Valium Addiction

Valium is one of the most well-known drugs of its type. It is used by millions of people so it is no surprise that valium addiction is so common. Valium is one of the benzodiazepines, as is diazepam and librium. For people who have anxiety disorders, the formulation of valium was an apparently wonderful development. The drug is classified as a hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant. Valium was first introduced onto the market in 1963, a derivative of librium, and is used today as a treatment for anxiety. Valium has been the most popular tranquilizer for the past 40 years. “Mother’s Little Helper” was a miracle drug. The problem, as with all tranquilizers and “feel good medications” is that they are extremely addictive.

Why is Valium Addiction so easy?

Valium addiction is both physical and psychological. It works with the GABA receptors in the brain to help calm and sedate the user. Because it is available in pill form, valium addiction is very easy to develop. If the addict feels a little more stressed at one moment or another, it is very easy to simply take another pill out of their pocket and pop it for relief. Valium is available in doses between 5 and 15 mg per day, but valium addicts rarely if ever take the medication in its prescribed amount. Valium addiction is interesting in that the addict becomes addicted to the pills themselves. Say the addict is 5 or 10 minutes late for a dose, they will begin to feel anxious because they missed that dose, and for no other reason at all.

While valium is the least addictive of all benzodiazepines, because it has quite a long half-life (the amount of time it takes for half of the medication to leave the addict’s system), it is categorized by the FDA as a schedule IV drug and therefore monitored under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. This means that valium is only available with a doctor’s prescription.

Valium addiction and usage comes with a variety of side effects. These side effects may include; impaired judgment, vertigo, scattered thinking, sleepiness, and difficulty walking or balancing. Valium addicts can suffer from labored breathing and difficulty talking. Most people who suffer from valium addiction also drink alcohol while taking the drug. The two main things that may occur if these drugs are combined are complete memory loss or “blackout” and, because valium hits the brain like roughly two shots of liquor; the addict may wind up severely impaired.

The Effects of Valium Addiction

Tolerance to valium builds very quickly, especially when taken everyday. The first few days that the valium is taken, the hypnotic and sedative effects of the medication are very strong, meaning that it makes the patient feel very sleepy and groggy. These feelings go away within a couple of days when the “feel good” effects kick in. Extended use almost always leads to some sort of addiction. More than half of all patients to whom valium is prescribed become physically and psychologically dependent on the drug and hence develop valium addiction.

The effects of valium can be felt within 30 minutes, a relatively quick response time, which is another reason why valium addiction is so common.

However, because the half-life of valium (Diazepam) is so long, up to 200 hours, it takes effect much more slowly than benzodiazepines with significantly shorter half-lives, i.e.10-20 hours as with ativan. The longer half-life means that valium is expelled more slowly; it lasts longer in the system, and is therefore the preference of addicts.

Long-Term Negative Effects of Valium Addiction

Due to the impairment of mental functioning, it is obvious that those who have developed valium addiction should not operate machinery, any machinery at all. Valium, when mixed with adjunct anti-convulsion medications can cause a condition called “tonic-clonic”, in which seizures that affect the whole of the brain develop. Those who have succumbed to valium addiction and have been addicted for quite sometime, are recommended by their family physicians to undergo frequent liver function tests, because valium is processed through the liver. There are valium addicts who, instead of being helped by the medication, have an opposite reaction. Their anxiety increases, and their risk-factor for developing seizures increases dramatically as well.

Valium Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

When an individual decides that the time has come for them to cease their use of valium, and to suffer the withdrawal symptoms, which last for roughly a week, the following is what they can expect to experience. First, valium addiction is very dangerous, and the taking of the valium should never be stopped abruptly, especially following long-term use. The withdrawal symptoms are similar to those associated with the cessation of excessive drinking.

The addict will experience insomnia, hypertension, and tremors. They may experience tachycardia, psychosis, or convulsions. Infrequently the addict in withdrawal will experience vomiting, cramping, and or hyper-anxiety, especially when the drug is abruptly stopped.

The severest symptoms of course are found more often in addicts who have been taking high dosages for great lengths of time. The individual suffering from valium addiction must slowly lower the dosage that they take. The more slowly the dosage is lowered, the less the addict will feel any withdrawal symptoms at all. All tapering off of the drug should be done under the trained supervision of at least a family physician, and preferably under the care of a qualified psychiatrist.

Valium addiction is one of the most difficult to quit, and can vary dramatically from individual to individual. For some, there may be nearly no withdrawal symptoms to speak of. For others, it may be exceedingly difficult to stop; to suddenly stop usage after someone has suffered from valium addiction for years can cause heavy-duty seizures and even death. Even with a slow decreasing of the dosage, addicts can and do experience muscle cramping, sweating, sudden chills, loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss, muscle spasms, seizures and occasionally blurred vision.

Valium Addiction Treatment

Detox centers are available, as are rehab programs and therapy sessions. Following detox and withdrawal, a rehab program that addresses the underlying causes of the valium prescription being issued in the first place, a continued plan of support from family and loved ones as well as a counselor or therapist will help to ensure that an individual, whose life has been consumed by valium addiction, has a fair shot at long term sustained recovery.

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Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin addiction is a very serious and growing problem across the United States. It leaves broken people and broken families in its wake. To combat this rising tide of vicodin abuse we have two vital tools – education and awareness. Giving information and education about the dangers of vicodin addiction to as many people as we can might stop some from slipping into addiction. Based on the way that prescription drug abuse is growing it seems that increasing everyone’s awareness of the dangers is an urgent need.

Vicodin – Where It Comes From and What It Is

Vicodin is an over the counter pain reliever administered for mild to severe pain. Generally used to alleviate acute pain from an injury, vicodin can only be obtained through a physician’s order. But it is widely used illicitly. Vicodin contains both acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Hydrocodone, an opiate or narcotic, treats pain by changing the way the brain responds to pain stimuli from the nerves. However, because hydrocodone is an opiate, it also causes a state of euphoria along with the sensation of painlessness. Acetaminophen is a milder pain reliever often used to treat headaches and aching muscles. Consumption of vicodin with or without acetaminophen is highly habit forming and often times leads to full-blown vicodin addiction, and abusers tend to resort to snorting crushed tablets to get their high.

Drug dealers and other addicts find it relatively simple to extract the pure hydrocodone from vicodin. Since acetaminophen can easily be dissolved in water, hydrocodone is what remains after the extraction process.

How Vicodin Addiction Starts

Many celebrities and ordinary people have wrestled with vicodin addiction. Famous actors and athletes were legally prescribed the drug for pain relief and became addicted to vicodin due to the potency of the drug. Their stories have been made public in some cases, and those who have recovered from vicodin addiction are passionate about telling people about the dangers.

Vicodin addiction usually starts with one of two scenarios. In the first it is prescribed legitimately by a physician to treat pain. Over a period of time the patient begins to notice the euphoric effects that accompany the medication. This will sometimes lead to the patient gradually increasing their dosage in order to maintain this euphoric state. Given the highly habit forming side effects of hydrocodone, such abuse is likely to lead to addiction. Individuals who have shown a tendency towards addiction to other substances such as alcohol are very likely to become addicted after any such abuse begins.

Recreational drug use is the second scenario in which vicodin addiction occurs. In recreational use vicodin is obtained illegally, sometimes bought from dealers, sometimes stolen from medicine cabinets, and taken to induce a state of euphoria, or a high. Vicodin is often mistakenly viewed as harmless because it is a legal drug approved by the FDA. But this is a mistake, and we should never forget that all prescription drugs are designed to address particular needs. The use of any drug without proper supervision, adherence to dosage instructions and oversight from a qualified physician is fraught with danger.

Recognizing Vicodin Addiction

Vicodin addiction is accompanied by various signs, both physical and psychological, that are relatively easy to spot. It is quite common for vicodin addicts to become obsessively particular about their pills and supply. They will always make sure they have enough tablets to hand, and will keep them away from other members of the family. Addicts will often take much larger doses of vicodin than prescribed, and they will resort to obtaining the drug by illegal means. They may start to buy from dealers on the street, or online, they may take vicodin from other people’s medicine cabinets when they visit, and they may burglarize pharmacies. They will lie, cheat and steal to obtain their drug of choice and it is common for vicodin addicts to seek out multiple physicians to obtain vicodin prescriptions.

Vicodin abuse leads to emotional and chemical dependency on the drug. It can result in increased irritability and agitation, night sweats, muscle and bone pain. Due to vicodin’s harmful effect on both the body and the mind, addicts will often suffer from withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking the drug. These will include chills, sweats, nausea, vomiting, insomnia and tremors.

Vicodin can be fatal if taken in large doses over prolonged periods of time. It has a toxic effect on the body and in cases of prolonged abuse it can cause fatal toxicity to develop in the liver which is one of the main cleansing tools we have to rid our bodies of poisons.

Vicodin Addiction Treatment

Vicodin addiction can be treated in a number of different ways. Cold turkey is probably the least comfortable option, and if the user is still suffering from the condition that caused the pain that vicodin was prescribed to alleviate it will be even tougher. The other options are detox and rehab. Detox offers the relative luxury of being progressively weaned off vicodin through the use of other drugs to minimize the physical withdrawal symptoms and illness. But each treatment path should be explored fully with a physician or counselor who is qualified to advise and guide a vicodin addict to the right option for them.

Vicodin addiction and the abuse of any prescription drugs is just that, drug abuse. Drug abuse is not any safer simply because the drugs are prescribed. An inherent danger lies in people underestimating the effects of prescription drugs, and the ease of addiction to many of them. Overcoming vicodin addiction will require persistence and determination along with the support of a loving community to provide encouragement and support. This community should consist of family and close friends alongside counselors and physicians, interventionists and therapists – everyone has a part to play in helping vicodin addiction recovery.

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