This can make it difficult to simply stop using the drug once you’ve started. Xanax was first approved for the treatment of panic disorder in the 1970s. Over the years, it has come to be recognized as an effective remedy for anxiety, nausea caused by chemotherapy, depression, and other health issues.
Before taking this medicine
This phenomenon is described as tolerance and, as a result of developing tolerance to Xanax, you may end up taking larger and larger amounts. Taking the drug specifically to feel relaxed or happy is abuse, and it can lead to addiction to the substance. However, addiction professionals report seeing more adolescents struggle with addiction to Xanax.
Coping with Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms
Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. However, even after the symptoms of a Xanax overdose wear off, the consequences to the body may persist, potentially with lasting effects. For example, pulmonary aspiration during a lethargic state can lead to aspiration pneumonia or permanent lung damage. Ask your doctor or another health professional for a recommendation.
- Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
- The review found that the onset of the anxiolytic effect was significantly more rapid for alprazolam compared with amitriptyline, and its antipanic effect was significantly more rapid compared with propranolol and imipramine.
- Although treatment outcomes are comparable to that of other chronic conditions, recovery is an ongoing process that can take time.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- 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).
Xanax Effects And Abuse
Estimates suggest that about 10% to 25% of people who use benzodiazepines long term experience what’s known as protracted withdrawal. Many people experience irritability and agitation, which can cause problems at home, work, or school. You might be easily annoyed or short-tempered with family or friends. Insomnia, another symptom, can also contribute to these feelings of anxiety and agitation. Reckless prescribing practices have contributed to thousands of cases of dependence and misuse. Research shows that in 2018, an estimated 5.4 million people over the age of 12 misused prescription benzodiazepines like Xanax.
Therapy can help individuals develop healthy ways to relieve anxiety and reduce a person’s need for anti-anxiety medications. People who need anti-anxiety medication to control anxiety or panic disorders may be dependent on Xanax and never experience negative consequences. As long as they communicate with their doctor about their treatment, they can develop a plan to discontinue Xanax when necessary. Panic disorder occurs when a person experiences unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear. These episodes have physical symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, dizziness, and nausea. A fear of future episodes can also contribute to panic disorder.
Xanax Withdrawal Timeline
- Both carbamazepine and clonidine act at the alpha-2 adrenoceptors level and could counteract the hyperadrenergic state that has been reported during discontinuation of alprazolam.
- When starting alprazolam, anxiety or insomnia may improve rapidly or over a period of days.
- Once a person has finished treatment, there are different strategies they can use to reduce their risk of reuse.
Additional loose Xanax and Klonopin pills and cocaine were found in his car. Toxicology tests revealed he had Xanax in his system at the time of the crash and that he had used cocaine as recently as the day before. A Brooklyn man high on drugs when he killed a beloved community activist in a Hartsdale crash, minutes after a rookie Scarsdale police officer let him go following a minor accident, pleaded guilty Thursday.
Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline & Detox Treatment
Learn more about the risks and side effects of substance use disorders, including the signs of intoxication and overdose. Offering the ability to treat alprazolam addiction, polysubstance addiction, and other co-occurring mental health disorders, American Addiction Centers (AAC) include accredited treatment facilities across the United States. To learn more about treatment options, contact our Admissions Navigators.
Factors that Affect Xanax Withdrawal
If you have been taking Xanax several times a day, then quitting is going to take time, patience, and determination. The only safe way to quit is to slowly taper down your dose under the direction of a doctor. Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment https://ecosoberhouse.com/ below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with drug addiction. The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder.
Dependence refers to a physical state in which your body is dependent on the drug. With drug dependence may also come tolerance, which is when you need more and more of a substance to achieve the same effect. You experience mental and physical effects (withdrawal) if you abruptly stop taking the drug. Alprazolam, a medication that xanax addiction may cause physical dependence and, in some cases, addiction, is commonly prescribed. In the case of Xanax, physical addiction is marked by physical withdrawal symptoms that ensue when the substance is discontinued. Some common side effects include headaches, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, blurred vision, and convulsions.