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Too many people fall into Xanax addiction by accident, assuming that it isn’t dangerous because it’s such a widely prescribed drug, commonly found in households everywhere. This is the same misapprehension that people believed for years about prescription painkillers. Over time, misuse of prescription opiates led to the current opiate crisis, a dramatic increase in heroin use, and a drastic surge in overdose fatalities. Combining Xanax (alprazolam) with therapy can help create a more well-rounded, holistic approach to effectively manage anxiety and panic disorders. Taking medication may help with symptoms for a bit, but it won’t address and get to the root of the problem, like underlying emotions or stressors, that contribute to anxiety. Xanax is only meant to be used for a short period, because it can lead to dependence and tolerance.
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Explore our programs and see why the Massachusetts Center for Addiction is the top choice for drug rehab and mental health treatment in Massachusetts. Remember, the most effective treatment plan will cater to your unique needs and circumstances. Be sure to consult with a healthcare professional or addiction specialist who can help you develop a comprehensive and personalized plan for your recovery. Long-term use of Xanax can lead to depression, even in individuals who didn’t experience depressive symptoms prior to taking the medication. As Xanax use continues, it can interfere with your brain’s ability to produce the necessary chemicals for maintaining stable mental health, further exacerbating depressive symptoms. Long-term Xanax abuse can lead to physical damage to your kidneys and liver.
What are the Side Effects of Xanax?
Benzodiazepine withdrawal can create a alcoholism syndrome similar to delirium tremens that causes hallucinations, agitation, confusion, and potentially fatal seizures. For your safety, it is important to have medical supervision throughout the process of Xanax withdrawal so that these symptoms can be avoided, or immediately treated. Those who become addicted to Xanax will not be able to stop taking the drug on their own, even if they want to. This is because addiction takes away a person’s power to control their actions. Cravings for the drug will begin to occur, and their tolerance will increase so that higher and higher doses will need to be taken for the individual to experience the same effects. The more Xanax the individual takes, the more serious the addiction becomes and the more they will need professional addiction treatment help.
Someone with counterfeit Xanax could end up taking a fatal dose in just one pill. Any treatment center receiving calls from the site is a paid advertiser. If you breastfeed while taking this medication, seek medical care right away if you notice the child has slow or noisy breathing, is unusually sleepy or not able to wake up, or is limp.
Can you overdose on Xanax?
If you stop alprazolam suddenly, it could lead to withdrawal symptoms, which may be life-threatening. Do not stop taking alprazolam without talking with your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will tell you how to stop alprazolam to reduce the risk of withdrawal reactions.
This highlights the seriousness of Xanax (alprazolam) addiction, which starts when people take more than prescribed or use it without a prescription, leading to abuse. Your healthcare provider will give you instructions on how often you should take this medication. You shouldn’t take more than your prescription label directs. Xanax isn’t meant to be used as a stand-alone, long-term treatment, but when used carefully with a doctor’s help, it can be a helpful tool. For many people, it helps them fully participate in therapy, especially in approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where being emotionally present and engaged is important. Xanax dosages vary depending on the condition being treated and an individual’s response to the medication.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for addiction, with a study by Verywell Mind reporting success rates of around 60–67%. The side effects of Xanax addiction are drowsiness, confusion, and memory problems, among others. These effects significantly impair physical and mental health, leading to long-term consequences.
- Caution should be exercised when prescribing alprazolam in geriatric patients, as it may alter their motor functions and balance, as well as their cognitive functions.
- Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of alprazolam and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every 3 or 4 days.
- The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.
- You shouldn’t take more than your prescription label directs.
While detox medications are focused on avoiding adverse effects of withdrawal, behavioral therapy is a process that is focused on maintaining recovery. Shorter-acting drugs like Xanax produce a brief and more intense withdrawal reaction that usually begins within 24 hours of discontinuation. Longer-acting benzodiazepines (for example, Valium) have a slower development of withdrawal symptoms that typically begin several days after discontinuation, but peak at about 7 days. Treatment for a Xanax overdose will depend on how much of the drug was taken and whether other drugs or alcohol were also taken. In the event of an overdose, medical providers may pump the stomach to remove as much of the unabsorbed Xanax as possible.
1 Dosage in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Xanax tablets are immediate release, which means all the medication is released as soon as the tablet dissolves. Taking Xanax with certain other medicines can cause side effects or affect how well Xanax or the other medicines work. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
It is dangerous to purchase alprazolam on the Internet or outside the United States. The sale and distribution of medicines outside the U.S. does not comply with safe-use regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These medications may contain dangerous ingredients, or may not be distributed by a licensed pharmacy. Venlafaxine is used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder. Paroxetine is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and … Some withdrawal symptoms may last up to 12 months or longer after stopping this medicine suddenly.