Selling Xanax or giving it away may harm others, and is against the law. Before you start treatment with Xanax, tell your healthcare provider if you have abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs. Ask your doctor more about the differences between physical dependence and drug addiction, and your risk factors when taking Xanax. Studies with alprazolam have also shown an increase in dopamine levels in the brain, which are linked to the brain’s reward system. Most drugs involved in misuse or addiction frequently lead to dopamine release.

The Withdrawal Timeline: A Journey Through the Valley of Shadows

Someone with a xanax addiction may take up to 20 or 30 pills per day. If the user decides to stop taking Xanax, they may experience withdrawal effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tremors. The onset of withdrawal symptoms is a sign that a physical dependence has developed. The development of tolerance and withdrawal are indications of addiction.

• Research from 2015 suggests that 20⁠–50% of people experience withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing high dosage benzodiazepines.
• An SUD can be a difficult condition for a person to deal with.
• This reduces the excitability of neurons (nerve cells), resulting in decreased feelings of anxiety.
• Head-to-head benzodiazepine comparison studies in general have been scant.
• Medical professionals can monitor your vital signs, manage complications, and provide medications to ease the worst of the symptoms.
• Ask your doctor more about the differences between physical dependence and drug addiction, and your risk factors when taking Xanax.

Side Effects of Xanax

American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. As many as 44 percent of chronic benzodiazepine users ultimately become dependent on their drug of choice, the Journal of Addictive Behaviors notes. Addiction is often due to psychological factors that influence individuals to keep using.

What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any treatments for Xanax addiction, but a doctor can explain the available medication options that can help reduce cravings during and after detox.
• To help lower your risk of withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose when you stop taking Xanax.
• A number of different types of therapy are used in the treatment of substance abuse disorders.
• Start by visiting a primary care doctor or urgent care center and tell them that you are in or are planning to be in benzodiazepine withdrawal.
• To help make sure that you do not miss a dose, try using a medication reminder.

If you have unused medication that has passed the expiration date, ask your pharmacist how to correctly dispose of it. If your prescription label is hard to read, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Some pharmacies offer labels that have large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy does not have these options, your doctor or pharmacist may be able to direct you to one that does.

Withdrawal can be overwhelming, and the physical and mental symptoms can leave you drained, frightened, and in pain. However, a tapering approach leads to success in most cases. Symptoms such as insomnia, cravings for Xanax, and anxiety, might take longer to leave the body and brain. Most symptoms of Xanax withdrawal are unpleasant and distressing but not life threatening. Once you’ve made it through the gauntlet of withdrawal, the real work begins.

The onset of action with alprazolam is about one hour, diazepam is 0.25 to 0.5 hours, and lorazepam is 0.5 to 1 hour. If you are taking other medications or substances, it’s important to speak with your doctor to avoid potentially harmful effects or overdose. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Detoxification is the process of allowing the body to process and eliminate a substance. You must rid the body of drugs before beginning your recovery. Typically, detox is completed on an inpatient basis in order to monitor the vital signs of the user.

Alprazolam Abuse Symptoms, Signs and Addiction Treatment

• If your symptoms feel life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
• In some cases, a nonthreatening conversation is a better option.
• Xanax and other benzodiazepines have sedative effects, which means they can make you feel drowsy and sleepy.
• The first time I popped a Xanax was the first time I felt relief from my anxiety disorder… There was something oddly comforting about Xanax — the way it came in many shapes and colors, like peach and blue.
• Benzodiazepine use can be apparent if someone appears intoxicated or there is drug-seeking behavior, but the problem can also be well concealed.