Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. While Xanax addiction cannot be completely cured — nor can any dependency on drugs or alcohol — treatment can help affected individuals address their behavior and return to a healthy lifestyle. Recognizing Xanax addiction signs and symptoms can help you know when to seek treatment for yourself or a loved one. Xanax addiction can be serious and affect a person’s mood, behavior and physical characteristics. Having abused Xanax a few times, some people might attempt to take the drug under different circumstances or at different times.
WHAT WE TREAT
If you have trouble opening medication bottles, ask your pharmacist if they can put Xanax in an easy-open container. They also may be able to recommend tools that can make it simpler to open lids. If you drink alcohol, it’s best to avoid drinking it while taking Xanax. Alcohol and Xanax can reduce the activity of your central nervous system (CNS). So consuming alcohol with Xanax can lower the activity further. Taking Xanax with the herb St. John’s wort may lower the level of Xanax in your body.
Xanax side effects
They will also help you to understand what kind of language will be the most effective to get the person into treatment for Xanax addiction. 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.
- If your prescription label is hard to read, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
- This can make a withdrawal from Xanax difficult and unpleasant.
- Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine antagonist that can be given intravenously (IV) as an antidote in the emergency setting to help reverse the effects of a benzodiazepine overdose.
DSM-V Criteria for Xanax Addiction Severity (Mild, Moderate, Severe)
Do you have friends or family members who are addicted to Xanax? Xanax addiction is becoming more prevalent in today’s world, with increasing instances of panic and anxiety disorder. A controlled substance, Xanax is the type of drug that has a high potential for abuse and addiction, which are different problems. Xanax (generic name alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine (benzo), and it is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.
Dependence can lead to withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking the drug. For more information, see the “Xanax dependence and withdrawal” section above. With misuse, a drug is taken for a purpose or in a way that a doctor has not prescribed. Misuse can lead to addiction, which is when you’re unable to stop taking a drug, even though it may be causing harm. To learn more, see the “Xanax misuse and addiction” section above. Xanax has a boxed warning for the risk of dependence and withdrawal.
What is the most important information I should know about Xanax withdrawal?
This phenomenon is described as tolerance and, as a result of developing tolerance to Xanax, you may end up taking larger and larger amounts. If you or someone you care about is struggling with an addiction to Xanax, you don’t have to fight the battle alone. Treatment centers provide those suffering from xanax addiction the support they need to find and maintain recovery. Alprazolam has been reported to cause withdrawal and sedation in the newborn and should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. As a general rule, exposure to any type of benzodiazepine during the first trimester should be avoided.
DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS CENTER
After a period of regular use, it is best to slowly stop the medication under your doctor’s direction. Withdrawal symptoms can begin quickly in some people, even after just a week or two of benzodiazepine use. Studies have shown that individuals with a history of alcohol or opiate use prefer the rewarding effect of Xanax over other benzodiazepines, such as oxazepam or chlordiazepoxide. However, you can become addicted to Xanax even if you take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
How to Recognize and Treat Xanax Addiction
Different doctors have different opinions on these matters, and as these are medical opinions, not crimes, by enforcing one over the other, the federal government is trying to influence the practice of medicine. Itself a crime, according to 42 USC 1395, which makes clear that the authority to regulate the practice of medicine is reserved to the states. The only people who could arrest them are other federal agents, and they’re too busy helping the DEA arrest doctors to care.
- If either of these medications is not helping or causes unmanageable side effects, a healthcare provider may switch you to another anxiety medication.
- The country’s treatment centers have seen many long-time Xanax users with depressive symptoms.
- Close medical supervision will be required for these special cases.
- Benzodiazepines such as Xanax are included in guidelines for managing panic disorder.
Xanax XR works over about 24 hours, so you’ll likely take a dose once per day. Your doctor may prescribe Xanax XR if once-daily dosing is more convenient for you. They may also prescribe this form if your panic disorder symptoms come back or worsen between doses of immediate-release Xanax. There are also encouraging case reports and case series with the use of other antiseizure medications to help alleviate symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal. There are 3 case reports suggesting that valproate may be effective for the treatment of sedative-hypnotic withdrawal, but a double-blind, placebo-controlled study failed to replicate the results (Rickels et al., 1999). Xanax is a prescription medication that treats conditions such as anxiety and panic disorder.
