Valium is a popular and sedative hypnotic drug usually recommended through prescription.
Valium (also referred to by its generic name diazepam) is a benzodiazepine that is frequently prescribed to treat panic attacks and anxiety disorders. It is only legally available with a prescription.
Although you may wonder, “Is Valium a narcotic?” it is not. When used as directed by a doctor, it relaxes muscles, prevents convulsions, and has a sedative effect. Its effects are longer lasting than those of other benzodiazepines (20-70 hours) and users can typically feel the sedative effect within 30 to 60 minutes.
Valium works by increasing the effects of a chemical substance in the brain called GABA, which slows brain activity. When a person takes a dose of valium, the drug increases the effects of the GABA neurotransmitter, which lessens feelings of anxiety and reduces activity.
It has a number of effects on your body and many of these can turn out to be dangerous if the drug is abused or misused. Valium (diazepam) is usually prescribed for muscle spasms, anxiety, sleeplessness and many times for managing the alcohol withdrawal.
It is very common in those who want to get high due to its depressant effects. Many abusers combine Valium (diazepam) with alcohol or some other substances. Abuse occurs when the user
- Takes more doses more frequently than prescribed
- Takes doses in excess
- Takes via injection, snorting or crushing it to get it high
Short term effects
Valium (diazepam) disturbs the activity of nervous system including the brain activity to send signals or how communication occurring between different brains centers. When the user abuses this drug, they get a high which includes
- Co-ordination problem
- Feeling like drunk
- Euphoria
After Valium (diazepam) reaches its high peaks, it can lead to a withdrawal period like come down or crash. Once the brain comes out of state where the body was drugged, it speeds up and rebounds and the mellow feeling goes away and yields undesirable effects like
- Seizures
- Depression
- Fever
- Irritation
- Anxiety
- Stomach cramps
Some common side effects of the drug are
- Dry mouth
- Slurred speech
- Nausea
- Respiratory rate decreases
- Delayed reflexes
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Memory consolidation decreases
Long term Side effects- Valium (diazepam)
If the user uses Valium (diazepam) in heavy doses and for a prolonged period, it can have serious effect on body and brain. These effects can either be permanent in some cases whereas life threatening in other cases. The long term effect include
- Coma
- Hallucination
- Heart attack
- Breathing problems
- Slowed pulse
Valium (diazepam) addiction can also lead to job loss, financial difficulties and social isolation. It can also lead to physical damage happened due to accidents, which can be permanent. There are many health centers that can help you come out of Valium (diazepam) abuse. You can certainly put your problem to end with determination.
There are rehab centers as well for Valium (diazepam) addiction and they help people come out of the situation easily. The withdrawals of Valium (diazepam) are not only restricted to drug addicts, but anyone taking the drug can have similar experience.
Valium (diazepam) withdrawals are treated properly under detox center care or medical staff care. The physician can trace out the symptoms and lessen withdrawal effects. It is really important to understand that withdrawal caused due to Valium (diazepam) can very uncomfortable, so a lot of users give up the efforts of detox and get back to normal usage of the drug to put the symptoms like seizure or anxiety to rest.
If you are addicted to the drug make sure you do not lose control over your life and try to come out of it through right medical help.
How Common Is Valium Addiction and Abuse?
SAMHSA’s 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 6.9 percent of the U.S. population (or 18.7 million people) misused prescription drugs like Valium. Additionally, more than 7,900 people died from overdoses related to benzodiazepines like Valium in 2014.
Some people may become physically dependent and addicted to Valium, even if they initially use it as prescribed. However, in many instances, the pleasurable, short-term effects can be a catalyst for users to take more than the recommended dose or use it more frequently than prescribed. Misusing Valium in this way is a form of prescription drug abuse.
There are many other ways people misuse Valium and other prescription drugs, such as:
- Taking someone else’s Valium prescription
- Buying Valium from a drug dealer, friend, or family member
- Taking a larger dose of Valium than is prescribed
- Taking Valium more often than prescribed
- Using Valium in a way other than prescribed, such as injecting it
Although Valium has is helpful for some and has legitimate medical uses, it can also be very dangerous when abused. Even if it’s prescribed by a doctor, Valium (when misused) can cause serious physical side effects, increase a user’s risk of getting into a car accident, and cause uncomfortable and harmful withdrawal effects when addicted users stop taking it suddenly.
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