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“It’s in the class of drugs called benzodiazepines, also known as muscle relaxants or anxiolytics,” he says. Nonmedical use of opioids and benzodiazepines like Xanax has been a serious and risky feature of the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic. More than 30 percent of opioid overdoses involve benzodiazepines, according to NIDA. Drinking alcohol on top of these drugs is even more harmful and too common. People who take prescription opioids to treat pain may mix these drugs with Xanax, which increases their risk of accidental overdose.
- These drugs are made in illicit labs and sold for recreational use.
- Outpatient rehab programs allow you to continue living at home while attending scheduled treatment sessions.
Taking XANAX late in pregnancy may cause your baby to have symptoms of sedation and/or withdrawal symptoms.
Over time, this can result in tolerance, wherein the individual needs higher doses to achieve the desired effects. This increased use can lead to addiction, and quitting the drug abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms, making it difficult to stop using Xanax without professional support. Xanax abuse often begins when individuals take more than the prescribed dose or use the drug without a prescription. The calming effects of benzodiazepine can be appealing, leading to a cycle of misuse and dependence. As one of the most widely-prescribed medications in the United States, understanding the long-term effects of Xanax abuse is vital for both healthcare providers and patients.
Xanax Addiction Rehab
Examples include Prezista (darunavir) and Noxafil (posaconazole). If you need to take one of these drugs, your doctor will likely have you stop your Xanax treatment with a taper first. You’ll likely start by taking Xanax 0.25-mg or 0.5-mg tablets three times daily. If you respond well to the drug, your doctor may then increase your dosage slowly. The maximum dosage recommended by the drugmaker is a total of 4 mg daily. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug heroin addiction work.) Xanax belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines.
- “They help when symptoms arise, but will not affect the background tendency for anxiety or panic to recur,” he says.
- The first and most crucial step is to educate yourself about Xanax addiction and its effects.
- However, its prevalence has raised concerns, as misuse and overprescription have become significant issues.
What else should I know about alprazolam?
Problematic use of Xanax, including recreational use, has contributed to rising rates of dependency and overdose. Over time, the brain becomes tolerant to Xanax, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effects, which results in physical and psychological dependence. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that work by enhancing the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain, producing a calming effect. Xanax is commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders, making it one of the most well-known medications in this category. Valium is used for muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures in addition to anxiety, according to RxList, whereas Xanax is primarily used for anxiety and panic disorders.
What is Xanax Withdrawal?
These findings underscore the importance of careful monitoring and limiting the duration of Xanax prescriptions to mitigate the risk of addiction. Furthermore, individuals who experience chronic pain or sleep disorders misuse Xanax in an attempt to enhance pain relief or induce sleep despite it not being specifically prescribed for these purposes. When struggling with addiction, anxiety, or panic disorder, it’s important to receive proper treatment to increase the chances of long-term recovery. One effective approach is participating in a Dual Diagnosis Treatment program. These programs offer a comprehensive plan to simultaneously address addiction and mental health disorders.
They will also assess your risk from time to time while you’re taking the drug. If you suddenly reduce your dose of benzodiazepines or stop taking them — even if you’ve been using them as prescribed by a doctor — you could have withdrawal symptoms. The longer you’ve been taking the drugs, the higher your risk for this. This medication can help people who struggle with anxiety or panic attacks function better in their daily lives.
Warning Signs of a Xanax Addiction
While both drugs carry risks of addiction and overdose, Xanax has a higher potential for abuse and dependence, according to Healthline. The withdrawal timeline of Xanax is characterized by a series of physical and psychological phases that vary in intensity. Withdrawal begins within hours of reducing or stopping Xanax use, with symptoms peaking around the second day. The timeline lasts anywhere from a few days to several weeks, with some individuals experiencing prolonged symptoms known as protracted withdrawal. Medical supervision is recommended for safe management during Xanax withdrawal, as abrupt cessation leads to life-threatening complications, including seizures. In the United States, benzodiazepine misuse, including Xanax, is a major public health concern.
- This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal.
- Do not take alprazolam unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider.
- Misuse means taking a drug in a way that’s different from how your medical professional recommended you take it.
- Those who become addicted to Xanax will not be able to stop taking the drug on their own, even if they want to.
- Examples of opioids include oxycodone (Oxycontin, Roxicodone) and morphine (Kadian, MS Contin).
With panic disorder, you become afraid of having more panic attacks. This can make you avoid situations or places you feel may trigger a panic attack, which can lead to agoraphobia. The half-life of a drug is the length of time it takes for half a dose of the drug to be removed from your body.
