During the 1970s, a new drug addiction problem began to pop up at hospitals and psychiatric treatment centers throughout the United States.  The drug was Valium – a powerful prescription sleeping pill. It was being abused by housewives and working women who needed to escape the boredom of their everyday lives or “take the edge off” after a hard day.  In the years that followed, Valium would come in and out style but the problem always remained just below the surface.   Today, Valium rehab is not as heavily attended as it once was, but those men and women who develop an addiction to the drug still need treatment in order to regain control of their lives.

Detox During Valium Rehab

The first stage or one of the Valium rehab options is detox.   Lasting anywhere between one to two weeks, Valium detox is a chance for the individual to cleanse her system of harmful toxins found in the drug.   During Valium detoxification, the individual may experience a number of uncomfortable detox withdrawal symptoms.    Withdrawal usually has its onset in the first 72 hours after the individual has stopped taking Valium.   The symptoms of withdrawal are not life-threatening, but they can cause enough discomfort that the individual may leave the program and/or relapse into Valium abuse. Symptoms include:

•                Insomnia

•                Diaphoresis

•                Tachycardia

•                Hypertension

•                Convulsions

•                Psychosis

•                Tremors

•                Cramps

•                Vomiting

•                Hyper-anxiety

Ironically, many of the withdrawal symptoms associated with Valium withdrawal mirror the same problems that cause the drug to be prescribed in the first place.

Valium Rehab Counseling

Once an individual has completed detoxification, they are free to begin addiction treatment counseling.   Valium addiction counseling deals with the core issues of why the individual started taking the drug originally.   What was it exactly about their daily lives that they felt the need to escape reality with a prescription sleeping medication?   During counseling, professionals work with the addicted individuals to identify “triggers” – environmental factors that brought about the Valium abuse and addiction.   The individual learns life strategies that he or she can then employ in order to remain clean and free of the drug’s grasp.

Valium Addiction Treatment Aftercare

Once Valium rehab is over, the individual still must cope with the daily challenges of re-entry into society.  Aftercare programs help aid in this transition in a number of different ways.

• Various 12-step programs. Ongoing programs such as Narcotics Anonymous hold regular meetings where the individual can come and talk with other recovering addicts about her experiences and the challenges she is still facing.  Even if there are no other recovering Valium addicts in the program, these meetings that can still provide help, hope and support.
• Follow up counseling. Sometimes, a recovering addict is in need of follow-up counseling in the weeks and months following treatment.   If the individual has been tempted to use Valium when she is having trouble sleeping, these counseling sessions can help her remember the reasons why this behavior was do damaging in the first place.
• Sober living homes. Often, a prescription drug addiction danger (such as one to Valium), can cost a person everything in her life that she holds dear, including her job or her ability to function in the “real world.”  A sober living rehab home is a place to live – among other recovering addicts – and begin this transition period.