Why won’t my doctor help me with my Valium addiction? The short answer? Because they can’t. Doctors are forbidden by federal law to aid or abet a known drug addiction. They are allowed to taper a patient off an addictive drug that was prescribed for a legitimate medical reason, yes, but once you admit addiction, you have crossed a legal line. Your doctor cannot legally help you by prescribing a drug he or she knows or should have known you’re addicted to. The law seems to hold doctors as some sort of all-knowing beings, responsible not just for what they know to be fact but also for what they “should have known.”
Doctors cannot prescribe addictive drugs to addicts. That’s the law in all states, no exceptions except for doctors working at methadone clinics, in emergency rooms and for those doctors with a DEA waiver. Doctors in emergency rooms are allowed to prescribe or admminister a single dose of Suboxone to an admitted opioid addict to get them out of withdrawal. This treats the immediate problem of withdrawal symptoms. After that, the patient must seek treatment from an authorized Suboxone doctor. Of course, doctors working in licensed methadone clinics may dispense methadone as per state law.
Suboxone Doctors
Suboxone doctors have what is called a waiver or X-number. This means the doctor has taken the required DEA course and is allowed to prescribe Suboxone. The X-number refers to the X in front of the DEA registration number on the doctor’s prescription pad. Although these doctors are authorized to prescribe an addictive drug to addicts, there are still limitations. Suboxone doctors are limited to a certain number of Suboxone patients at one time, commonly no more than 100. This is stupid. Why give the doctor authority to help opioid addicts and then tie his or her hands with a patient quota? This means less people will get the help they need, especially in more rural areas where doctors in general may be in short supply.
Valium Withdrawal
Valium is a benzodiazepine, one of the first of its kind, developed in the early 1960s and available on the market since about 1962 or so. It’s a tranquilizer far more specific and far, far safer than the barbiturates it mostly replaced. Its addiction potential is probably less than that of the opioids, but it’s definitely addictive and one thing is sure: Withdrawal from all benzodiazepines is highly unpleasant and potentially life-threatening. Never, never attempt withdrawal on your own. It’s not safe. You’ll need medical supervision to safely stop this drug, and you’ll need to seek help at a detox unit for this. It may well be outpatient as not all benzodiazepine addictions require inpatient treatment. It will depend on your physical health and the level of your addiction. Only a drug treatment professional can accurately assess these factors. Your Valium prescribing doctor is not only forbidden by law to treat your admitted addiction but is likely not qualified to do so.
You Doctor may be Able to Help
That said, doctors are familiar with drug taper programs. If you simply say that you’d like to safely discontinue the drug and don’t mention addiction your doctor can legally help you do this. If your addiction level is lower and you’re otherwise healthy, this may be an option in some cases. The idea is to slowly withdraw the drug over time. It’s not a contest to see how fast you can reduce your dose. The slower you go down in dose, the better and safer it is. If it takes six months, then it does. If it takes a year, so be it. It is what it is. Benzodiazepine addiction is a serious matter. Not only will the symptoms be extremely unpleasant, they could kill you. Accept that it took time to become addicted. It will take time to become drug-free, too.
Seek Drug Rehab Immediately
Whether you choose the detox or doctor withdrawal method, you will need further drug rehab treatment to remain clean. Although accidental physical dependencies do occur with benzodiazepines, if you’re addicted and not merely physically dependent, you will need help to stop in the long run. If you don’t seek rehab treatment, the life factors that let to your addiction will also lead to your relapse. Once you’re off the Valium, make sure you get some type of drug rehab counseling and treatment.
Need Help?
We’re experts in drug treatment for all types of addictive drugs. We’ve seen lots of Valium addictions, and we know how to help. Just call us anytime at 833-610-1174 for some treatment solutions that really work.