Xanax: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

The way a person behaves while living with an addiction can vary widely. You may notice changes in mood, behavior, appearance, or performance at work or school, but many of these can be attributed to other factors as well. The key to https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/tips-to-get-started-on-the-road-to-recovery/ achieving this goal is to follow the tapering schedule to the very end. By the end of your taper, you might be cutting pills into halves or quarters. If you answered yes to any of these questions, seek help as soon as possible.

• The healthcare professionals at a detox facility can help treat your withdrawal symptoms, and they can give you the tools you need to manage addiction.
• In 2009, Xanax and other benzodiazepines were responsible for the majority of the emergency room admissions caused by central nervous system (CNS) depressants.
• Acute withdrawal can result in death in some cases if the medication is stopped without medical supervision.
• It is not recommended to taper without the assistance and recommendations from your prescribing doctor.

(These are side effects caused by suddenly stopping or taking too little of a drug.) With Xanax, these symptoms can be life threatening, such as seizures and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To learn more, see the “Side effects explained” section above. Combining Xanax with other substances such as opioids and alcohol can increase the risk of sleepiness. Talk with your doctor before taking other prescription or nonprescription drugs with Xanax. And if you drink, ask your doctor if there’s a safe amount of alcohol you can consume while taking this drug. During medical detox, medical professionals will set up a plan that provides for a gradual transition from Xanax abuse to total detoxification.

Xanax Abuse: Short- and Long-Term Effects of Xanax

But there may be times your doctor cannot avoid prescribing both drugs for you. If this is the best alternative for your condition, they’ll limit your doses and treatment duration to the minimum. To reduce your risk of dependence and withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will lower your dose of Xanax slowly when stopping it. How slowly your dosage will be lowered and when you can stop Xanax depends on how you react to dosage changes. If withdrawal symptoms appear, your doctor will slow down your taper of the drug.

This waiting period is necessary because of the drug’s partial narcotic activity. The buprenorphine in Suboxone cannot activate the mu receptor like other full narcotics can, but at the same time, it has a higher preference for the mu receptor than most other opioids. Quitting cold turkey can increase your risk of extreme and dangerous withdrawal symptoms, xanax addiction including delirium and grand mal seizures. If you have been taking Xanax several times a day, then quitting is going to take time, patience, and determination. The only safe way to quit is to slowly taper down your dose under the direction of a doctor. Most health insurance plans provide coverage for drug and alcohol treatment, including Xanax addiction.

Addiction Self-Assessment Quizzes for Drugs and Alcohol

Before your doctor prescribes a benzodiazepine such as Xanax, they’ll assess your risk of misuse and addiction. If you think you have a substance abuse issue, talk with your doctor. Taking Xanax or other benzodiazepines with opioids can result in severe drowsiness, trouble breathing, coma, and death.

• Xanax was first approved for the treatment of panic disorder in the 1970s.
• Many people experience irritability and agitation, which can cause problems at home, work, or school.
• If you are experiencing any withdrawal symptoms, talk with your doctor right away.
• However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you.
• If you stop taking Xanax, you will typically follow a slow taper schedule (a gradual decrease).
• For more information about the risks of misuse and addiction with Xanax, see the boxed warning at the start of this article).

Two of the most common physical and psychological symptoms and signs of Xanax abuse are physical dependence and addiction. In short, the brain and body habituate to drug use over time. Due to this new status quo, when the drug use stops, the body will issue its demand for more of the drug in the form of withdrawal symptoms. Dependency is more likely to occur if a person is abusing large amounts of Xanax or using it too frequently. Even prescription users who adhere to a recommended dosing schedule can end up addicted to Xanax though.

Signs of Benzodiazepine Overdose

The effects of this drug can affect a person’s ability to continue with work, school, and everyday activities. Xanax addiction can cause financial strain, as considerable amounts will be spent to acquire the medication. Never try to overcome your addiction at home or without supervision. Some side effects of alprazolam withdrawal can be deadly, especially if convulsions or seizures occur.

Some are related to your environment and life experiences, such as having friends who use drugs. When you take a drug, certain genetic factors can increase your risk of developing an addiction. Regular drug use changes your brain chemistry, affecting how you experience pleasure. This can make it difficult to simply stop using the drug once you’ve started. Dependence refers to a physical state in which your body is dependent on the drug.

Poly-drug abusers are far more likely to grow dependent since the other substances they abuse often intensify the effects of benzos like Xanax. For instance, alcohol is commonly abused alongside Xanax and can significantly increase the chance of injury or death, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states. Study results show a broad range, between 3 percent and 41 percent, of people who struggle with alcoholism also abuse benzodiazepines, per the American Family Physician.

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. Some longer-lasting benzodiazepines have been prescribed to treat epilepsy and seizure disorders, but Xanax is a short-acting medication, so it is not effective for consistent treatment. Instead, doctors tend to prescribe this sedative to manage immediate problems as needed, and they do not recommend taking the drug consistently.