Treatments For Valium Addiction
Valium, also known by its generic name Diazepam, is one of the world’s most popular drugs. It is useful in treating various illnesses, and it is also highly addictive, making it one of the most dangerous drugs.
Addiction Treatment
Recovering from Valium addiction is not easy, but it is possible with the right kind of help. While it doesn’t have to be, recovering from Valium addiction can be dangerous. Some of the withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening. This is why medically induced detoxification is usually recommended instead of going cold turkey or going through detoxification on your own.
Detoxification eliminates Diazepam from your body, and this process can be gruesome. However, if detoxification is done under qualified health professionals’ supervision, they can assess vitals and intervene on time in case of a medical crisis. They also ensure that you are comfortable and that eases the discomfort that comes with detoxification.
Treatment for Valium dependency may include slowly lowering the drug dosage for months or weeks. A physician might also switch the Valium medication with an alternative such as other benzodiazepines to reduce seizures’ risks. The other treatment options include switching the Valium with a barbiturate whose effects last longer.
Beyond medical treatment, certain behavioral interventions can be integrated into your treatment. These include extrinsic reward factors, motivational nurturing, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
How to Find the Best Valium Treatment
Before choosing a treatment, you should consider all the withdrawal symptoms you’re likely to experience during treatment. For instance, outpatient treatment usually works well for people whose dependence on Valium isn’t too far gone. If you have been dependent on the drug for a year or more, inpatient treatment is probably better for you.
Communication-based family therapy includes treating the person struggling with Valium addiction together with their family members. Substance addiction not only impacts the life of the person abusing the drug, their behavior change as a result of the addiction also affects those around them. Since family and friends play a role in helping with one’s recovery journey, equipping them with the tools they need to offer the much-needed support is critical.
Most importantly, you must align yourself with medical professionals to help with your treatment and advice on the best program for you. Choose to work with professionals who are certified so that you are guaranteed quality treatment.
Medically Controlled Detoxification
The effects of Valium can last for as long as 100 hours. Once you stop taking the drug, you will most likely start experiencing withdrawal effects within two days following your last dose. The detoxification process can last up to eight weeks. Withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, muscle tension, low concentration, memory loss, and even seizures. Depending on a variety of factors, withdrawals can be life-threatening.
That is why medical experts assist in detoxification by adjusting the drug dosage over time so that your body doesn’t go into shock. The dose adjustment is determined based on the severity of your withdrawal symptoms.
The advantage of medically controlled detoxification is the fact that you are in safe hands. In case of a medical emergency, you will be in safe hands.
Rehabilitation
As soon as the detoxification process is complete, an individual will now be ready to start therapy. There are different therapy types, and some are more effective than others, depending on the person going through the treatment.
Through motivation nurturing, the patient works to build intrinsic motivation that helps them quit Valium. This is usually incorporated together with tangible extrinsic rewards. In cognitive-behavioral therapy, a patient tries to identify underlying connections between behaviors, thoughts, and feelings and drug us.
There is also group therapy where the patient is encouraged through affirmative peer pressure. When the above types of therapy are incorporated into a recovering client’s treatment, they play a massive role in helping them stay sober in the long run.
Psychotherapy Treatment for Valium Addiction
Psychotherapy is a treatment used to help the recovering client identify the triggers that led to the addiction in the first place and how to manage them. Triggers are things, situations, or experiences that make you crave Valium. They could be smells, certain people, or even certain places.
Psychotherapy is one of the most reliable treatments that help keep people struggling with Valium addiction sober long-term. By identifying these triggers, a person can avoid the identified triggers and stay sober.
Coping-Focused Psychotherapy
Coping involves employing strategies that help one overcome trauma and stress to manage challenging emotions. These strategies are also referred to as coping mechanisms. These mechanisms can be purposefully and consciously cultivated to use when the need arises.
There are different kinds of coping mechanisms. Some help lower stress, and others help manage stress. Depending on the situation, one can choose to avoid the situation or ignore it altogether. When a coping mechanism is healthy, it is also identified as an adaptive coping mechanism.
Exploratory Psychotherapy
When a person is having a difficult time understanding their feelings, this can lead to mental instability. This is where exploratory psychotherapy comes in handy. This type of therapy is designed to help the patient understand their feelings and unconscious thoughts.
This realization can help an individual deal with anxiety, depression, and issues associated with Valium misuse and cope without relapsing.
This kind of therapy is long-term and lasts for at least six months to a year. During the treatment, patients are encouraged to practice ‘free association.’ This means that they are given the liberty of freely sharing their thoughts, feels, and dreams. After that, the therapists guide the patient through the process of finding meaning in the things they have willingly shared.
Conclusion
There are many types of treatments for Valium addiction. A qualified physician can only determine the best way to identify that which will work for your situation. Before settling on one or multiple treatment plans, consult your doctor, and together you can create a treatment program that is likely to be successful.