What is Valium Prescribed For?

Asking yourself, what is Valium prescribed for? Find out now.

Valium is a prescription medication also known as diazepam. This medication belongs to the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines or benzos for short. Examples of other benzos include Xanax and Ativan. The answer to what is valium prescribed for is anxiety, prevention of seizures, and to help those going through alcohol withdrawals sleep better and relieve anxiety. Sometimes, a doctor may prescribe the drug to reduce the incidence of uncomfortable muscle spasms.

Another common question is "Is Valium addictive?" While the medical community does not consider Valium as addictive as painkillers or some illegal drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, a person can become addicted to Valium. It's important to note that there is a difference between medical dependence and addiction. A person may be prescribed Valium to treat a medical condition, such as anxiety. Without Valium, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. However, this does not mean they are "addicted" to Valium. Those who are addicted to Valium may use it recreationally or start to use it other than as prescribed, such as taking larger doses or crushing or injecting the medication. Also, a person who suffers from Valium addiction will lose control over their drug abuse. Some of the signs of Valium addiction include:

• Withdrawal symptoms, such as tension, anxiety, sweating, nausea, headache, and muscle pain, when not using Valium
• Tolerance, where a person will take more and more of a drug to achieve the same effect
• Withdrawing from friends or family because symptoms of Valium abuse and preoccupation with taking Valium is taking over a person's life
• A person may experience financial difficulties due to trying to pay for illegal Valium purchases. They may even start stealing from friends or loved ones to support their habit.

While there are just some examples of symptoms associated with Valium addiction, they can indicate that a person may need to seek professional medical help to start to overcome their addiction.

How Is Valium Addictive?

When a person takes Valium, the drug works on their gamma-aminobuytric acid (GABA) receptors. These receptors are responsible for causing sedation, making a person feel more relaxed and calm. Doctors typically answer what is Valium prescribed for with the comment that Valium is intended for short-term use. However, with long-term use, a person's brain and body become reliant on the presence of Valium. When a person is addicted to Valium, they will experience strong cravings for the drug when they haven't taken one in a while. Their life starts to revolve around when they will use the drug again. Over time, a person cannot imagine their life without taking the drug.

Help for Valium Addiction

When a person stops taking Valium, they can experience many unwanted side effects. However, the most severe of these are that a person may start to experience a recurrence or worsening of a severe medical disorder, such as schizophrenia, mania, panic disorder, or seizures. Sometimes a person may mistakenly believe these withdrawal symptoms are a sign that they should take even more Valium. To help a person more accurately determine if they are experiencing Valium addiction or that they need further addiction treatment and help for withdrawals, a person should seek treatment at a drug addiction treatment center. There, a person can get help for withdrawal symptoms and develop habits and thoughts that help them live a life without Valium. For more information on Valium addiction and what is Valium prescribed for, please call Colorado Springs Drug Treatment Centers at 720.251.4738.