Caution On Psychoactive Drugs
Diazepam, a benzodiazepine drug, is a popular sedative or tranquilizer. People are familiar with its brand name Valium. It targets brain receptors to release gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA serves as an inhibitor in between nerves causing sedation or less excitability in the brain. This is relatively helpful to patients who suffer from psychological disorders like anxiety and muscle tremors from tetanus infection.
Seizures and convulsions are also controlled with the use of this drug. Diazepam is also recommended before surgical treatments to relieve anxiety to children as well as uncooperative adult patients. It has also been discovered that the use of this drug helps in reducing the withdrawal symptoms felt by alcohol addicts. At minimal doses, diazepam eases pain associated with withdrawal.
Medications are always advised to be used with caution because of certain side effects to the body. Individuals who use diazepam must be sure that they have no allergies to this medication. Other probable side-effects could include fatigue, drowsiness, and loss of balance. These symptoms are often felt 24 hours after intake. Honesty is essential during doctor’s consultation for you guided properly and prevent the negative effects.
Prolonged use of diazepam can cause drug tolerance and just like opiate drugs, this drug can be addictive. Patients who use this medication for long term treatment are likely to develop addiction. While general effects of the drug is to relax muscles and brain activity, overdose of the drug produces otherwise. It becomes a stimulant when combined with heroin use. Prolonged users of the drug will have difficulty in stopping because withdrawals from the abuse of diazepam can be painful and hard to go through. Gradual decrease of intake until stopped is advised when addiction has been obtained. Recognizing of the addiction is one factor in finding a remedy to this problem.
Unlike other addictive medicines, diazepam would take few weeks or even months to develop tolerance and addiction and it depends on the dose and mode of administration. Withdrawal symptoms may vary as well according to the degree of addiction. Experiencing withdrawal effects can be fatal that’s why a sudden stop isn’t recommended. Some of these symptoms include apprehension, restlessness, fearfulness, muscle stiffness, sensitivity to light and headaches.
Serious withdrawal symptoms are vomiting, delirium, panic attacks, seizures, convulsions, hypertension and even death. It’s important that you aware about treatment for an addiction from diazepam and visit treatment facilities to prevent such addiction.
