Librium Treatment and Rehab
Librium Info
More than 10 million sleeping pill prescriptions are written and dispensed every year in the UK. Most people with insomnia and anxiety disorders self-medicate using over-the-counter medication when they don’t have a prescription, which increases the risk of overdose and substance dependence.
Stress is a part of everyday life. For most people, there’s always so much to do at work that by the end of the day, their mind is still active. It’s difficult to shut down and one needs sleep to power through the next day and the one after that. For many, coffee won’t suffice; they need a quick-fix for anxiety and insomnia. They are aware these medications are short-term solutions, but having started, they don’t see the need to stop.
The number of hospital visits related to benzodiazepines such as Librium has more than doubled in recent years. Associated risks of benzodiazepine use include suicides, bad reactions to the correct dosage, overmedication and interaction of benzos with other dangerous substances.
In 2012, a study showed that commonly prescribed benzos increase the risk of death fourfold. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHPRA) states that sleeping pills are very dangerous and should only be prescribed for patients in extreme distress – for no longer than two weeks – to reduce the risk of drug dependence and addiction.
The good news is that if you are addicted to a benzodiazepine such as Librium, help is available.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Librium abuse and addiction treatment
Librium is the most common brand of Chlordiazepoxide and belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs. It is often prescribed to reduce stress and anxiety for patients going into surgery as well as for treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, anxiety disorder, insomnia and panic disorder.
Benzodiazepines (or ‘benzos’) are a family of hypnotic/sedative medications that depress specific functions in the brain. They also increase dopamine and GABA chemicals to produce a calming effect in the brain.
Librium is taken orally, with dosage being based on medical condition, age and response to treatment. You must use the medication as prescribed by a doctor to prevent dangerous side effects such as seizures, hallucinations, suicidal ideation and overdose.
Librium is a short-term solution to sleep disorders and is usually prescribed for periods of two to four weeks because of the potency of the drug and risk of addiction. When you take Librium for longer than a month, you risk graduating from tolerance to dependence within just a week.
Librium addiction treatment: What is it?
It is possible to develop dependence on Librium because of the addictive properties that increase the risk of abuse and addiction. Librium is safe when used as a temporary solution to relieve stress and anxiety. It possesses hypnotic and muscle relaxant properties that help you relax. This medication works by enhancing levels of the feel-good chemical dopamine, to induce the feeling of pleasure. It enhances GABA neurons to depress certain functions in the brain and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
The positive effect of the drug makes it attractive to individuals with substance use disorder, who are looking to escape problems or abuse the medication for the euphoric feeling it produces. Overflooding the brain with dopamine reinforces continuous drug use, which has lasting effects on the brain.
Treatment of Librium addiction combines detox, medication management, therapy, skills training, relapse prevention and aftercare to ensure you rid your body of all drug toxins, receive psychotherapy treatment for addiction, learn to prevent relapse and live a long, healthy life.
Treatment for Librium addiction is a necessity
If you’re addicted to Librium, do not quit on your own without seeking professional help or detoxing at a medically supervised facility. Here, care professionals will help to safely taper you off Librium until the drugs have left your system. The risk is higher if you are mixing Librium with opioids, cocaine, alcohol or stimulants. You might experience a fatal overdose, due to the interactions of the drug in your system.
The problem with abusing benzodiazepines is that you will always require treatment from medical professionals, because of dangerous withdrawal symptoms. When you abuse benzos, you risk an overdose from the interaction of drugs in your system (or in this case, taking Librium in a non-oral form). If you continue to abuse Librium for a long time, it changes the structure and chemistry of the brain’s neural structure, causing memory problems.
When you suddenly stop using the drug, a rebound effect occurs. Symptoms you were trying to treat with Librium initially return with increased intensity. They include seizures, paranoia, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and stress. Other symptoms you’ll notice include aggressive behaviour, suicidal ideation and increased violence. Withdrawal from Librium puts you and your loved ones in harm’s way when you decide to detox at home. ,
Medical professionals manage the process in a safe environment, using the tapering process to gradually reduce your regular doses of the drug. This technique is the safest method, as it reduces the occurrence of dangerous side effects associated with Librium withdrawal. Doctors also provide medication to ease painful withdrawal symptoms and help manage cravings and psychological withdrawal effects.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Effective treatment for Librium addiction
Effective treatment for Librium addiction is administered via an individualised treatment plan. The goal of addiction treatment is to cleanse your body of drugs, help you understand the root cause of addiction, teach you life skills to re-enter society and equip you with coping techniques that will help you maintain life-long abstinence.
The first stage of treatment is detox, a process that takes one to two weeks, depending on the quantity of drugs in your system, frequency of use, any mental issues and longevity of drug usage. After detox, you’ll transition to rehab, where you’ll work with therapists in individual and group counselling sessions to understand the reasons why you initially abused drugs, as well as identify negative habits, thoughts, emotions and behaviours that fuelled drug use and learn positive skills that reinforce abstinence.
You’ll also be provided with the bare minimum medication during the tapering process to make withdrawal from Librium as comfortable as possible. Some of the principles of effective treatment include the following:
- Treatment is effective when medication and behavioural therapies are combined
- Every person should have an individualised treatment plan
- Individual and group counselling are essential components of effective treatment
- Medication is effective when combined with psychotherapy
- The longer you remain in treatment, the more effective treatment will be
- Effective treatment addresses every aspect of the patient’s need – not just drug abuse or addiction
Therapy and specialised treatment options
The number one principle of effective care is that no two patients should have the same treatment plan. Every patient has a unique set of symptoms, as well as environmental, social and genetic factors. When you enter rehab, a drug counsellor asks questions about your medical history, substance abuse history, pattern of drug use and combinations of drugs used. They determine the quantity of drugs in your body by collecting blood and urine samples, while a therapist screens for any mental health issues that will be addressed during sessions. The answers you provide form the basis of your specialised treatment plan. Options during treatment include:
Medication Management
During detox and rehabilitation, medical professionals prescribe medication to ease withdrawal, manage cravings and treat psychological symptoms such as depression, mood swings, aggression, violent behaviour, insomnia, anxiety and other co-occurring disorders.
Medications may include:
Diazepam: This is a long-acting benzo, prescribed to patients before the detox process. It mirrors the effect of Librium in your brain without producing the same sedative ‘high’.
Clonidine: Clonidine is a medicine used to reduce discomfort during Librium withdrawal. It blocks chemicals in the brain (triggering neural activities) and reduces the duration of detox.
Carbamazepine: This is an anticonvulsant to reduce the risk of seizure during withdrawal.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Things to consider when choosing the best inpatient Librium rehab centre
Addiction is a serious problem. Choosing the right rehab facility for your treatment can be daunting, as there are hundreds of options to choose from. A few things you should take into consideration include:
Outpatient or inpatient: When comparing rehab clinics, the first decision will be choosing a treatment option that fits your addiction needs. Patients who are at risk of severe benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms should enrol as inpatients, while those with mild addictions can choose the outpatient option.
Location: Would a location closer to (or far away from) home benefit your treatment? Location is a major factor to consider. A rehab centre far from home might limit family members from visiting. A facility close to home allows you to continue treatment as an outpatient after rehab.
Staff-to-patient ratio: During rehab, you’ll want care professionals to allocate adequate time to you to ensure you receive the best addiction treatment. The staff to patient ratio is a key indicator of effective treatment. Rehab centres with a higher staff to patient ratio provide the best one-on-one care for patients.
Cost of treatment: Finances are a major reason why some people don’t attend rehab. Many wait until addiction has ruined their lives before seeking treatment. However, by this point, you’ll be struggling financially and might need an alternate source of funding. Therefore, choose a rehab centre you can afford. Your insurance policy might even cover most of the cost – or you can take out a bank loan or seek assistance from loved ones.
Aftercare: Choose a rehab treatment centre that provides an aftercare plan. This is the most important part of treatment that helps you stay drug-free. During aftercare, you’ll receive support from drug counsellors and former addicts in support groups.
Inpatient and outpatient rehab for Librium addiction
Inpatient rehabs are structured drug rehabilitation programmes, where patients live at the facility and receive 24/7 support from medical professionals. These programmes are designed to help expunge all traces of Librium from your system and teach you coping skills to stay drug-free. There are no distractions, temptations, stressors or triggers. Hence, you will be able to focus on making a full recovery from addiction.
Various studies have shown that inpatient rehab is more effective than its outpatient counterpart, especially when a patient’s stay is long-term. This benefits individuals with a long history of drug abuse, co-occurring disorders, medical conditions and those at risk of severe withdrawal symptoms.
Outpatient care is not as structured as inpatient rehab; patients travel from home and face triggers and stressors whilst receiving treatment for Librium addiction. It is designed for individuals with mild addiction, who can’t take time off from work to attend rehab full time.
Finding an exclusive Librium rehab facility
If you have a tough, demanding job that asks more from of you than the traditional nine-to-five working hours, you need something other than standard rehabs to motivate you to seek addiction treatment. Most individuals with highly demanding jobs find it very difficult to turn off their brain and sleep when they get home, because they’re still planning and thinking about the next day. Often they turn to pills to help relieve stress and sleep at night.
An executive rehab clinic ensures you can receive treatment and work at the same time, so you don’t have to give up one for the other. They combine innovative therapy techniques with five-star facilities for a comfortable rehab stay. Amenities can include a workstation, laptop, conference rooms, access to mobile phone, Wi-Fi, luxury rooms, gym, horse riding, music therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, saunas and fine dining experiences.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
What to know about Librium clinics
Over 50% of people who need professional addiction help never seek treatment, increasing the risk of permanent damage to the brain and body. Rehab clinics build up your mental strength, self-confidence and ability to maintain long-term abstinence from drugs.
At a Librium clinic, the first step is evaluation, whereby a counsellor asks questions that will help them formulate a treatment plan, allowing you to enter rehab with a mindset to participate and share. The detox process is guided, but in therapy (where the real work happens), success is only achievable when you open up to your therapist. The skills you learn in treatment will guide your actions for the rest of your life.
Private Librium rehabs and confidentiality
All rehabs are built on the principle of patient confidentiality and they do not expose your files, details or treatment progress to anyone – not even your family. The only people who can access your records are authorised medical professionals, directly involved in your treatment.
You’ll be given a copy of your privacy and confidentiality agreement when registration is complete. This lists your rights as a patient and ensures your details remain private during this period. Suffice to say, fear of being exposed shouldn’t prevent you from receiving treatment.
Individual and group therapy
Individual and group therapy are the most essential aspects of behavioural therapy. One-on-one therapy provides a platform for you to identify behaviour and thought patterns that led to drug use initially. This is ideal for helping patients who are battling depression, anxiety, stress and other dual diagnoses. It also teaches them healthy coping techniques to avoid resorting to drug abuse.
Group therapies are more laid back than individual therapies. Patients are generally more at ease because they are surrounded by recovering addicts dealing with the same addiction. Sessions are led by a licensed drug counselor. Anyone can talk, but you have to be mindful of letting other participants have a say. You’ll learn practical coping skills from other recovering addicts and drug counselors.
A synopsis of treatment programmes and their duration
Detox: The detox process lasts seven to fourteen days, with symptoms peaking between the fourth and seventh day after your last Librium intake.
Inpatient rehab: The duration of your stay in rehab is recommended by medical professionals after the evaluation process. Short-term stays are suggested for patients with mild addiction and those who’ve not used drugs for a long time. Long-term rehab is recommended for those with dual diagnosis and polysubstance use disorder.
Outpatient rehab: Treatment lasts between 10 and 16 weeks. You will receive medication and detox on-site, but attend rehab from home. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with your work and school life.
Detoxing from Librium: All you need to know
Detox is the first phase of addiction treatment. Medically supervised detox provides a safe environment for you to withdraw from Librium abuse. Medical professionals are on-site 24
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Early withdrawal: Withdrawal manifests within 24 hours after your last dose of Librium. For some, it might take up to a week to feel the effects of withdrawal. Initial signs include loss of appetite, increased heart rate, vomiting, sweating, headaches and agitation.
Acute withdrawal: Withdrawal peaks in the second or third week. During acute withdrawal, most of the symptoms take hold. They include seizures, depression, insomnia and psychosis.
Late withdrawal: After the acute withdrawal phase, symptoms fade and become manageable with each day that passes. However, some patients continue to experience symptoms up to six weeks after their last drug intake.
Symptoms of Librium withdrawal include:
- Delirium Tremens
- Seizures
- Drug cravings
- Hallucinations
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Sensory hypersensitivity
- Anxiety
- Elevated blood pressure
Psychological therapy
Behavioural therapies used during treatment include:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): The premise of CBT is that negative thoughts lead to unwanted behaviours and actions. There is a connection between thought, emotion and action. CBT focuses on recognising those negative patterns and helping you change them for positive thoughts and actions. CBT lasts 12 weeks and involves 12 to 16 therapy sessions, each lasting one to two hours.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): Motivational interviewing drives you to change addictive behaviours. You might be finding it hard to quit using drugs due to lack of motivation. MI focuses on your individual needs and problems that need addressing. Your therapist helps you overcome fear of change and motivates you to adjust negative thinking and behaviour.
Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT): Addiction is frequently referred to as a family disease. Many teenagers and adolescents abuse drugs either to feel the ‘high’ effect, deal with stress from school or escape their problems in general.
MDFT helps teenagers and their families work through any issues as a unit. It considers all factors influencing teen drug use, such as peer pressure, family, educational and individual effects. Sessions are scheduled between therapist and patient, therapist and client and therapist and the entire family. The teenager learns problem-solving, vocational skills, communication skills and improved articulation of their thoughts and feelings. Parents also learn to raise their child without triggering drug use.
Risks of treatment
While Librium has less potential for abuse when compared with faster-acting benzos, it still poses a danger. A faster method of increasing the potency is by crushing the pill. The thin lining in the nose allows Librium to pass quickly into your bloodstream. Snorting increases tissue damage, as well as the risk of overdose. During treatment, you’ll experience a runny nose and medication for other symptoms will be provided.
To avoid the risk of swapping one addiction for another, doctors provide the smallest possible dose of medication to relieve pain and are also on hand to ensure you’re properly weaned off Librium. For patients experiencing rebound symptoms such as seizures and convulsions, you’ll be given medication to prevent them from re-occurring.
Paying for Librium addiction treatment
Options for paying include:
- Using your private medical insurance (if valid, they may cover full or partial payment)
- Taking out a bank loan
- Selling off belongings
- Paying with your credit card
- Seeking financial help from loved ones
- Paying from your personal savings
- Working out a payment plan with the rehab clinic
- Seeking government funding via the NHS
When and why to end your Librium treatment
Leaving rehab against medical advice indicates that you didn’t complete treatment and are not fully equipped to handle everyday living without relapsing in the first month. While there’s no predetermined length for staying in rehab, therapists agree that longer rehab stays are most effective for preventing relapse.
Some patients end rehab early because they feel overwhelmed with the surroundings, dislike rehab, feel they’ve learnt everything they should or were brought to rehab against their will. It is strongly advised to stay in rehab until you’re discharged by a medical professional. The skills you learn help to prepare you for life-long recovery. This is not a process you can complete in just two weeks or one month. Express your concerns in therapy and allow medical professionals to help you work through whatever doubts you may have.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
What to expect from treatment
Addiction treatment is a slow and gradual process that doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with a medically-supervised detox that lasts up to 14 days (depending on the severity of addiction) and prepares you for rehab. After you’re medically stable, you’ll be moved to rehab.
Librium addiction treatment incorporates individual therapy, group therapy, 12-step programmes, educational lectures, skills building classes, special focus groups and alternative therapies. These are evidence-based practices guaranteed to help you recover from substance addiction.
The length of time you’ll stay in rehab depends on your specific situation, treatment needs and any issues that might complicate recovery. Addiction specialists might recommend a three-month rehab stay to address sober living skills, mental health disorders, relapse prevention and special issues that might trigger relapse.
Post-rehabilitation support: Live a drug-free life again
It’s advisable to attend a rehab centre that includes aftercare as part of treatment, as this provides your best chance to stay drug-free. With a solid aftercare plan, you’ll attend doctor appointments to receive medication for lingering withdrawal symptoms such as depression, insomnia and drug cravings.
Find a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, SMART Recovery or community-based meeting. Follow up with therapy appointments and group counselling sessions. Some days are harder, but your therapists, ‘sober buddies’ and peer counsellors can help you through.
Your relapse prevention training will help create a structured schedule to keep you busy. Avoid triggers such as nightclubs or street corners where you previously bought drugs. Delete the phone numbers of your drug dealer and any old friends who encouraged drug use.
The risk of relapse for Librium addicts
Addiction is a relapsing disease. Between 66-80% of recovering addicts relapse within the first month after treatment. Several factors can cause a recovering addict to relapse. They include:
- Returning to the same environment where you abused drugs
- Leaving rehab against medical advice
- Completing rehab without an aftercare or relapse prevention plan
- Maintaining the same circle of drug-using friends
- Allowing yourself to feel stressed, overwhelmed or not planning for relaxation/downtime
- Isolating yourself or not staying active
Sober Living Support
After rehab, if you’re not ready to immediately transition to society, you can slow down the process by living at a sober home. They are less structured and prepare you to fully re-enter society. During the day, you leave the premises to go to work or even volunteer. There is random drug testing to keep you motivated and you’ll also complete house chores, attend house meetings, prepare your own meals and keep curfew.
As drug -free zones, neither you nor your visitors can bring drugs into the facility or you’ll be immediately ejected. It’s a great way to practice communication skills and build a network of sober friends.
Peer counselling
Peer to peer counselling is the best way to show recovering addicts that treatment works. You will be assigned to a peer counsellor, a former addict who has been in recovery for a long time. They provide skills lessons to help you find a job, get housing, health care and food, as well as locate support groups and stay abstinent. Types of peer counsellors can include an instrumental peer counsellor, emotional peer counsellor and informational peer counsellor.
Family therapy
Family therapy is an essential part of behavioural therapy during addiction treatment. It considers the family as a unit dealing with the same addiction. Changing one component of the unit helps the family heal together, as a whole. Younger children get to learn that drug abuse is not the way to deal with stress or cope with problems, while parents are taught how to parent without triggering relapse.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.
Seek help
You might have started with a legitimate prescription, but as dependence developed, you moved on to chewing, smoking or snorting Librium to increase the ‘high’ effect. This increases the risk of addiction, overdose and other severe health complications.
Whatever your situation, it’s never too late to seek help for drug addiction.
FAQs
Why do people start taking Librium?
Librium is prescribed to treat stress disorder, panic disorder, anxiety, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
How is Librium used and abused?
When prescribed by a doctor, Librium is taken orally. People with substance use disorder abuse Librium by taking it for longer periods than the drug was prescribed, using it at higher frequencies, as well as chewing, snorting, smoking or injecting the drug to increase the intensity of the ‘high’. You also abuse Librium when you combine it with other addictive substances such as alcohol, opioids, stimulants and psychedelics.
Is It possible to avoid addiction and rehab?
You can avoid rehab and addiction by using Librium and other prescription pills exactly how they are prescribed by your doctor.
What is the Librium ‘High’ like?
The immediate effect of Librium is the feelings of relaxation, calmness and euphoria induced when it stimulates increased production of GABA and dopamine chemicals in the brain.
What are the practical dangers of Librium abuse?
Dangers of abusing Librium include depression, oversedation, memory problems, rebound effect, seizures, low blood pressure and shallow breathing.
What are some common Librium withdrawal symptoms?
Common withdrawal symptoms include headache, sweating, anxiety, depression, abdominal cramps, tremors, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, confusion and seizures.
What is Librium addiction treatment?
Librium addiction treatment is the care and treatment you receive when you’ve abused Librium to the extent that you experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit.
Why is treatment necessary?
Treatment is necessary to reverse any damage caused by substance abuse, help you understand why you abused drugs and teach you coping skills for life-long abstinence.
What types of treatment are available?
Treatment options include inpatient and outpatient rehab.
What if Librium addiction goes untreated?
Some of the damages caused by addiction are irreversible if you don’t seek treatment in time. It also makes it difficult to complete detox without experiencing protracted withdrawal.
How does getting treatment for Librium addiction aid recovery?
Addiction treatment prepares you for triggers and stressors you’ll face after treatment is complete and equips you with the necessary skills to operate without using drugs or returning to old, negative habits.
What are the options for Librium detox?
Options for detox include medically-supervised detox (whereby the process will be undertaken at a rehab or detox only facility) and home detox.
What happens during treatment?
The first step of treatment is the intake process, where medical professionals assess your physical and mental health. The following phase is detoxification (or ‘detox’), which serves to remove Librium from your body and manage any severe withdrawal symptoms. After detox comes rehab. In a rehab centre, you’ll be assigned a room, meals, medical care and therapy to help you recover from substance addiction.
How long does inpatient Librium rehabilitation take?
Short-term stays last 30 days and longer stays range from 60 days to six months.
What recovery programme is right for me?
The right recovery caters to your addiction need, providing detox options and therapy programmes targeted at treating other psychological problems you’re experiencing (not just addiction). For most recovering addicts, this will be inpatient rehab.
Do I need a residential rehab facility?
If you have a moderate or severe addiction to Librium, you will likely need inpatient rehab, whereby experienced doctors can provide medication and resources to help you detox and recover from addiction.
Does insurance cover Librium addiction rehab?
Insurance usually covers addiction treatment, but this depends on your policy plan, which might cover full or partial payment. Contact your insurer for more details.
What are the options if you don’t have insurance?
If you don’t have insurance, you can pay for rehab using your personal funds, credit cards or a bank loan or even ask for financial support from friends and family.
Are there any home remedies for getting clean safely?
While there are some home remedies online, they’re not backed by scientific data or research findings A medically assisted detox and rehab programme is always recommended if you are addicted to Librium.
Call our admissions line 24 hours a day to get help.