Valium Addiction And Mental Health
Valium is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, which means that having an anxiety disorder is itself a risk factor for taking and becoming addicted to Valium.If your addiction festers long enough, it can lead to painful life circumstances that undermine your mental health.
Some people with mental health issues rely on Valium as a form of self-medication that numbs the challenges of mental illness, the pain of mental health stigma and the frustration of trying to find good treatment.
For many Valium users, though, the anxiety actually gets worse on the drug, necessitating progressively higher doses, and expediting the timetable to addiction.
For others, Valium is itself the cause of mental illness. Benzodiazepines can alter brain chemistry, leading to a host of mental health problems.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Mental illness is common, afflicting a quarter of the population. Most of them can lead happy and productive lives, and so can you. The same is true of addiction.
Millions overcome the pain of addiction each year, but to get better, you must be willing to admit you have a problem and seek treatment.
CallWho Answers? to find the right Valium recovery program for your individual situation.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
In most cases, the first medication you’ll be offered will be a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor .
This type of medication works by increasing the level of a chemical called serotonin in your brain.
Examples of SSRIs you may be prescribed include:
- difficulty achieving orgasm during sex or masturbation
- in men, difficulty obtaining or maintaining an erection
These side effects should improve over time, although some such as sexual problems can persist.
If your medication isn’t helping after about 2 months of treatment or it’s causing unpleasant side effects, your GP may prescribe an alternative SSRI.
When you and your GP decide it’s appropriate for you to stop taking your medication, you’ll normally have your dose slowly reduced over the course of a few weeks to reduce the risk of withdrawal effects.
Never stop taking your medication unless your GP specifically advises you to.
Which Drug Should I Try First For Treatment Of Ocd
Drugs with the most evidence to support their use in OCD treatment include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and some tricyclic antidepressants .
SSRIs include:
The above side effects could potentially worsen OCD and its symptoms. Continue reading at Signs, Symptoms & Side Effects of Benzodiazepine Abuse
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Dosage For Diazepam In Dogs
The prescribed dosage of diazepam for dogs varies based on the weight of the dog and the condition it is being used to treat. Therefore, you must always follow the instructions of your veterinarian to determine the exact dosage.
Usually its administered orally, though it can be injected intravenously in some cases. Rarely, it can be administered rectally or nasally.
The following is a guideline of what dosage you might expect your vet to prescribe based on the condition, but it should not replace the advice of a trained veterinarian:
- Anxiety: 0.12 to 1 mg per pound once per day as needed
- Seizures: 0.23 to 0.9 mg per pound, usually administered rectally
- For sedation: 0.11 mg per pound every 8 hours
- Muscle cramp disorders: 0.23 to 0.9 mg per pound every 8 hours
- Irritable bowel syndrome: 0.07 mg per pound every 8 hours
Treatment For Panic Disorder
The American Psychiatric Association recommends treating patients with panic disorder when symptoms cause dysfunction or significant distress in aspects of an individuals life as their such as work, family life, social obligation, and leisure activities. Benzodiazepines such as Valium are not a first-line recommended treatment approach for individuals with panic disorder and are only recommended for individuals who have panic disorder that has not been successfully treated with any other psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment. The first-line treatment for panic disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy with or without medication. Medications that are recommended include antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
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Valium For Panic Disorder
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
If you have panic disorder, medication can be a useful part of your recovery plan. Valium is one type of anti-anxiety medication that’s used to treat panic disorder and other conditions.
Taking Benzodiazepines With Other Medication
Combining benzodiazepines with other medications can change the effects of the drugs. This may include reducing the positive effects of either drugs. Or it may lead to negative side effects.
Sometimes doctors may prescribe you benzodiazepines at the same time as other drugs. For example, they may prescribe benzodiazepines with antidepressants or antipsychotics.
The benzodiazepines may be to help you cope with anxiety while you wait for the other medication to begin working. But there may also be negative effects from this, if the drugs interact in a way that causes unwanted side effects.
You can find out about known medication interactions for individual benzodiazepines from the British National Formulary A-Z list of drug interactions.
You can also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you are concerned about taking any other medication with benzodiazepines. This includes prescribed medication, over-the-counter drugs and herbal remedies.
Benzodiazepines with alcohol or recreational drugs
Drinking alcohol can increase the sedative effect of benzodiazepines. This can cause some dangerous side effects. You can speak to your doctor or pharmacist about whether itâs safe to drink alcohol with a specific benzodiazepine.
Some recreational drugs can also interact with benzodiazepines in a dangerous way. See our page on for more information on how recreational drugs can interact with medications.
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How Long Does It Take For Valium To Kick In
Valium, also known as Diazepam, is a medication that is often prescribed to people to treat various anxiety disorders. After its approval by the FDA in 1963, doctors have been prescribing Valium for a number of conditions including insomnia, seizure disorders, muscle spasms, and more.
In this article, we dive into the specifics of how Valium works and how long it takes for Valium to kick in. Besides, we also discuss the topic of how long does Valium stay in the system.
Will It Affect My Sleep
Diazepam may make you feel very sleepy, and this can carry on into the next day.
Some people find it more difficult to get to sleep when taking diazepam or may experience nightmares or strange dreams when taking it.
If your sleep is negatively affected by diazepam, you should discuss this with your doctor.
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Signs Of Valium And Xanax Misuse
Despite being developed for medical purposes, Valium and Xanax have become widely misused drugs. People misuse them while under doctors supervision as well as recreationally. Signs of misuse range from constantly running out of the prescription to searching out multiple prescriptions at once to becoming all-consumed with obtaining and using Valium or Xanax.
You can recognize a benzodiazepine addiction in someone by observing if their behaviors and mood have become odd and the changes are unexplainable by any other life events. Additionally, if they are missing out on important events, failing to fulfill responsibilities, and encountering personal, professional, or legal troubles, they may be struggling with substance abuse.
Valium and Xanax play important roles in the treatment of anxiety disorders that can create significant difficulties in many peoples lives. It is important to be aware of the potential for misuse, however, and to regulate the consumption of each medication so addiction does not become a problem.
Benzodiazepines During Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
There is not enough research to know exactly how common problems are with taking benzodiazepines while you are pregnant. Some people have reported the following problems with their baby after taking benzodiazepines during pregnancy:
- cleft palate
- low body temperature
- withdrawal symptoms including abnormal sleeping patterns, high-pitched crying, tremor , vomiting and diarrhoea.
If you take certain benzodiazepines while breastfeeding, the medication may be present in your breast milk. In some cases, this can build up in your babyâs body and cause side effects.
If you are breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you can ask your doctor about the risks of taking your specific medication.
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What Other Drugs Will Affect Diazepam
Shortly after you are treated with this medicine, taking other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous side effects. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.
Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:
- any other benzodiazepines
- medicine to treat mental illness or
- an MAO inhibitor–isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and others.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect diazepam, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.
Referral To A Specialist
If you have tried the treatments mentioned above and have significant symptoms of GAD, you may want to discuss with your GP whether you should be referred to a mental health specialist.
A referral will work differently in different areas of the UK, but you’ll usually be referred to your community mental health team.
These teams include a range of specialists, including:
- psychiatrists
- occupational therapists
- social workers
An appropriate mental health specialist from your local team will carry out an overall reassessment of your condition.
They’ll ask you about your previous treatment and how effective you found it.
They may also ask about things in your life that may be affecting your condition, or how much support you get from family and friends.
Your specialist will then be able to devise a treatment plan for you, which will aim to treat your symptoms.
As part of this plan, you may be offered a treatment you haven’t tried before, which might be one of the psychological treatments or medications mentioned above.
Alternatively, you may be offered a combination of a psychological treatment with a medication, or a combination of 2 different medications.
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Who Are The People Using Valium
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that 40 million adults over the age of 18 and 1.8 million children under the age of 18 suffer from an anxiety disorder. With the vast prevalence of this illness, there is an ever-present need for various treatment options to be made available to help these individuals.
When taken under the supervision of a medical professional, Valium can have an extremely positive impact on an individuals everyday life. It can mean relief from, or prompt the absence of, symptoms such as:
- Racing thoughts
- Paranoia
- Pervasive feelings of nervousness and restlessness
It can also help decrease the physical disturbances that anxiety disorders can bring about, including things like increased heart rate, stomach problems, chronic headaches, unsteady breathing, excessive sweating, and muscle tension. Valium is also known to be greatly effective in providing immediate relief from the presentation of panic attacks.
Are There Any Other Interactions I Should Know About
Watch your caffeine intake while you are taking diazepam as caffeine has the opposite effect of diazepam in your body and interferes with it working.
Do not drink large amounts of caffeine drinks while you are taking diazepam.
Caffeine can cause anxiety and sleep loss stopping these drinks might help to improve your symptoms.
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Tips For Good Medication And Treatment Reviews
- Post reviews only for medications or treatments you have used or prescribed.
- In your description, mention whether you’re reviewing the medication or treatment for a child or for an adult , and as a patient or as a medical professional.
- Mention what medical condition you were using the medication or treatment to address.
- Mention the brand, dose, and period of time that you used the medication or treatment.
- Please share your positive and negative experiences with the medication or treatment in detail. Note effectiveness, ease of use, side effects and compare it with other treatments you have used.
- Do not include any personal information or links in your review.
Dangers Of Snorting Valium
Snorting Valium is one of the quickest ways to introduce the drug into the bloodstream. This means it also can be one of the most dangerous methods of abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse publishes that more than 10,000 people in the United States died from an overdose involving a benzodiazepine drug in 2016. In the past 20 years, deaths from benzodiazepine overdoses in America have spiked sevenfold, NPR warns. Most benzodiazepine overdoses involve another drug, such as an opioid, or alcohol, both of which are also central nervous system depressants.
- Nystagmus
A Valium overdose is an immediate medical emergency and requires professional help.
Other Potential Risk Factors for Snorting Valium Aside from Overdose, Drug Dependence, and Addiction Include:
- Damage to nasal and sinus cavities
- A loss of sense of smell
- A chronic runny nose
- Frequent nosebleeds
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Will It Affect My Sex Life Or Fertility
Diazepam can have side effects that might affect your sex life. These include:
- losing interest in sex
- feeling numb to your normal emotions
The good effects of diazepam may have a good effect on your sex life as your symptoms settle, you sleep better, and you can concentrate on your relationships.
If these symptoms dont pass within a couple of weeks, and this is a problem for you, go back to the doctor and see what else you could try.
Fertility
How Valium Addiction Changes Your Life
Valium leads to a unique cocktail of symptoms known as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndromepermanent brain damage that can damage your memory, undermine your intelligence, and worsen your quality of life
- Divorce, breakups, and strained relationships with friends and family.
- Mistreating your loved ones.
- Breaking the law and getting into legal trouble.
- Losing your job, or not going as far in your career as you otherwise could.
- Financial and health difficulties.
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Side Effects Of Valium
The most common side effects of Valium are drowsiness, fatigue, muscle weakness, and ataxia. Confusion, depression, dysarthria, headache, slurred speech, vertigo, blurred vision, dizziness, and constipation also have been reported.
Driving, operating dangerous machinery, and participating in hazardous activities should not be undertaken until you know how you will react to Valium.
What Are The Possible Side Effects
The most common side effects of Valium for anxiety:
- drowsiness
Taking Diazepam for longer than 4-6 weeks may lead to addiction.
Some side effects occurred in overdose:
- trouble breathing
- drowsiness
- weakness.
Valium is a controlled substance. Abuse of Valium for social anxiety is occasionally observed. Drug addicts should be supervised with caution when taking it for anxiety. They are subjects to habituation. In case, a patient has been reported with dependence, the termination of the intake is required. The discontinuation is associated with withdrawal symptoms.
The common withdrawal symptoms are:
- irritability
- tremor
- vomiting.
Can Valium cause anxiety? Yes, Valium can cause anxiety as a withdrawal symptom especially after sudden discontinuation.
In case of overdose, please seek emergency help immediately .
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