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Librium is the brand name for a prescription benzodiazepine known as chlordiazepoxide. Medical professionals prescribe it for short-term anxiety management and use it to treat alcohol withdrawal. Despite its medicinal uses, it is possible to get addicted to Librium.
If you or a loved one abuse Librium, you might be wondering how long it stays in your system. Knowing this information could help you determine when withdrawal symptoms will arise, if it is safe to take another dose, or whether you will pass a drug test.
Librium has a half-life of 24 to 48 hours.[1] This means it can stay in your system for 5 to 10 days. Drug tests can detect Librium for longer periods because it leaves behind metabolites in certain areas of your body.
In this article, you will learn:
- What are the Effects of Librium?
- What Librium’s half-life is
- How long Librium can be detected on drug tests
What are the Effects of Librium (Chlordiazepoxide)?
Librium is a benzodiazepine, which slows down the central nervous system and affects gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to produce calmness and sedation. This is why it is effective in managing the symptoms of anxiety. However, these effects can lead to an intense high that is habit-forming and addictive.
The side effects of Librium may include:[2]
- Dizziness and drowsiness
- Feelings of euphoria
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Weakness
- Dry mouth
- Upset stomach and diarrhea
- Mental confusion
- Changes in appetite
If you or a loved one abuse Librium, it’s time to seek professional help. The Mandala Healing Center can offer you the tools and support you need to achieve long-term sobriety.
What is Librium’s Half-Life?
To understand how long Librium stays in your system, you need to know what a half-life is. A drug’s half-life explains how long it takes for half of a substance to be eliminated from the body. It can take up to 4 to 5 half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from your system.
Librium’s half-life is between 24 to 48 hours.[1] Because of this, it could take anywhere from 5 to 10 days for your body to rid itself of Librium. The exact length of time it remains in your system depends on a variety of factors, including metabolism speed, overall health, liver function, how long you were taking Librium, and more.
While Librium is out of your system by 10 days after your last dose, detection windows for drug tests might be longer.
How Long Can Drug Tests Detect Librium?
How long Librium is detectable on a drug test depends on what type of test is being used.
Urine
Urine tests are the most popular because they are minimally invasive and relatively cheap to use. You might take a urine drug test in a probation office, during drug rehab, or before being offered a job.
Drug tests can detect Librium in urine for one to 6 weeks after your last dose. The longer you’ve been abusing Librium, the longer you will test positive.
Blood
Blood tests are not used as often as urine screens because they are invasive, requiring a blood draw to be analyzed. Additionally, they tend to offer a shorter window of detection. That said, you might be given a blood test when you are in the hospital and samples of your blood have already been taken.
Blood tests can find Librium in your system for 30 hours to 48 hours after your last use.
Saliva
Saliva tests are not as reliable as urine tests, so they aren’t used as commonly. However, they are convenient for law enforcement officers who are conducting field sobriety tests.
Saliva tests can find Librium in your system for 1 to 10 days after your last dose.
Hair
Lastly, hair tests offer the longest window of detection out of any other drug screening tool. That said, medical professionals do not approve of them because they can provide discriminatory results based on factors like hair color. Despite this, some high-security clearance jobs use them before offering employment.
Hair follicle drug tests can detect Librium in your system for up to 90 days after you last used it.
Find Help for Librium Abuse and Addiction
If you or a loved one abuse Librium, it’s time to seek professional help. Librium addiction can be incredibly difficult to overcome, especially on your own. Thankfully, drug rehab programs like the Mandala Healing Center are here to support you.
Why Choose The Mandala Healing Center? Clients are taken on a journey of healing through complete immersion into evidence-based clinical modalities, multifaceted alternative therapies, and expert medical management, allowing them to fully detox and recover from drug and alcohol addictions. Through a program of care designed to encourage change, a foundation is created that allows clients to find their higher purpose and reclaim their lives.
The Mandala Healing Center offers medical detox, individual therapy, group counseling, and relapse prevention planning to help you overcome addiction. Contact us today for more information on how our Librium addiction treatment center works.
References:
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Librium Label
- Medline Plus: Chlordiazepoxide
