Valium belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. Its generic name is diazepam. Similar drugs in the same class include Librium, Xanax, and Klonopin.
Valium is mainly a prescription medication used for treating anxiety. It also has other uses, such as for the treatment of:
- Seizures
- Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
- Muscle spasms
- Insomnia
- Restless legs syndrome
Benzodiazepine drugs enhance the action of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which exerts an inhibitory action. In other words, GABA works to slow down activity in the central nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord. Consequently, when you take Valium, you feel more relaxed, making it an effective medication to counter anxiety and insomnia.
However, Valium and similar drugs also have the potential to be addictive. Therefore, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies it as a Schedule IV controlled substance. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also issues stern warnings against purchasing Valium without a prescription, especially through online distributors.
Valium addiction is a real danger. If you happen to have it, there are many options for valium addiction treatment so you can make a full recovery.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Valium Addiction Treatment
Most treatment plans for drug addiction involve either outpatient or inpatient rehab. Each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
If you enroll in an outpatient treatment program, you will not have to stay in a rehab center. You only need to go there for your scheduled therapies. Once each daily therapy is done, you are free to do what you want. The biggest advantage of outpatient treatment is the freedom it gives you. You can still go to work, continue with school, and see your family while getting much needed treatment.
However, outpatient treatment may not work for everyone. If you have certain drug triggers at home, it may not be a good idea to keep coming home every day during treatment. Your chances of relapse will be much higher this way. Additionally, if you have a severe case of valium addiction, treatment will require more focused attention by professionals.
This is where inpatient treatment comes in. Here, you will have to live inside a rehab facility for the entire duration of your treatment. This can be anywhere from 30 to 90 days, depending on such factors as:
- The severity of your addiction to Valium
- Whether or not you use other addictive substances along with Valium
- The presence of any mental health conditions
If you suffer from polysubstance abuse (using more than one drug at a time) or have any co-occurring mental health problems, you will most likely need to enroll in inpatient treatment.
During inpatient rehab, you will be solely focused on your recovery. Each day will be structured in a way that will let you develop new, healthy habits. For instance, you will have specific sleep and wake up schedules, as well as meal times. These will help you form the discipline necessary to live sober for the long term. Also, your day will be filled with a variety of therapy sessions, including:
- Individual therapies
- Group therapies
- Counseling
- Support groups
- Family visits (on selected days)
- Recreational activities (e.g. sports)
In some rehab facilities, especially the more expensive ones, alternative therapies are also available. These include such methods as art therapy and animal-assisted therapy. These facilities may also have more luxurious amenities like swimming pools, heated jacuzzis, saunas, and others. Some inpatient rehabs may also allow members of your family to visit you on selected occasions.
When you are in an inpatient Valium addiction treatment program, your entire lifestyle will change from the ground up. First, you will develop good habits starting with the basics, like getting enough sleep, waking up early, and eating healthy meals at the right times. At the same time, the various therapies you go through will address the root causes of your Valium addiction. You will learn healthy ways to cope with stress and negative emotions, preventing you from defaulting to Valium. You will also learn what triggers you to want the drug, and you’ll also be trained how to avoid those triggers.
What therapies are used in Valium addiction treatment?
Whether you are in an outpatient or an inpatient program, the therapies used may be similar. Here are some of the most utilized therapies.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a widely used therapy in cases of addiction treatment. The core principle behind CBT is that maladaptive behaviors like drug abuse are the result of a person’s perceptions of emotions and events. Once you get to why you respond in certain ways to those emotions and events, you can discover the root cause of your drug abuse.
The aim of CBT is to correct mistaken perceptions that lead to maladaptive behavior patterns. Your therapist will help you discover your own thoughts, identify what’s wrong, and replace those wrong ideas with the correct ones. By the end of CBT, you will have better and more realistic perceptions of things around you. With that, your desire to use drugs will be much less, if not eliminated.
Family therapy
A supportive family can be your greatest source of help on the road to recovery. If your family fully trusts that you can live sober once again, you can enlist their help in your treatment process through family therapy. A therapist will educate and train them alongside you on the best practices to support your recovery.
Motivational enhancement therapy
This therapy relies on the notion that incentives work to promote good behaviors. In motivational enhancement therapy, you will be given rewards each time you pass a drug test. The more times you pass the tests consecutively, the greater your incentives will be.
Incentives can take the form of vouchers, which you can redeem as food items, entertainment, or basic needs. In some cases, incentives are given as cash, but this is not quite common.
There are more therapies used in treatment, and each one serves to help you live a drug-free lifestyle. After treatment, you can live a normal life once again, away from the addictive influence of Valium.
