You can also search for a treatment center close to where you live with the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. It’s a free online tool provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The manufacturers recommend decreasing the dosage by no more than 0.5 milligrams every 3 days. A doctor will determine the most appropriate discontinuation schedule for the individual, as the experience may differ from person to person. People can become physically dependent on Xanax, especially if they take the medication every day or very often.
Warning Signs Of A Xanax (Alprazolam) Addiction
It can be used safely and effectively when prescribed appropriately, after thoroughly evaluating the risks and benefits of treatment. Side effects are common, but often downplayed by patients, given its rapid onset of therapeutic action and unique reinforcing properties. Common complaints reported with varying frequency by patients treated with alprazolam include sedation, fatigue, ataxia, amnesia, slurred speech, poor concentration, hypersensitivity, and irritability. This type of treatment will involve check-ins at a facility a couple of times per week for therapy and medical health checks. Because you don’t live at the treatment facility, it’s common for drug abuse counselors to give you random drug tests to ensure you’re on the right track.
- If you or someone you care about is struggling with an addiction to Xanax, you don’t have to fight the battle alone.
- Long-term use of Xanax can lead to tolerance, a state in which the user no longer responds to the substance in the same way, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
- With this combined form of treatment, users can take charge of their lives again.
- If you — or your loved one — are ready to get treatment, it may be helpful to reach out to a supportive friend or family member for support.
- The drug decreases the level of excitement in the brain to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
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Those suffering from Xanax addiction and abuse frequently combine the substance with alcohol or other pills — particularly opiates — to get a better high. Alcohol is particularly dangerous when mixed with Xanax because they are both depressants; combining the two can lead to an overdose and respiratory failure. If a user wishes to stop taking Xanax after dependence on the drug has formed, it is not recommended to quit “cold turkey” or without medical supervision.
Xanax Effects
However, the non-medical use of Xanax does come with risks, including the threat of sudden death in some individuals. If someone you love is addicted to Xanax, you should encourage them to get help by having a calm, serious discussion about specific behaviors and consequences of their drug use. If a one on one conversation isn’t effective, you may want to plan a formal intervention.
Effects on the body and mind
The United States government classifies benzodiazepines — including alprazolam — as Schedule IV controlled substances in the Controlled Substances Act due to their potential for misuse. Xanax works by increasing the effects of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which promotes calmness and produces a relaxed feeling. The drug decreases the level of excitement in the brain to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Therefore, treating Xanax addiction usually involves a gradual reduction in the amount of the substance ingested. Tapering the dose instead of suddenly stopping Xanax reduces the risk of serious withdrawal symptoms, makes relapse less likely, and ensures that the individual has plenty of social support. To learn more about the treatment process, review our guide to Xanax rehabilitation, which provides comprehensive information on the entire process.
Mixing Xanax With Alcohol and Other Drugs
This is because the body has difficulty metabolizing the two substances simultaneously, allowing more of each substance to remain active in the body for a more extended period. This can lead to a dangerous level of central nervous system depression, and a hazardous build-up of Xanax in the system, which can result in liquid marijuana alcohol drink severe cardiovascular or respiratory complications, including coma and death. Combining Xanax with other substances can also lead to hostility, anger, and impulsive behavior, as well as to severely impaired cognitive abilities so that the user is unable to think clearly, make logical choices, or govern their actions.
Though alprazolam is effective in medical settings, it can create an addictive “high” that can lead to abuse of the drug, even among those who began taking it with legitimate prescriptions. Ask your doctor more about the differences between physical maverick house sober living dependence and drug addiction, and your risk factors when taking Xanax. It also can also cause withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt discontinuation, which may lead to a pattern of continued drug use and higher doses to help alleviate symptoms.
Xanax also allows more dopamine, a natural chemical that transmits messages between nerve cells, to enter the brain. As a result, some users experience a sense of euphoria, increasing the potential for misuse. This guide explains the effects, trends, and dangers of Xanax use, as well as an unbiased analysis of the medicinal and behavioral treatment methods for Xanax addiction based on current research and publically available statistics. In some cases, usage statistics are derived from general prescription tranquilizer use, which includes Xanax, Librium, Klonopin, and Ativan, or from general prescription benzodiazepine use. As of 2016, Xanax was the 19th most prescribed medication in the United States, with over 27 million prescriptions. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, roughly two million Americans aged 12 and older indicated that they misused Xanax and other tranquilizers during the past year, representing approximately 0.7% of the population.
The review found that the onset of the anxiolytic effect was significantly more rapid for alprazolam compared with amitriptyline, and its antipanic effect was significantly more rapid compared with propranolol and imipramine. Alprazolam is relatively more toxic than other benzodiazepines in overdose. Alprazolam has been consistently found to approximate the magnitude of anxiolytic effect of other comparable benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are implicated in approximately one-third of intentional maverick sober living overdoses or suicide attempts (Henderson et al., 1993). In another study of patients with panic disorder, neither anxiolytic tolerance nor daily dose increase was observed after 8 weeks of alprazolam treatment, with continued efficacy at 6 months (Schweizer et al., 1993). There is a subpopulation of patients exposed to benzodiazepines that is more likely to escalate their dose, mainly those with coexisting drug or alcohol use problem (Griffiths and Wolf, 1990; NICE, 2014).
Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Taking more than the prescribed dosage or using Xanax without a prescription is considered abuse of the drug. However, even those who follow a prescription can fall victim to Xanax addiction and abuse. After taking Xanax, the peak effects of the drug are typically felt within one to two hours. As an intermediate-duration drug, Xanax stays in a person’s system for 12 to 15 hours.