Addiction

Diazepam, otherwise known as Valium, is a benzodiazepine (often called a benzo) – a sedative, tranquilizer, and a depressant. It’s available by prescription and can help with a variety of health issues such as: muscle spasms, seizures, panic attacks and more. As with any prescription medication, however, Valium can be easily abused if a person comes to crave the euphoric effects of taking higher doses. Whether you’re currently in recovery from addiction or you have a loved one who has struggled with Valium addiction, it can be helpful to gain some insight on how the drug itself can be so habit-forming. A few years ago, a young woman shared her story with Vice about becoming addicted to Valium. She explained that it all started when she started feeling tired often as she was navigating school life. When she took the drug, it would ease her panic attacks, her anxiety, her headaches and more. She felt as though Valium was the answer to all of her problems – but she realized that once she was addicted, normalcy was hard to achieve. She stated, “…With increased tolerance to benzos comes decreased normality when you’re not taking them. I reached a point where, if I didn’t take Valium, I’d feel more panicky than when I started using them as a crutch.” The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that Valium weakens a group of neurons in the brain – the brain’s ventral tegmental area (VTA) - which is typically responsible for preventing excessive dopamine production (“feel-good” chemicals in the brain). This means that when Valium is taken, the more dopamine is produced in the brain – and the neurons that typically regulate it are now rendered feeble. The flooding of dopamine in the brain is what eventually causes the brain to experience cravings. Cells in the brain respond to the increased about of dopamine produced and eventually need more and more as they become used to the initial doses of the drug that were taken. If you’re struggling with Valium addiction, seek the help you need today. Recovery is possible – you’re not alone.

A co-occurring diagnosis is a condition in which an individual is struggling with addiction, while simultaneously coping with some form of mental illness. This type of situation is common enough that addiction treatment centers have incorporated mental health treatments into their programs. While co-occurring may sound like an easy condition to identify, it's actually a very complex psychological problem that has generated myths and rumors.

Every year, thousands of Americans visit their doctors for chronic pain. About 20% of people leave with a prescription for an opioid-based pain killer like Vicodin, Percocet, or OxyContin. When used for a short period of time and in moderation, these drugs are very effective at alleviating pain. But certain risk factors can also put you at a higher risk of developing a drug dependency or addiction.

If you have a loved one who is struggling with substance abuse, you may feel frustrated, angry, or downright hopeless. “How could they have gone this far?” you may ask yourself. Many friends and family members of loved ones with addiction feel the same way – it’s hard for someone looking in to truly understand all of the factors that play in addiction. First and foremost, it’s important that you and your family members attend family therapy so that you can develop important tools for recovery and family dynamic; addiction affects everyone, and you deserve help as well.

Growing up in a family where addiction is ever present can feel like a never-ending cycle that you’re destined to repeat. For many, addiction is all they’ve ever known – whether you’ve had to take on additional roles as a child or you’ve witnessed or experienced abuse, neglect, violence, or general family dysfunction due to addiction, you’ve likely been weary that this, too, could become your future. Previous research has shown that children who grow up in dysfunctional families are prone to mental illnesses and addiction later on down the line – there are, however, steps that you can take to ensure this doesn’t become part of your storyline. A 2014 study published in the journal Child & Family Social Work sought to explore recent mothers who were substance dependent and were navigating their way to achieving stability and breaking their family’s cycle of addiction as they worked through motherhood. Six mothers who had been diagnosed with a substance use disorder (SUD) and were enrolled in an inpatient treatment program were interviewed; researchers asked the participants questions relating to their understanding of their child, their own childhood experiences, the reason behind their substance abuse, and the changes they believe they need to make. Three themes emerged relating to changes they needed to make:

Recovery is a lot like life. It has ups and downs, twists and turns, and a lot of unexpected surprises. While many people dread the unexpected, it’s actually what works best for us because it forces us to grow and develop into stronger, more capable human beings. You are incredibly strong. If you are reading this right now, you are already on your way towards success in recovery because you’re taking the time to focus in on bettering yourself. Recovery involves many stages, each of which you will work through in due time – which is why patience and determination is incredibly important.

Most often used for anxiety, epilepsy and alcohol dependence, benzodiazepines are man-made drugs that help treat symptoms such as the reduced need for sleep, racing thoughts, unusual talkativeness, agitation, and more. By increasing GABA (a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system) a person is likely to experience more relaxation; however, they can be very addictive. Xanax, Librium, Valium and Ativan are all examples of benzodiazepines, and the type of detoxification you experience greatly depends on you sex, age, medical and drug history, family history, and more. Detoxification isn’t always the most pleasant, comfortable experience, but it’s always worth it because it sends you on the road to recovery. Detoxification often involves the process of removing toxins that were acquired from the body either naturally or with the assistance of medication. There are a lot of side effects associated with detox, including: anxiety, clouded vision, difficulty concentrating, hallucinations, short-term memory impairment, twitching, drug cravings, and more. A 2017 study published by the University of Westminster in the UK sought to explore patients’ perceptions of detox from benzodiazepines by analyzing posts via online chat sites; the study’s findings indicated several themes: Hell and isolation – many people didn’t realize the pain of detox, causing them to feel regret that they took the drugs in the first place Anxiety and depression – individuals stated feeling completely flat emotions during detox Alienation – dissociation occurred for several people, where individuals felt they were in a “dream” or a “nightmare” Physical distress – feeling weak, chills, body pains, and heightened sensitivity were expressed Anger and remorse – many individuals expressed anger towards physicians who do not warn against addiction to the drugs, as well as anger to themselves for taking them Waves and windows – people stated the detox phase as a “rollercoaster” between hope and hopelessness Healing and renewal – individuals reported using mindfulness techniques such as meditation and yoga to help get through detox. People also reported the importance of believing that healing does and will happen, which brought intense feelings of triumph for individuals. Detox may not necessarily be easy, but it will be worth it. The most promising, safe option you can choose is to seek out a reputable treatment center because then you will have an entire healthcare team who can work with you through this. You’re not alone.

When most people think of addiction and recovery, they think of the hardships – withdrawal during detoxification, letting go of past pains, cutting off people who are no longer conducive to recovery, and much more. As with anything worthwhile, of course there are hardships – but there are also many, many bountiful positive elements to recovery as well. The more you focus on these positive elements, the greater the opportunity you have of bringing them into your life; in a very basic sense, it’s about the mindset that you hold. Your perceptions influence your actions, and your actions influence what leaves and comes into your life. According to the University of Pennsylvania, positive psychology is important to look at because it draws on individual and community strengths that bring about hope, resilience, strength, growth and more in realms of recovery, love, social relationships, work endeavors, and other life experiences. By focusing on positive psychology when it comes to recovery, we can tune into the strengths that we currently have – in doing this, we hold much higher chances of success. A 2014 study published in the journal East Asian Archives of Psychiatry sought to review past research on positive emotions and positive aspects of recovery such as “creativity, optimism, resilience, empathy, compassion, humor, and life satisfaction”. When it comes to mental illness recovery, these positive elements have been shown to increase the well-being of those with depression, substance use disorders (SUDs), psychosis, and much more. How can you incorporate these into your daily life? A major source of these positive elements is mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). All of these can provide you with healthier ways of thinking about and dealing with challenges of life such as distressing thoughts or situations. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Whether you’ve been with your significant other for a few weeks or a few years, addiction can find a way to sneak into your lives. Perhaps it started off with a little bit of drinking or drugs here and there – you both may have thought to yourself that as long as you do it every now and then, it should be fine. Over time, though, your use becomes a little more frequent, and you both begin using substances a little more than you originally planned to because you weren’t achieving the “high” you once experienced. This turns into dependency, which can eventually become an addiction for either one or both of you. Before you even know it, addiction has control over you in a way that you can’t explain nor keep up with. Addiction does happen in many relationships; sometimes it occurs with one partner, other times both experience it. No matter the situation, it does affect the relationship in major ways. It changes the dynamic between both partners, which can change everything if the right steps aren’t taken. A 2016 study published in Frontier Psychology emphasized that romantic love in and of itself is an addiction with symptoms of euphoria, tolerance, emotional and physical dependence, and more. Both love and addiction have similarities, both of which can affect one another. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) notes the following ways addiction can damage intimate relationships:

Stigmas have the propensity to hurt many people – those with mental illness and addiction are often stereotyped as being “crazy”, “manipulative”, “lazy”, and more. Whether perpetuated by depictions in the media or general misunderstandings, the fact is that stigmas hold people back rather than propel them to move forward and make decisions towards living happier, healthier lives. Much of what those with mental illness and addiction want is support – people who love them, support them, believe in them and want to them to succeed. Sometimes these individuals don’t provide these things to themselves, making support one of the most crucial factors to recovery. As stated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), stigmas cause individuals to feel shame about something that is out of their control. The best way that we can combat this is by changing the way we talk about mental illness and addiction altogether. A 2015 study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine emphasized that portraying those with mental illness and addiction as people who have successfully recovered after seeking treatment could be an excellent strategy to combat harsh depictions; when it comes to this population, Americans tend to focus more on the “problem person” than the “treated, recovered person”. If we emphasized that effective treatment is available, and that recovery is possible, consider how many more people would open up and be willing to seek help for their experiences. Previous research has shown that many individuals withhold from seeking help because they fear that nobody will truly care to help them – this depressing reality is often an effect of years of self-stigmatization, discrimination, bullying, and more. If you are a friend or family member of a loved one with mental illness or addiction, actively make the decision to promote their recovery. Rather than shame them, give them guidance and tools on seeking the help they need. Be there to support them through the process. Not only could this support motivate them to seek treatment – it could save their life. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today. Recovery is possible, and it’s never too late.

As one of the most popular psychiatric, sedative-hypnotic prescription drugs in the United States, Valium, also generically known as diazepam, has been used for the treatment of anxiety, seizures, muscle spasms, symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, and more. A member of the drug classified benzodiazepine family, Valium works to “numb” the central nervous system. It has become used recreationally to give users a euphoric, calm “high” feeling. However, the drug itself can be very addictive and has been known to produce very painful withdrawal effects. The following are some of the most common side effects associated with this drug for short-term use:

Recovery is a time to focus on your self-care and well-being, but that doesn’t mean that you must neglect your significant other and/or family. While it’s best for people to take some much-needed time to focus on themselves, the health of your romantic relationship depends on whether your partner is supportive of your recovery, if they are focused on their health and well-being too, if they are a great partner to you, and more. Some people find that their romantic partner isn’t the best fit for them when they’re in recovery, mainly because they aren’t supportive or because they pose a risk to the person’s mental and/or physical health. If you want to maintain a healthy relationship with your significant other while you’re focused on your recovery, there are a several things that will need to take place: