Librium isn’t as well-known as other benzodiazepines, but it has its place in treating several addictions. However, Librium itself has the potential to be abused, although it’s a lot less if taken under the guidance of a medical professional. But Librium is only one of the entire class of drugs known as benzodiazepines or “benzos” in slang. These chemicals have changed how society functions at a fundamental level and has led to untold suffering because of the impact these chemicals have had on people’s lives and livelihoods. Some of the benzos have been quite helpful. When they were first discovered in the 1920s, doctors and pharmacists alike hailed them as wonder drugs.
During that time, doctors would use morphine or heroin as a painkiller. Unfortunately, the side effects of these drugs (addiction, most prevalently) became evident, and doctors started to hold back on administering them. When benzodiazepines came onto the scene, doctors were desperate for something to treat chronic pain without the same addiction potential as morphine or heroin. Doctors prescribed these medicines to patients for a time, and they were even sold in over-the-counter pills. However, it became clear after some time that they were just as addictive (if not more so) than the drugs they attempted to replace. This realization curtailed their regular use, but the damage was already done. All across the country, individuals who were dependent on these drugs participated in a vibrant black market that continues to this day.
Librium Uses, Dependence, and Addiction
While Librium has its benefits, it’s still a benzodiazepine, which means it can be addictive. Librium has legitimate uses. Some of these uses include treating conditions such as anxiety and insomnia. When legitimate users start feeling the euphoric effects of Librium, they sometimes crave more of that sensation. However, to get that feeling, they need to take more of the drug. The unfortunate side effect is that the person’s brain starts to rewire itself to make Librium (or any other benzo) a crucial part of its functioning. When someone gets to that point, they are said to be dependent. However, being dependent on a drug doesn’t necessarily mean someone is addicted to it.
Addiction is a brain disease that makes someone do things that they wouldn’t do in search of a drug they’re dependent on. Someone can be dependent on Librium without becoming addicted. However, the longer they remain dependent, the more the urge to increase the dosage continues until they start making questionable decisions to get the substance. When someone becomes addicted to Librium, they may look around for doctors to get prescriptions for the drugs with no questions asked. Forging prescriptions may follow when they can no longer get their regular doctor to play along with them. This illegality may continue in buying black-market drugs and lying about their drug use. Addiction and dependency stem from how Librium interacts with the brain.
How Does Librium Work?
Within our brains are chemicals known as neurotransmitters. One of these neurotransmitters is a chemical known as GABA. GABA is an inhibitor – its action slows down the natural transmission of signals across the brain. When someone takes Librium, they increase the effect of GABA, making the brain slow down. Its use in anxiety treatment comes from this property, ensuring that the fear centers in the brain aren’t stimulated to bring about an anxious reaction. Typically, people may see results from taking Librium for anxiety within the first few days, but several weeks of controlled doses are necessary for maximum benefit.
The continued dosage of Librium as a means of dealing with anxiety is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, Librium helps someone control their anxiety easily. However, on the other hand, continued taking of the medication may lead to addiction. While usually manufactured as a pill, the contents can be dissolved in water and injected for a more rapid entry into the bloodstream. It can stick around in the body for anywhere between five and thirty hours. However, the effects may not happen immediately after taking the drug, and it has been used in slow-release therapies, like treating alcohol addiction.
How does Librium Work in Alcohol Detox?
Librium’s use as a treatment for alcohol addiction is well-known at this point. One of the acute side effects of alcohol withdrawal is anxiety, which Librium is already used to treat. Taking Librium in recommended doses can manage this symptom of quitting alcohol, but at the same time, calm the person enough so they can get some sleep. In some cases, alcohol withdrawal can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, as well as a loss of appetite. Since detox is such a taxing affair on a person’s body, having an appetite is crucial to ensuring the body has the energy to cope with the withdrawal. Librium may stimulate an appetite in some individuals and urge them to eat again, so they don’t collapse from nutrient loss.
However, controlled dosage of Librium is necessary to ensure that a person doesn’t become addicted to it while trying to quit alcohol. As with all other benzos, taking it can be a risk, but helping to deal with alcohol detox symptoms is definitely worth the chance. Librium should never be taken unsupervised for any purpose. This condition is partially why recovering persons should avoid home detox for alcohol addiction.
Librium for Benzo Detox
Some facilities use Librium for benzo detox because it’s a benzodiazepine itself but far less addictive than others that a person may be on. Getting off a benzodiazepine safely requires a controlled reduction in the amount of the substance that the person uses. Unfortunately, cutting off the substance wholly or letting the person continue to use it may result in adverse health effects.
A smart way around this problem is to use a benzodiazepine that’s not as addictive as others and may also have less severe withdrawal symptoms when the person stops taking it.
Librium is one of the drugs that facilities use to help deal with benzo addiction. Librium is similar in composition to other benzos and affects the same regions in the brain. However, the euphoric effects of such a chemical are far reduced from other more potent benzodiazepines.
Most patients who use Librium to taper off their benzo consumption claim that the drug helps them feel “normal.” However, the drug needs to be taken under medical supervision to avoid the recovering person becoming hooked on Librium after quitting the other substance. If someone starts using Librium for alcohol detox or benzo detox at home, they may end up addicted to it and need to seek professional care.
Librium Detox Regime
Breaking the Librium habit starts with detoxification. Like any other benzo, Librium detox in an unsupervised environment is risky. A Librium detox regime that helps patients taper their usage off over time is best, but it requires strict observation from a facility’s staff. Usually, when someone comes in for Librium detox, the facility asks a few questions to help them determine the level of addiction and if they’ve been using other drugs alongside this one. Librium has a reputation for being used alongside other medications to produce a more intense effect. Determining what other drugs are being used helps to tailor the Librium detox regime to a particular individual.
Detox is essentially controlled withdrawal from the substance. In this case, several withdrawal symptoms are likely to show up throughout the person’s break with the substance. Some of these symptoms are:
- Lack of appetite
- Nausea/vomiting
- Hyperactive senses
- Hallucinations
- Depression
- Seizures
- Psychosis
- Tremors
- Agitation
- Craving for the drug
- Sweating
- Irritability
- High blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
These symptoms will usually start within twenty-four hours of a person’s last dose of Librium. Over the course of the next few days, the person will feel these symptoms increase in intensity. Detoxing at home is dangerous since these symptoms can get out of hand and lead to a medical emergency. A side-effect of withdrawal is the appearance of rebound symptoms. During and after withdrawal, the disorders that Librium was used to treat may start showing up more prevalently. Sometimes, this re-emergence is more intense than the initial symptoms. Withdrawal can take weeks, but the feelings and urges may linger for months. Long-term psychological dependence on Librium may last even longer, but having therapy to help deal with these symptoms can help to limit their impact on a recovering person’s life.
Options for Librium Detox
Librium detox happens in facilities that cater to individuals who want to quit the substance. Typically, these facilities are staffed with trained medical professionals who can aid someone going through detox. In the case of Librium, having a medical professional deal with dosage and monitor the vital signs of a patient are crucial to the success of the treatment therapy. Librium detox facilities also have support in the form of counselors that will help someone deal with the long-term symptoms of Librium detox. One of those long-term symptoms is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
Individuals suffering from PAWS may experience psychological urges to take the drug long after the physical hold is broken with detox. PAWS can last between twelve and twenty-four months after detox but may linger for much longer without proper treatment. Detox facilities also offer counseling and behavioral therapies that can help a person cope with the long-term fallout of PAWS. One of these treatments is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). With CBT, a therapist helps a recovering person spot the thoughts that trigger negative actions, like falling back into use. By spotting these urges early, an individual can avoid having them impact their lives so spectacularly.
Treatment facilities are divided up into two broad categories:
Inpatient Facilities
At an inpatient facility, a person checks in and has medical staff monitor them around the clock. In extreme dependence, this approach is best, although it can be more expensive than the other option. During detox, these facilities offer a valuable, safe space where the recovering person can remain isolated from places that may provide them the drug to ease their addiction symptoms.
After detox, inpatient facilities offer psychological support for dealing with PAWS. The downsides of these facilities are the cost and the lack of social interaction with peers. Inpatient facilities are strict about visits and about what can be brought into the location. This condition exists for the safety of patients and staff alike but makes it difficult for the recovering person to retain their relationships. They also can’t hold down a job since they are required to be within the facility at all times.
Outpatient Facilities
Outpatient facilities offer much of the same treatment as inpatient facilities, but with a significant difference. Patients at an outpatient facility don’t stay at the facility. As a result, the cost of treatment is lowered. Unfortunately, the risk of relapse is much higher than in an inpatient facility. The recovering individual needs to visit the facility regularly for therapy and counseling when involved with outpatient treatment. They benefit from freedom of movement outside of the facility, meaning they can hold down a job and keep their social links intact.
However, the temptation to fall back into use is much stronger because of their surroundings. People who opt for outpatient treatment prefer to let detox and therapy have a lower impact on their lives, but they have to be extra careful not to fall back into use.
Choosing a Librium Detox Facility
Librium detox is a necessary part of treatment. Breaking the physical hold that Librium has on a person’s body opens the door to more long-term treatment. However, because Librium and other benzos are so easy to get in California, having a suitable facility to support you in your journey is crucial to its success. Divine Detox has been involved in helping hundreds of our patients recover. Our facility offers treatment for a wide range of recovery options. Our staff is trained to handle the physical and mental effects of withdrawal as part of the detox process. We believe that addiction is an individual thing, and as such, we take a very personal approach to treating our patients. Won’t you join us? We’ll be glad to guide you as you walk the road to recovery. Call us today.