About 80% of older adults achieve abstinence, while about 25% of those with complicated addiction with polydrug use achieve abstinence. During Xanax detox, you would be monitored for signs of withdrawal, and you might need to receive treatment to alleviate and prevent harmful complications. substance dependence Additionally, some people are predisposed to substance addiction, possibly due to genetic factors and altered activity of neurotransmitters in the brain. Due to these risks, the FDA issued a boxed warning in 2016 against the concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids.
Keep this medicine in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away this Xanax may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your healthcare provider if you have abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs. This type of treatment will involve check-ins at a facility a couple of times per week for therapy and medical health checks.
Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective. You may have life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if you stop using the medicine suddenly after long-term use. You may benefit from one or more of these types of behavioral therapy. Upon leaving the treatment center, many people will pursue a 12-step recovery program to maintain abstinence or stabilization and maintenance. If you develop tolerance to Xanax, you may need to use higher doses to maintain a therapeutic effect. This can lead to excessively high dosing, intoxication, and, in some cases, drug-seeking behaviors.
What Is Xanax?
When opioids are combined with benzodiazepines, the risk of overdose, emergency department visits and death increases dramatically. During this stage, attempting to stop taking the drug seems like an unbearable challenge. People often recognize they drug addiction blog are dependent on Xanax but cannot stop taking the drug due to the severe withdrawal symptoms, which they can experience if they don’t take the drug. The time varies for each person and withdrawal symptoms vary depending on numerous factors.
- Unlike Valium, the most popular anti-anxiety drug during the 1970s, Xanax was marketed as the first drug to reduce panic attacks.
- Xanax should never be combined with other benzodiazepines like Valium, Klonopin or Ativan.
- Withdrawal from long-term Xanax addiction can last for up to two weeks, but symptoms slowly improve after the first few days.
Addiction is now classified as a substance use disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Edition 5 (DSM-5). Benzodiazepine use can be apparent if someone appears intoxicated or there is drug-seeking behavior, but the problem can also be well concealed. Once you’ve stopped taking Xanax or other benzodiazepines, there’s no additional medication to take. You might be prescribed other medication to treat depression, anxiety, or a sleep disorder.
How to Safely Taper Off Xanax and Recover from Addiction
If you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately. If you do not have access to a phone contact Web Poison Control Services for online assistance. Xanax produces its main effects by mimicking GABA, a neurotransmitter used by brain cells.
Sudden withdrawal from Xanax and other benzodiazepines may cause sweating, insomnia, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and shaking. These side effects may be more pronounced in individuals who have chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Combining Xanax with other substances can also intensify these unpleasant side effects. Many people who became addicted to the drug live in recovery after completing a rehabilitation or teletherapy program and now live a healthier life, free from Xanax abuse.
Xanax abuse can cause a number of disorienting symptoms in the user, including sleepiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. Because of these effects, you want to approach a person who is abusing it while they are sober. Addiction can also affect the person’s personal relationships. Addicted individuals may develop strained relationships with significant others, close friends, and family. You might need to continue to meet with a therapist for months after your detox is complete, or even for longer.
Signs and Symptoms of Xanax Addiction
Other commonly prescribed benzodiazepines that pose a risk of dependence include Valium (diazepam) and Ativan (lorazepam). Your doctor can assess your overall mixing zantac and alcohol health by performing a physical exam. They can also answer any questions you have about Xanax use and, if needed, refer you to a treatment center.
Your doctor might also prescribe other medications to ease your withdrawal symptoms. In both cases, you take less and less of the drug until it’s out of your system. Symptoms of Xanax withdrawal can be more severe than that of other benzodiazepines. Mild symptoms of withdrawal can occur after taking the drug for as little as 1 week if stopped abruptly.
Substance use disorder (SUD) develops over months and years, and may not be easy to identify at first. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse. If you do breastfeed, tell your doctor if you notice drowsiness or feeding problems in the baby. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.
Dependence turns into addiction when a person keeps taking the drug despite negative consequences. Doctors like prescribing Xanax because it has a short half-life, meaning its effects wear off more quickly than long-acting benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam). People who need the drug can take it for the short-term treatment of anxiety or panic attacks without disrupting their entire day. Xanax is one of the most addictive benzodiazepines when not properly used. People who misuse the drug experience unpleasant symptoms when they stop taking it. They can experience anxiety, trouble sleeping and unhappy thoughts.
The dosage is based on a patient’s medical condition, age and response to treatment. A course of Xanax should not last longer than one or two weeks, but sometimes it is prescribed on an “as-needed” basis for panic attacks. Xanax is one of the most prescribed drugs in the United States.
Tapering off Xanax without medical supervision can be dangerous. Detox facilities or outpatient treatment centers can help individuals ease withdrawal symptoms. Xanax—also known by its generic name alprazolam—is a benzodiazepine that comes in either tablet or capsule form.
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