These drugs slow down your central nervous system, cause sedation and muscle relaxation, and lower anxiety levels. Often used to treat anxiety or insomnia, they’re some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the U.S. But they can be addictive, especially if you take them every day or use them long-term. If you have any undiagnosed or improperly treated mental health conditions like an anxiety disorder, a facility that offers dual diagnosis care can improve your health and help you grow in recovery. These programs normally include behavioral therapy, which can teach you how to think, act, and react differently to situations that would have triggered you to use drugs in the past.
Before taking alprazolam,
Xanax is also used to treat panic disorders with or without a fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment (agoraphobia). Yes, CBT and DBT teach individuals healthy coping skills to manage anxiety without relying on benzodiazepines. Therapy provides long-term solutions for emotional well-being. Keep reading to learn more about Xanax addiction, how people can treat it, and how to reduce the risk of misusing the medication again in the future.
Accessible drug containers and labels
You’ll usually stop feeling the effects of Xanax before the drug is fully cleared from your system. For this reason, you’ll likely take Xanax three times per day. The half-life of Xanax can be used to figure out how long the drug stays in your body.
Are Benzodiazepines Legal?
To help lower your risk of withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose when you stop taking Xanax. If you have hangover-like symptoms when stopping Xanax treatment, talk with your doctor. This means it takes about 2.5 days for Xanax to be fully removed from your body. However, the exact amount of time you’ll have Xanax in your Oxford House system depends on various factors.
Frequently asked questions about alprazolam
(An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Xanax belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. During treatment with alprazolam, the consumption of alcohol and other drugs that inhibit the excitation of the central nervous system should be avoided, since they potentiate its adverse effects. In patients with hepatic or renal insufficiency, it is important to control the doses to avoid any accumulation of the drug in the body and, therefore, adverse effects. If you have any symptoms of withdrawal from Xanax, tell your medical professional right away. They’ll monitor your condition closely to help prevent your symptoms from becoming worse.
- Talk to the pharmacist for proper disposal of leftover or expired medication.
- It’s important to follow a healthcare provider’s instructions for dosage and adjustments.
- This is because the drug dose has to be tapered slowly over time.
- If you no longer need to take Xanax and have leftover medication, it’s important to dispose of it safely.
Xanax addiction is a physical and psychological dependence on the medication alprazolam, commonly prescribed for anxiety and panic disorders. This eventually results in dependence, where the body becomes reliant on Xanax to function normally. As dependence develops, withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, tremors, and seizures occur if the drug use is reduced or stopped, as studied by Drugs.com. The process of addiction is driven by the drug’s effect on the brain’s GABA receptors, which induce calming effects, making the drug desirable and reinforcing the cycle of misuse. For instance, individuals with anxiety disorders develop a dependency on Xanax as a way to alleviate their chronic stress or panic attacks. This, in turn, leads to increased use and eventual addiction.
How to Help Someone with a Xanax Addiction?
Click on the state you are interested in, and you’ll get a list of the best centers in the area, along with their levels of care, working hours, and contact information. Call the toll-free helpline below for professional assistance. Xanax overdose causes central nervous system (CNS) depression, which is a direct result of the drug’s effect on reduced neuronal excitability.
Benzodiazepine addiction is a growing concern in the United States, with around 30% of opiate overdose deaths also involving drugs like Xanax. Xanax, even at recommended doses, has a risk of overdose and death, especially when combined with opiates like heroin or oxycodone, alcohol, street drugs or other central nervous system depressants. This can lead to severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma and death. Yes, Xanax can cause physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. You may have serious or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if you stop using this medicine suddenly. Do not stop using Xanax without talking to your doctor first., as you may need to slowly stop (taper) this medicine over a period of time.
Worsening Anxiety
- While effective when used as directed, Xanax carries a high risk of addiction and dependence, especially when misused.
- It’s common to have anxiety about the stresses of everyday life.
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- This hyperpolarizes the neuronal membrane, effectively dampening neural activity.
Doctors may prescribe this medication to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Having an addiction to a substance, such as Xanax or alcohol, is what experts refer to as a substance use disorder (SUD). If a person has an addiction to Xanax, they are unable to stop taking it, despite negative consequences. Mental health evaluations are integral to understanding co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, that contribute to or result from Xanax addiction. These assessments involve interviews and validated screening tools, helping clinicians develop a holistic treatment plan tailored to the individual’s needs.
Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The main difference between Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam) lies in their onset of action and half-life. Xanax has a rapid onset and a shorter half-life of about 11 hours, while Valium has a much longer half-life, ranging from hours, providing extended effects. In a 12-month period between 2014 and 2015, more than 5 million people in the U.S. reported they had misused benzodiazepines.
