Many people today receive prescriptions for mental health issues like anxiety disorder. Valium is the second most popular benzodiazepine prescribed for an anxiety disorder. It sometimes goes under the name diazepam. Today over 30 million people have been given a prescription for valium. Given that so many people use Valium, it’s important to know whether valium is addictive.
Is Valium Addictive?
Valium falls under the category of a benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines work by interacting with the production of a neurotransmitter in your central nervous system called GABA. Valium helps to sedate this system, relax the muscles, and, by extension, relax the anxiety you experience.
However, benzodiazepines do come with a high risk of addiction.
- Forty-six percent of people who use Valium do so outside of how it is prescribed, or they use more than they are supposed to according to their prescription
- Twenty-two percent of people use it to help with sleep, while another twelve percent use it recreationally, and eight percent use it to get high
- Over one percent of young adults have used Valium for non-medical purposes, including over one hundred thousand teenagers
- Nearly two million adults use Valium for non-medical purposes
- The overdose rate for Valium has quadrupled since 1996
- Three-quarters of overdose deaths from Valium also include other narcotics
So, is Valium addictive? Yes, it can be, and that is why it is important to understand the signs of Valium addiction and what a potential withdrawal looks like.
Valium Side Effects
When Valium is used as prescribed, it can come with side effects, and these side effects do not necessarily mean you have an addiction. These include:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Headache
- Tension
- Sleep problems
- Decreased libido
- Incontinence
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
If these are normal side effects, then is Valium addictive, and if so, what are the different signs between regular side effects and addiction?
Valium Addiction Symptoms
Any benzodiazepine can cause changes to your brain function, particularly the natural levels of GABA that your brain produces. As you take more valium than you should, take it for longer than prescribed, or use it outside of its purposes, your brain and body will start to change the level of neurotransmitters naturally produced.
Why does this happen? Because your body recognizes what the existing levels are on a regular basis and makes adjustments accordingly. If, for example, your body were producing too much GABA it could have a harmful effect on your central nervous system causing you to no longer breathe automatically so, if there’s a normal level, your brain sends signals to the rest of your body to stop producing as much. If you are getting more GABA because of interactions with drugs like Valium, then as soon as you stop taking Valium, your brain no longer has enough because signals have already been sent to stop production.
Ut’s most common to experience the following symptoms during withdrawal, something you’ll experience when you stop taking Valium and you have an addiction:
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Muscle pain
- Stomach cramps
- Vomiting
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Confusion
Other signs of Valium addiction include things like changes to your financial stability because your money is being spent entirely on obtaining more valium. It can include “doctor shopping,” where you go to multiple doctors using the same set of symptoms in order to get prescriptions outside of your insurance network. You might also stop taking care of yourself physically, display secretive behavior, and no longer care about achieving your personal or professional responsibilities.
Getting Help for Valium Addiction
If you are struggling with the signs of Valium addiction, you can get professional help from our addiction treatment programs. We know it can be difficult to admit addiction, but our caring staff is here to help you through that process and to subsequently create a personalized treatment program for you. We will ask basic questions to better understand your mental and physical health in order to determine where you are in your recovery.
We know that no two people struggle the same with valium or any other addiction, and if you have tried to get clean before but the therapies didn’t work or the type of program you used wasn’t the right fit, it will work with you to move through your detox and to get through the wave of withdrawal symptoms that you might experience for several days thereafter while helping you to be as comfortable as possible during the rest of your treatment.
Is Valium addictive? Yes, it certainly can be. It can also have detrimental consequences if you mix it with other drugs, particularly other depressants like alcohol. Don’t wait to get help. Call our team today.
