You may have serious or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if you stop using this medicine suddenly. Do not stop using Xanax without talking to your doctor first., as you may need to slowly stop (taper) this medicine over a period of time. 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 typically prescribed for short periods of time to relieve anxiety symptoms while other treatments, such as antidepressants, are taking effect.

Xanax dependence and withdrawal

In a study from 2001–2013, about 17% of people who received an opioid prescription also received a benzodiazepine like Xanax. When opioids are combined with benzodiazepines, the risk of overdose, emergency department visits and death increases dramatically. This stage begins with tolerance, which involves an increase in frequency or dosage of the drug that the person’s body is able to readily process without experiencing strong effects.

Xanax and Addiction to Benzodiazepines

It’s important that you do not increase your dose or take more than prescribed unless you first talk with your doctor. Also, be sure to contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have any symptoms of misuse or addiction, or any concerns about them. Panic disorder is a common mental health condition that can affect your daily life and impact your relationships with others.

Xanax dosage

• If you choose to enter treatment for your recovery, know that with a quality facility dedicated to a continuum of care, you have several options.
• Do not take alprazolam unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider.
• They can be chronically misused or, as seen more commonly in hospital emergency departments, intentionally or accidentally taken in overdose.
• Be sure to talk with your doctor before taking any herbs or supplements with Xanax.

The long-term use of benzodiazepines like Xanax can potentially create problems with dependence and withdrawal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Xanax to treat certain conditions. Off-label drug use is when an FDA approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

• Your doctor will assess your risk of misuse and addiction before determining whether Xanax is right for you.
• Additionally, some people are predisposed to substance addiction, possibly due to genetic factors and altered activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.
• When a person seeks treatment for an addiction, the doctor should listen to them and understand their wants and needs before agreeing on suitable treatment goals.
• You might hear them called Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Librium, xannies, vallies, roofies, tranks, downers, goofballs, Mexican, roach, heavenly blues, valo, stupefi, anxiety drugs, date rape drugs, or club drugs.
• Alprazolam has been consistently found to approximate the magnitude of anxiolytic effect of other comparable benzodiazepines.

A person should seek immediate medical help if they experience any serious side effects when taking Xanax. A person can quickly become physically dependent on Xanax, so they should only ever take it as a doctor prescribes it. When a person seeks treatment for an addiction, the doctor should listen to them and understand their wants and needs before agreeing on suitable treatment goals.

• “I was still trying to live my life as a 25-year-old and doing my patterns of like how I would numb myself, take care of myself and deal with my insecurity and my fears,” he explained.
• In addition to mimicking GABA, Xanax also increases levels of another neurotransmitter called dopamine.
• Keep in mind that emergency responders and doctors are there to help you.
• Store alprazolam in a safe place to protect it from theft.
• After detoxing, treatment should involve therapy to treat the drivers of addiction.

The first benzodiazepines were developed in the 1930s, but they were not introduced as prescription drugs to the public until 1957. By the 1980s, benzodiazepines including Valium and Librium were among the most prescribed drugs in the United States. Xanax dependence can be a trigger that Natural Xanax Alternatives For Anxiety encourages addiction.

• Then, they’ll adjust it over time to reach the amount that’s right for you.
• Narcotics are opioids, which are drugs related to the opium poppy.
• Also, you should not drive or perform other potentially dangerous activities, such as operating machines, until you know how the drug combination affects you.
• However, these problems are also possible with lower doses and after taking the drug for a short time.

Oxford Treatment Center, American Addiction Centers’ residential rehab center in Mississippi, is ready to help you get the treatment you need today. Untreated anxiety during pregnancy can also increase your risk of postpartum anxiety. Selling or giving away this medication is dangerous and against the law.

Alprazolam is relatively more toxic than other benzodiazepines in overdose. Alprazolam has been consistently found to approximate the magnitude of anxiolytic effect of other comparable benzodiazepines. In another study of patients with panic disorder, neither anxiolytic tolerance nor daily dose increase was observed after 8 weeks of alprazolam treatment, with continued efficacy at 6 months (Schweizer et al., 1993).

Does Xanax cause a withdrawal effect?

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. 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. Absolutely, but help with addiction treatment is available. Xanax is one of the most prescribed drugs in the United States.