Diazepam Treatment and Rehab

Diazepam Addiction Treatment: What Is It?

Diazepam addiction treatment refers to a collection of professionally designed programmes, targeted at helping people suffering from the abuse of this drug to beat their addiction and proceed to living a healthy life without it.

Diazepam (also known by its brand name Valium) is a member of a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. It is usually recommended in medical settings for the treatment of a range of conditions, including Meniere’s disease, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, seizures and anxiety.

Diazepam is a depressant of the nervous system.  This means that it increases the activity of certain neurotransmitters in your brain to produce the calming effect that makes it so appealing to you and other users of this substance. When taking the drug, you will feel a level of euphoria and a reduction in your feelings of stress and anxiety, which can culminate in sleeping.

As a benzodiazepine, the drug is known to trigger psychological dependence. Moreover, when you keep using diazepam, your body will become used to it. When this happens, you won’t feel the effects you desire without increasing the dosage. At this stage, you’ll now be physically dependent on the drug and can’t stay away from it without experiencing the often-crippling withdrawal symptoms. This is why anyone who uses diazepam for an extended period of time will most likely need proper addiction treatment to be able to fully cease using the substance.

Many abusers of multiple drugs – especially alcohol and heroin users – include diazepam in their cocktail. Such polydrug users have to be treated for their addiction to the other substances as well if they are to be properly cared for.

Do you want treatment for your diazepam addiction? Find a professional treatment centre today.

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Treatment for Diazepam Addiction is a Necessity

If you don’t get treatment for your diazepam addiction, it will degenerate to a state where you will feel unable to function without taking the drug. Over a long period of time, the drug can damage your cognitive abilities. In fact, even after you are treated, it may take a long while before you are able to regain full cognitive strength. Similarly, diazepam can trigger a form of amnesia, whereby you won’t remember events that occurred whilst you were under the influence. This is because the properties of diazepam lead to the inhibition of new memories being formed in your brain.

As a diazepam user, you are more likely to do things you wouldn’t do when you are not under the influence of any substance. This could mean engaging in violence against yourself or others, or risky sexual behaviour, and is why the drug is often a factor in various types of crimes. Additionally, driving under the influence of diazepam is extremely dangerous and could result in catastrophic injury or death to yourself, your passengers and/or others.

Another reason to get treatment for diazepam addiction is that, if your addiction is at a level where you need to inject diazepam intravenously to feel the desired effects, you run a heightened risk of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS or other serious diseases.

If you continue using diazepam, even in light of the obvious dangers, the constantly increasing level of tolerance can lead you to overdose – especially in the presence of other commonly abused substances such as alcohol.  The end results of diazepam overdose include drowsiness, impaired motor function, dizziness, low blood pressure and coma.  Without heading to an emergency medical unit in sufficient time, this could prove fatal.

Do you want to stop putting yourself and your loved ones at risk of your diazepam addiction? Get diazepam addiction treatment today.

Effective Treatment for Diazepam Addiction

Suddenly quitting diazepam as a means of trying to treat the addiction is a dangerous thing to do and will not be recommended by any professional. This is because the withdrawal symptoms that follow are often life-threatening.

Some of the symptoms you will experience if you suddenly quit using diazepam on your own include tremor, nausea, vomiting, sweating, numbness and severe seizures.

To avoid this, you need to undergo a professional diazepam treatment programme, where you’ll be put through a tapering regime that will gradually cut down your diazepam doses, until you no longer need the substance.

The safest place for such a process is an approved diazepam rehab centre.  During this period, specialists will closely monitor your progression to ensure the treatment plan devised for you is working, without exposing you to any potential dangers.  To effectively beat the addiction, other types of therapy will most likely be applied after the diazepam detoxification process has been completed. Some of the approaches used in the best diazepam treatment centres will include physical therapy, nutritional therapy and behavioural therapy.

Professional diazepam treatment programmes will also address any co-occurring medical issues you might have.  For instance, it may be established that depression is the root cause of your addiction. This has to be properly tackled before you can be truly free of any addiction.

An effective diazepam treatment programme doesn’t end with detoxification. After a few weeks of detox comes the therapies. At the end of this phase, you must take part in aftercare programmes to reaffirm the effects of the treatment process and prevent a relapse for you.

Therapy and Specialised Treatment Options

During your diazepam treatment programme, you will be exposed to a variety of therapies and specialised treatment options, depending on what the professionals have planned for you, based on your specific situation. Some of the most common options include:

Extrinsic reward treatment: With this treatment option, the emphasis will be placed on using tangible reinforcements – often in the form of prizes – to incentivise you to take part in activities that will aid your recovery. For instance, you will be rewarded for attending appointments, engaging in mapped out activities, staying clean of drugs and so on.

Family therapy: This treatment option will usually include members of your family and address the role everyone plays to help you in your recovery process.

Motivational nurturing and interviewing: With this option, the focus is on helping to you to develop an innate desire to end your drug use and become fully abstinent, instead of relying on external sources for motivation.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Also known as coping treatment, this will focus on finding out how your behaviours, thought processes and feelings interact with (or fuel) your use of diazepam.

Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab for Diazepam Addiction

When you decide to go for diazepam treatment and rehab, one of the first decisions to make is whether you’ll be better served getting treatment on an inpatient or outpatient basis. In many cases, the decision is largely personal. However, you cannot rule out the influence of finances. Outpatient rehabs are often more affordable in comparison to residential programmes, but are often best for people that don’t have a strong case of addiction. People with extreme addiction will be best served by inpatient rehabs, as they are designed to keep you engaged and focused on recovering from your addiction throughout the duration of the process. Inpatient rehabs also offer more bespoke services.

To make the right decision with regards your rehab choice, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • There are no blanket approaches to diazepam addiction treatment. This means that any rehab that doesn’t offer a personalised service (whether on an inpatient or outpatient basis) is of no benefit to you.
  • Treatment plans have to be continually assessed and modified to ensure that they are still effective for your personal situation.
  • Your choice of rehab will only ever be as good as the strength of your commitment to a treatment programme.

Finding an Exclusive Diazepam Rehab

Finding an exclusive diazepam rehab is different from finding a more generic or typical addiction facility. You’re going somewhere you will be spending a lot of time and money, so it is important that you find the right one. Not doing so can lead to quitting treatment early and subsequently relapsing.  An exclusive diazepam treatment rehab should be able to provide you with the following:

  • Medications that can reduce the symptoms of withdrawal, allowing you to properly and gradually taper off diazepam until your detoxification process is complete.
  • Programmes based on activities that can help in the reduction of anxiety and promote calmness such as meditation, massage and yoga.
  • Behavioural therapies that target your perception of addiction and also help you to find the right coping strategies to fight off cravings and reduce any forms of stress from daily living. Such therapies are also applied to make changes to the reward pathways of your brain, helping you to develop better life skills.

The best rehabs will also provide you with proper education on the subject matter. If it is an inpatient rehab facility, then excellent housing, vocational and leisure options should be provided.

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What to Know about Diazepam Clinics

One of the first things you will notice when looking for a diazepam addiction treatment clinic is that there are many of them available. Some offer the full service – from detox to aftercare – while others offer a basic service and a number are regarded as luxury rehabs. Here are some important things you need to know about the services of diazepam clinics in general:

  • They can provide treatment in a location of your choice
  • They can take care of any special dietary needs you might have
  • They can treat coexisting medical conditions alongside your addiction
  • You can choose between a rehab close to you or one further away
  • Some offer both conventional treatments and alternative or naturopathic treatments
  • They can offer either private or open treatment, depending on your choices
  • They can offer treatment even if you have a physical disability that needs to be addressed

To choose the right rehab facility, you need to get as much information about them as possible to be sure they meet your personal preferences.  However, it is important to not get too sucked into the analysis process. Any day you waste before getting diazepam treatment could be one step closer to overdose or a life-changing issue caused by your addiction. You can seek the help of your loved ones with regards to decision-making, or even take on board professional recommendations.

Private Diazepam Rehabs and Confidentiality

Approved diazepam rehabs are mandated by law to honour your privacy. This means that your confidential information cannot be shared without your express permission. The only time you need to worry about private diazepam rehabs and your privacy is when someone else is appointed as your legal guardian or when there has been a court-order of treatment.

When you are in a diazepam rehab centre, you need not worry about your privacy, as they will know how to handle personal data. In fact, some rehabs will offer especially discreet services where necessary, offering private rooms, anonymised or pseudonym-based records, cash payments and more.

Individual and Group Therapy

At the end of your detox process, most rehabs will place you in counselling to break your psychological addiction to diazepam. You will either be placed in group or individual therapy, depending on your situation. Whichever therapy option is assigned to you, the goal will be to ensure you are fully prepared for life without diazepam when you eventually leave treatment.

If you have any underlying psychological issues, they will be identified and addressed during therapy sessions. If needed, you could be booked in for more specialised counselling.

Individual and group therapies are also implemented during aftercare treatment.

Duration of Treatment

There is no fixed duration for a diazepam treatment programme. However, experts suggest spending a minimum of three months in addiction treatment to increase your chances of avoiding a relapse. If you choose the right treatment facility, you will have a safe and structured environment that will make easy for you to complete the process properly.

A synopsis of treatment programmes and their duration

You might be overwhelmed by the thought of entering a diazepam treatment programme – especially as someone who has never experienced treatment and rehab in the past. Fortunately, there isn’t anything to be scared of – especially compared with the potential consequences of not seeking help! Diazepam treatment programmes are safe and professionally supervised. You’ll work with a wide range of professionals, from physicians to psychiatric nurses, to ensure the treatment process works exactly as it should and that all physical and mental health conditions are appropriately treated.

The main objective of a good diazepam treatment and rehab facility is to make it possible for patients to withdraw from diazepam completely and avoid a relapse. A good treatment programme will be implemented in three phases.

The first phase is the evaluation stage, whereby you’ll work with a mental health professional to gather information that can be used in the development of a treatment plan for you.  You will be required to undergo a drug test and also provide medical, family, psychiatric and substance abuse history. It’s at this stage where issues that need to be addressed at every phase of the process are flagged up. This is usually completed within an hour or less.

The second phase is the detox stage, where the emphasis will be on getting you off diazepam gradually, until you are no longer using the substance. You will be monitored all day, as staff will need to keep an eye on you to notice any potential complications that need to be quickly addressed. During this stage, the staff will also work with you to ensure you understand what is expected of you throughout the treatment period.  This stage can be completed in a week, though depending on the severity of your addiction, it could take longer.

The third phase is the main treatment stage, where you’ll be placed in a number of therapy programmes that will help you to better understand your addiction and also come to grips with the factors that make you abuse diazepam. Coping mechanisms will also be discussed. The treatment stage could take up to a month, depending on the severity of addiction.

The last phase is aftercare treatment/follow up, which is typically undertaken on an outpatient basis, regardless of how you underwent full treatment in the first place. At this stage, the focus will be on keeping up with you to ensure you’re applying all the knowledge and skills gathered during the addiction treatment programme. It’s also an important stage in the fight against relapse. Activities might include community awareness programmes and you could also be brought in as a resource person for people just entering rehab. There is no fixed duration for aftercare, but the longer you can stay in it, the better your chances of avoiding a relapse.

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Detoxing from Diazepam: All you Need to Know

Without medical guidance, it can be dangerous to attempt diazepam detox. When you suddenly quit, you could end up sending your body into shock, which can lead to withdrawal symptoms that are often severe and possibly life-threatening.

The main factor that will determine how your detox will pan out is the severity of your addiction: the more severe the addiction, the longer the detox period will take. The detox process will be different for every person, but one constant is that it should be completed via an inpatient programme. This is the best way for you to receive care that’s customised to your needs and surround yourself with people that fully understand how to successfully engineer a full and ultimately safe detox experience.

Please note that although detox is necessary for your recovery from diazepam addiction, it is not enough as standalone treatment. Detox will always remain an early part of the treatment and rehab process.

Psychological Therapy

Psychological therapy is a part of the treatment programme that is aimed at understanding the underlying reasons why you are abusing diazepam. It will also focus on helping you to see your addiction in a new light. Psychological therapy is an integral part of the diazepam treatment process.

Risks of Treatment

Withdrawal symptoms are the main risks associated with diazepam treatment.  These symptoms can be hugely overwhelming and could lead to a return of the anxiety and panic episodes that are often a significant factor leading to the use of the drug in the first place. These symptoms can be debilitating and have the capacity to prevent proper function. The symptoms include the following:

  • Insomnia
  • Ringing feeling in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Apprehension
  • Anxiety (a recurrence or worsening of the symptoms)
  • Nausea
  • Irritability
  • Seizures
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Agitation and severe restlessness
  • Increase in blood pressure
  • Hallucinations

Addiction Recovery Programme Types

As you pursue your desire for addiction recovery treatment, you’ll find that there are pros and cons to each programme type. This is why you need professional help to ensure that the right treatment programme is chosen for you. The different addiction recovery programmes available to you include:

Inpatient programmes: These require that you reside at the facility as you receive intensive care that can be individualised or delivered in groups. This is in addition to psychiatric and medical monitoring.

Outpatient programmes: These programmes provide care based on your needs and the depth of your addiction. You will be able to live at home and go about your normal activities whilst attending treatment classes. These programmes are properly structured and are likely to be more intensive in the majority of cases. The sessions typically last hours and are held on multiple days of the week, depending on the severity of addiction.

Luxury programmes: These are private residential programmes that have all the features of a normal treatment programme. However, they are held in luxurious locations. They are typically more expensive than your standard inpatient programme, due to the luxurious nature of services provided, which can include massage therapy, gourmet meals, swimming pools and so on.

Executive programmes: These are designed for business executives. During treatment, they are provided with an environment that allows them to stay in control of their business/work responsibilities. If you opt for this type of programme, you will receive high-quality treatment and enjoy access to a plethora of luxury facilities without missing out on your business roles.

Holistic programmes: The treatment focus establishes and maintains a connection between your body, spirit and mind. Treatment rehabs that offer holistic diazepam treatment will use alternative methods such as creative arts therapy, biofeedback, meditation, nutrition counselling, yoga, acupuncture etc.

Population-based programmes: These programmes are designed with demographics in mind. This means that only people from a specific group can take part. Some of the populations targeted with these programmes include LGBTQ, female or male, veterans, teenagers, schoolchildren, etc.

12-step programmes: These programmes employ the standard 12-step approach that has become popular in addiction treatment. The main focus of the programme is to tap into the encouragement that comes with receiving support from other people in your situation.

Non-12-step programmes: These programmes only use evidence-based procedures, based on scientific research to help you become drug-free.

Paying for Diazepam Addiction Treatment

Are you worried that you won’t be able to afford rehab? You need to look beyond the notional cost and look at what you stand to gain from beating your addiction. Think about the cost of buying diazepam, how your work and relationships are suffering, and the wider damage being done to your body. Paying for addiction treatment is a decision that could be life-saving. The cost of your addiction will likely be determined by:

  • The level of your addiction
  • The type of treatment you are seeking
  • How long you’ll need to stay to be properly treated
  • The location of the rehab facility
  • The amenities offered
  • Insurance

Ending Your Diazepam Treatment: When and Why?

Once you’re enrolled in a diazepam treatment programme, the decision to end it should only be made by the professionals handling your case. Only when they’re satisfied that you’ve fully recovered and are not in danger of relapse can the treatment programme be adjudged to be completed.

What to Expect from Treatment

In most cases, Diazepam treatment goes in a similar direction to a standard addiction treatment procedure. The process will begin with evaluation, proceed to detox and then to therapy, before being concluded with aftercare treatment. The entire process can take between two weeks and three months, depending on your specific situation.

Benefits of Holistic Rehab

Holistic rehab programmes are highly efficient. Many rehabs are now replacing the more traditional 12-step programmes with those based on holistic therapy. This is because these more traditional programmes were based on a blanket approach to addiction treatment, which obviously doesn’t work for everyone. They also implied that only people who were morally bankrupt and without strong will could become addicted. This made it hard for people who didn’t agree to the faith-based principles to find treatment. For example, the 12-steps approach doesn’t have any consideration for the psychological and physiological angles to addiction.

Holistic rehab on the other hand makes use of more progressive and modern techniques to take care of your specific needs. After a medically supervised detox, a bespoke treatment plan will be developed for you by the treatment centre. Some features of the plan will include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, massage therapy, fitness training and neurofeedback – all spread over a dozen sessions each week.

The focus of a holistic approach to diazepam rehabilitation targets all the emotional, psychological, physiological and physical problems connected to your addiction that need healing.

Post-Rehabilitation Support: Live a Drug-Free life Again

Substance abuse recovery is not an instant process. Instead, it is one that requires dedication and commitment. It is no surprise that some people end up relapsing.  The temptation to go back to diazepam can prove too much to handle for some. If you find yourself craving diazepam months after the rehab treatment process, it doesn’t mean you have failed.

You are not alone in being close to relapse, as many people before you have fallen for this. The sure way to live a completely drug-free life is to understand why you’re likely to end up using diazepam again. When you understand the reasons that can push you towards a drug once more, you will be in a better position to help yourself.

You can plan for post-rehab life by itemising lessons learnt in the treatment programme and going back to them whenever the cravings surface. You can read or watch relevant materials if you’ve been provided them during rehab. Similarly, you could consider checking back into aftercare programmes to help you stay on track. Finally, cut all sources of temptation. If loneliness is a factor in your abusing of diazepam, get involved in outdoor activities. If you are under stress at work, take a break. Remember, relapsing could be more dangerous than the initial addiction.

The Risk of Relapse for Diazepam Addicts

According to clinical studies, there are varying rates for relapse in recovering diazepam addicts. In some people, there is almost a 50% chance of going back to the drug; in others, that figure is 10%. The risk is higher for people that have relapsed in the past. One of the main reasons why people relapse after diazepam treatment is the return of symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and other issues that were responsible for the use of diazepam in the past. If these issues become severe enough, there is a high chance of relapse, long after the treatment process.

Therefore, to reduce the risk of relapse, emphasis must be placed on how to cope with the aforementioned issues, handling of general withdrawal symptoms and the management of cravings.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the preferred choice of therapy to handle this problem amongst the top addiction treatment rehab centres. It has been especially effective in helping patients to manage depression, insomnia and anxiety.

Sober Living Support

There are often varying degrees of support offered by different rehabs.  With some rehabs, the aftercare program is used to keep in touch with patients. In such a rehab, you have to attend scheduled meetings for as long as you need support. Other rehabs are a bit more personal with the level of support offered with regular phone calls and visits from designated handlers. The end goal is to ensure you are on the right path with your addiction treatment.

Peer Counselling

The aim of peer counselling in diazepam addiction treatment is to continually reemphasise knowledge shared during the addiction treatment programme and impart new knowledge. Peer counselling sessions form an integral part of most aftercare programmes.

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Family Therapy

Family therapy focuses on providing counselling for everyone who could be affected by your addiction. During this phase, factors that can trigger your abuse of diazepam are discussed and you will also get to hear (in a neutral setting) how your addiction affects your loved ones. Family therapy is a strong feature in many addiction treatment programmes.

Seek Help

Are you tired of your addiction to diazepam? Do you want to make a complete recovery from addiction? Help is available today.

Reach out today

There are lots of great diazepam treatment and rehab centres waiting to welcome you. Therefore, research as many options as you can find. You can enjoy life without diazepam!


FAQs

Is Diazepam Considered an Opiate?

Opiates are drugs derived from opium – historically one of the most addictive and problematic substances used and abused by humans – generally applied to manage pain (amongst other uses). Diazepam may have some of the features of opiates (especially the sedative aspect), but it is not related to opiates. This is why diazepam isn’t treated as other narcotics, but rather as a prescription drug. It is also for this reason that it is comparatively easily accessible, and does not have the same stigma associated with it as many other drugs – one factor why virtually anyone can become hooked on it.

Is Diazepam the Same Thing as Xanax?

No. Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam. They have similar functions and work by increasing the activity of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), but are separate and distinct drugs.

Is Diazepam Treatment Dangerous?

Diazepam treatment can only become dangerous if you attempt to go through the treatment and recovery process completely on your own. In the right environment, all withdrawal symptoms that come with quitting diazepam can be professionally handled.

How Long does Diazepam Treatment Take?

There is no fixed time limit for recovery from diazepam addiction. The length of time is dependent on the severity of your addiction in many cases. However, you can realistically expect to complete diazepam treatment within three months. Aftercare and ongoing support can continue for longer.

Can I Find a Diazepam Treatment Programme for my Child?

Yes. Many rehabs offer treatment programmes for teenagers and young adults.

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