Can You Inject Valium?
Those who inject Valium without the help of a medical professional are at serious risk of dangerous and life-threatening side effects.
Valium, the brand name for the sedative drug diazepam (a benzodiazepine), is most commonly used to treat anxiety-related disorders and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. The prescription medication might also be used to prevent muscle spasms and seizures. When used to treat seizures, it will never be used as a long-term solution, as it is both extremely potent and potentially habit-forming. It will be suggested that the medication is taken at the onset of a serious seizure (such as grand mal). Most individuals are prescribed this specific drug for the short term, seeing as most cannot take it safely for an extended period.
Valium affects the central nervous and slows down brain processing, leading to feelings of relaxation and reduced anxiety. If Valium is ever injected by a medical professional, it will be injected before surgery or another invasive medical procedure to alleviate feelings of anxiety and relax the muscles and the mind. A doctor will never suggest that Valium is taken intravenously in a home setting. If you or someone you love has been using Valium by injection, this is a good indication that there is a serious substance abuse disorder present and that professional addiction treatment should be immediately sought.
Why Inject Valium?
Those who inject prescription medications to be taken orally generally do so because they want to feel the effects more quickly. Once an addiction – any addiction – progresses, certain symptoms will develop. One of the more common symptoms is tolerance, meaning more drugs will be needed for the same effect to be produced. Those struggling with a Valium addiction might begin taking two oral tablets rather than one, for example, and eventually progress to three and then four.
If tolerance builds too much, the individual might turn to a different method of ingestion entirely, such as nasal ingestion (snorting a crushed-up tablet) or intravenous use (injecting a crushed-up tablet directly into the vein). Valium also comes in liquid form, which is used for administering the drug intravenously in a professional setting (such as directly before major surgery or in the event of significant and life-threatening symptoms of alcohol withdrawal). Those who inject Valium without the help of a medical professional are at serious risk of dangerous and life-threatening side effects. Many dangers coincide with intravenous drug use – the most lethal being accidental overdose. Accidental Valium overdose is common when injected directly into the bloodstream.
Valium Addiction Treatment
Below are several common complications that could result from intravenous drug use:
- Needle tracks and scarring. It is estimated that around 50 percent of all intravenous drug users will still have scarring at the points of injection up to five years after drug use ceases.
- Endocarditis. This severe physical symptom occurs when an individual engages in repetitive intravenous drug use, one characterized by the interior lining of the heart becoming inflamed. This can lead to more severe heart-related issues.
- Abscesses. Those who use Valium intravenously are prone to skin infections, likely to recur and last for an indefinite amount of time. Abscesses are extremely painful and must often be treated by a medical professional. Otherwise, they can lead to more severe infections and additional health-related issues.
- Certain transmittable diseases, such as HIV or Hepatitis. Sharing needles is one of the predominant causes of diseases like HIV and AIDS. Hepatitis is also a common side effect of intravenous Valium use.
- Overdose and overdose-related death. Injecting any drug directly into the bloodstream increases the risk of death by overdose significantly.
At Absolute Awakenings, we understand the severity of intravenous drug use and are available to help. Our comprehensive drug addiction recovery program focuses on those abusing prescription sedatives and other prescription medications. If you or someone you love has been abusing Valium and is searching for a quality level of clinical care in Southern Florida, give us a call today, and we will help get you started on your journey of Valium addiction recovery as soon as possible.
References
- Valium: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Warnings. Drugs.com. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://www.drugs.com/valium.html
- Bounds CG, Nelson VL. Benzodiazepines. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2022. Accessed January 20, 2023. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470159/
- Definition of drug tolerance – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms – NCI. Published February 2, 2011. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/drug-tolerance
