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Because Xanax is so accessible in the U.S., and because it helps numbs extremely common signs and symptoms of anxiety, it is highly addictive. In prescription instances, the drug is also highly tolerable, and a person may take up to 30 pills a day without extreme risk of overdose. Blue Ridge is an alcohol and drug detox and substance abuse treatment center offering rehabilitation programs for alcohol, heroin, opiate, and prescription drug addiction. Blue Ridge is located on 50 acres in Ball Ground, Georgia, just an hour north of Atlanta. During detox, medical staff will monitor patients to ensure their safety and comfort.
Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug that has a calming and relaxing effect. Xanax is typically used to help ease panic attacks while other treatments for panic disorder, such as antidepressants, take effect. Using tranquillisers, such as Xanax, can be dangerous if you mix them with other depressant drugs like heroin or alcohol. People who are addicted can experience nasty withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, anxiety and depression. The risk of substance abuse for high-dose users is more than triple that of low-dose users (2.2 percent compared to 7.5 percent), and the risk of alcohol abuse more than doubles from 1.5 percent to 3.2 percent7.
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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, using both opioids and benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, concurrently is particularly dangerous. Both drugs impair cognitive functions, as well as induce sedation and suppress breathing, which can cause overdose fatalities4. If you or a loved one is suffering from Xanax addiction, it is imperative that you seek professional treatment to protect your health. With Xanax, the effects of drug withdrawal can be severe and even dangerous, so detox is often a gradual process, especially if it had been used in high doses and/or for a prolonged period of time. For example, to reduce the risk of seizures, the Xanax dose is gradually tapered over weeks under medical supervision. Another concern with Xanax addiction is the risk of overdose, which can result in acute benzodiazepine toxicity.
Counselors and peer leaders will encourage a daily routine to help you overcome troubling mental problems and undergo healthy activities to take with you post-treatment. Among college students misusing Xanax, many have an untreated or undiagnosed mental problem. Some who develop a Xanax addiction may have never suffered from substance use disorder before obtaining a prescription. They likely suffered from anxiety and looked to the medical field for relief, started using Xanax and saw an improvement in symptoms.
Xanax Addiction And Abuse
It is also the most common medication involved in emergency room visits attributed to drug misuse. In these circumstances, it is understandable that your physician would prescribe Xanax. Xanax is a benzodiazepine medication that works very quickly and effectively to reduce anxiety and help with sleep. Physicians often prescribe these medications to help patients feel better when they are very distressed, and generally patients find them helpful in the short term.
For more information about side effects of Xanax, see the “Xanax side effects” section above. To learn more about cannabis and the drug, talk with your doctor. Cannabis is often known as marijuana or “weed.” Taking Xanax with cannabis could increase the risk of side effects from Xanax, especially sleepiness. Due to this interaction, doctors will typically advise that you do not take Xanax with cannabis. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Xanax. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works.
Xanax for generalized anxiety disorder
Head-to-head benzodiazepine comparison studies in general have been scant. Two clinical studies of participants with benzodiazepine dependence revealed a significant preference for alprazolam over diazepam in equipotent doses (Schmauss et al., 1988, 1989). However, in another study of recreational drug users without physical dependence, alprazolam was found to have less misuse liability than diazepam (Orzack et al., 1988). Do you have friends or family members who are addicted to Xanax?
You may also have an increased risk if you take Xanax for a long period of time. However, these problems are also possible with xanax addiction lower doses and after taking the drug for a short time. To treat panic disorder, you’ll likely take Xanax three times per day.
In the event of an overdose, medical providers may pump the stomach to remove as much of the unabsorbed Xanax as possible. Medications such as Flumazenil may also be administered as antidotes. It is important for anyone suffering from an overdose to be honest with the emergency medical personnel about exactly https://ecosoberhouse.com/ what substances were taken and at what amount. Sometimes people who have prescriptions misuse their medications, as well. Taking too much and running out of the prescription, being overly focused on when you can take the next one and feeling you can’t live without it might also be signs of a problem.
Experiencing tremors after taking Xanax can be a sign that your body is reacting negatively to the presence of this medication. If you are using Xanax as prescribed by your doctor, you should contact him or her immediately to report tremors, twitching, or any other distressing reactions. If you or someone you love is struggling with Valium or Xanax addiction in Colorado, The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about benzodiazepine addiction treatment programs that can work well for you. Due to the potency of Xanax, 1 mg of Xanax is equal to 20 mg of Valium. Because of the range in potency between different benzodiazepines, a health care professional would prescribe varying dosages based on the drug a person needs.
However, if they become more severe or do not go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. It’s called Xanax XR, and it’s approved to treat only panic disorder. “I gradually withdrew from the drugs and felt ill for a few weeks.
- As a result, detox often overlaps with other forms of treatment.
- Once a formal diagnosis has been provided, Dr. Bober can help coordinate care with a trusted therapist.
- The gradual taper of this drug helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms.