When people have problems with insomnia or anxiety, it’s not uncommon for doctors to prescribe Valium. Unfortunately, Valium is extremely addictive. Valium addiction affects more and more people every year as doctors continue to prescribe this drug. Thankfully, people can deal with their addiction to Valium with the help of a rehab center.

What Is Valium?

Woman with knuckles to mouth dealing with a valium addiction.

Valium is a type of benzodiazepine or benzo. Benzos like Valium have sedative properties. Doctors usually prescribe them as a temporary solution for anxiety, but they can also help relax muscles.

One reason why doctors prescribe Valium more than other benzos is because it’s a long-lasting benzo. It stays in the body longer than a traditional benzo. This aspect lets patients take as few doses every day as possible.

Valium reduces hyperactive brain functions, which reduces stress. Depending on the prescription, people may take between one to four Valium orally every day. Because of the addictive nature of Valium, however, doctors don’t typically prescribe it for longer than four months. Studies show that taking it longer than that increases the likelihood of Valium addiction.

Why Is Valium Addiction on the Rise?

People take Valium for many reasons, but many admit that they take it just to feel normal. Day-to-day stress can cause anxiety, and Valium takes that anxiety away. One study said that Valium is even more addictive than heroin. Despite its addictive nature, Valium continues its reign as one of the most prescribed drugs on the market.

Valium addiction starts as the drug alters the chemical balance of the brain. The drug itself is a central nervous system depressant, so it slows brain function. In particular, Valium targets GABA transmitters in the brain. The GABA transmitters handle both emotions and arousal.

While some people get a high from taking Valium, not everyone does. Most people continue to take it because they simply like not having anxiety. Over time, however, this substance abuse can lead to a full-blown addiction.

Signs of Addiction

Like with any drug problem, Valium addiction has its own signs and symptoms. Sometimes people aren’t even aware that they have an addiction problem. Some signs include:

  • Double vision
  • Trouble breathing
  • Bluish lips
  • Weakness
  • Drowsiness.

Once people develop an addiction, a number of side effects may follow. Valium abuse also causes heightened anxiety. Sometimes, it’s worse than the anxiety that people have prior to taking the drug.

Other side effects include fever, stomach cramps, and depression. In rare cases, Valium abuse can lead to seizures. Also, since taking Valium can increase heart rate, a heart attack is another concern for those who are addicted.

Get Help for Valium Addiction at Beaches Recovery

Valium addiction isn’t something that you or anyone should attempt to overcome alone. At Beaches Recovery, we provide rehab for a number of drug problems, including prescription drug abuse. As a JCAHO-accredited drug addiction treatment center, we provide services such as:

Our facility offers 30 beds, which allows us to provide the individual treatment that our clients deserve. We also take pride in offering a custom rehab experience to fit your needs. Everyone is different, which means that there’s no one universal rehab program that works for everyone.

At Beaches Recovery, we also use therapy to help you get to the root cause of addiction. We implement a wide range of therapy services, including family, individual and group therapy. We also offer music therapy for drug and alcohol addiction, to reduce stress during the rehab experience.

Don’t let an addiction to prescription drugs such as Valium ruin your life. Let Beaches Recovery create a custom rehab plan to help you beat your addiction. Contact us today at 8666050532 to get started on a Valium-free life.