmosphere is unlike a sterile hospital ward. We tailor your experience to feel like home.
Our Amenities Include
- Comfortable private and semiprivate rooms
- Executive wing with private rooms
- Cell phone access for executive-level patients (as clinically appropriate)
- Snack options are available that cater to the health needs of our clients
- 24/7 nursing on all units
- ADA-accessible bathrooms with toiletries
- Outdoor courtyard and garden area
- Inviting, well-lit common spaces
- Premium linens
- Massage
What Is Valium?
Valium is the brand name of diazepam, a class of benzodiazepines. This drug has a sedative effect; is available in pill, capsule, or liquid form; and may be swallowed or snorted. Sometimes called “benzos,” these medications raise the level of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain and work to calm or sedate a person.
Facts About Valium Usage in the U.S.
Mixing Valium with opioids increases the risk of life-threatening overdose, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2020, 16% of overdose deaths involving opioids also involved benzodiazepines.
Researchers have also found benzos in the illicit opioid supply in some U.S. areas. Nearly 200 Americans die daily after overdosing on opioids. Combining opioids and benzodiazepines can increase the risk of overdose due to sedation, suppressed breathing, and impaired cognitive functions. The overdose death rate among patients receiving both medications can be 10 times higher than among those only receiving opioids. Prescription opioids and benzodiazepines both carry U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings on their labels, which highlight the potential dangers of using these drugs together.
Symptoms and Signs of Valium Misuse
Possible short-term health effects may include the following:
- Drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Poor concentration
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Problems with movement and memory
- Lowered blood pressure
- Slowed breathing
The long-term health effects of Valium misuse are not known. Sleep medications such as Valium are sometimes used as date rape drugs. Misuse increases the risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles. When Valium is used in combination with alcohol, it further slows the heart rate and breathing, which can lead to death.
Valium Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms
The Valium withdrawal timeline depends on how long and how much of the drug you’ve been misusing. However, it’s not uncommon for Valium detox symptoms to range from three weeks to a month.
During Valium withdrawal, you may experience trouble concentrating, sweating, and physical aches. There is no definitive guide to symptoms, timeline, or severity of Valium withdrawal. Contributing factors to your diazepam withdrawal symptoms may include the following:
- Duration of use
- Dosage used
- Co-occurring mental health issues
- Misusing other drugs or alcohol
Post-acute Valium withdrawal symptoms may include the following:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Poor concentration
- Loss of sex drive
Why Is Valium Detox Necessary?
Valium withdrawal symptoms can be severe and must be discussed with a healthcare provider. Barbiturate withdrawal like that experienced from Valium can cause severe abstinence syndrome that may even include seizures, so you should never quit immediately without developing a plan.
While initial withdrawal from diazepam can last from a few days to a month, you may experience symptoms for up to a year.
There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to prescription sedatives such as Valium. Lowering the dose taken over time must be done with the help of healthcare professionals at Restored Path Detox.
