It can be hard to tell the difference between withdrawal symptoms and anxiety. Withdrawal symptoms usually show up anywhere from 3-4 days to 2 weeks after you last use the drug. But they can appear earlier with shorter-acting types of benzodiazepines. The mind becomes accustomed to the drug and can go through periods of insomnia, depression, paranoia, and irritability while trying to come off it. The majority of withdrawal symptoms can be treated during medical detox to make the process as comfortable as possible for those in detox.
Mixing Xanax With Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Two clinical studies of participants with benzodiazepine dependence revealed a significant preference for alprazolam over diazepam in equipotent doses (Schmauss et al., 1988, 1989).
- That could take up to 20 hours for shorter-acting drugs like alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan, Loreev).
- Call your healthcare provider, go to the nearest hospital emergency room, or call for emergency medical help (call 911 in the US) right away if you get any of these symptoms.
A pill labeled Xanax could actually be a stronger benzodiazepine or a totally different drug. This is not all the information you need to know about Xanax (alprazolam) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider. Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine antagonist that can be given intravenously (IV) as an antidote in the emergency setting to help reverse the effects of a benzodiazepine overdose. Some people may be better suited for a harm reduction approach, in which the taper leads to a maintenance dose rather than abstinence. The key to achieving this goal is to follow the tapering schedule to the very end.
Benzodiazepines Uses
Among older adults, long-term use of Xanax can also lead to cognitive issues that may resemble dementia. Treatment may involve a combination of strategies, including detoxification and various psychotherapeutic and psychosocial approaches. The way a person behaves while living with an addiction can vary widely. You may notice changes in mood, behavior, appearance, or performance at work or school, but many of these can be attributed to other factors as well. With more GABA available in the brain because Xanax is bound to neurons’ receptors, the individual will feel calmer, relaxed, and even sleepy. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) groups symptoms of addiction into four major categories.
Understanding Xanax Addiction: A Comprehensive Guide
If a person notices signs of SUD in themselves or others, they should speak with a doctor. A doctor can help a person determine the best course of treatment for them. Healthcare professionals can also use medication to help a person detox. Doctors may prescribe this medication to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Alprazolam, which is available under the brand name Xanax, is a form of benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are a type of sedative, meaning that they help slow down brain and bodily functions.
Xanax Addiction Side Effects, Withdrawal and Treatment
When you have an addiction, you continue to use a drug regardless of any negative consequences. Physical dependence can occur with or without an addiction to the drug; however, it is a common feature of addiction. Benzodiazepine drugs like Xanax bind to receptor cells in the brain which manage a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This neurotransmitter is involved in managing signals between neurons in the brain.
There is a subpopulation of patients exposed to benzodiazepines that is more likely to escalate their dose, mainly those with coexisting drug or alcohol use problem (Griffiths and Wolf, 1990; NICE, 2014). Most would agree that tolerance is a multifactorial process Natural Xanax Alternatives For Anxiety that occurs at different rates for different patients, and also depends on the profile of the benzodiazepine used. In general, available data have been inconsistent with large variance between studies highlighting the need of well-designed long-term clinical trials addressing the question of tolerance with all benzodiazepines including alprazolam. Based on national emergency department (ED) visit data, alprazolam is the second most common prescription medication and the most common benzodiazepine to be involved in ED visits related to drug misuse (SAMHSA, 2013). Many providers feel pressurized by their patients to continue prescribing as they try to wean them off benzodiazepines, and more-so with alprazolam, given the positive subjective drug effects.
- However, even after the symptoms of a Xanax overdose wear off, the consequences to the body may persist, potentially with lasting effects.
- Part of that conversation should include reviewing the risks and benefits of continuing versus tapering benzodiazepines during your pregnancy.
- Xanax is the number one prescribed psychiatric medication in the United States.
- People who take prescription opioids to treat pain may mix these drugs with Xanax, which increases their risk of accidental overdose.
Can Valium help with Xanax withdrawal symptoms?
Dependence turns into addiction when a person keeps taking the drug despite negative consequences. Dependence becomes a problem when individuals take Xanax for nonmedical reasons or when they don’t communicate with their doctor. Some people take the medication recreationally to feel carefree or overly relaxed. In many cases, people addicted to Xanax believe they need it to relieve anxiety. But the anxiety that they experience when they stop taking the drug is actually a symptom of Xanax withdrawal.
What Can Happen When You Mix Xanax with Other Drugs?
But people often take them with alcohol or other drugs, either of which can be dangerous or even deadly. About 3/4 of deaths that involve benzodiazepines also involve an opioid drug. Benzodiazepines are a controlled substance, which means it’s illegal to have them without a doctor’s prescription. Legally manufactured forms of benzodiazepine are classified as schedule IV drugs in the U.S. Those suffering from Xanax addiction and abuse frequently combine the substance with alcohol or other pills — particularly opiates — to get a better high. In addition, approximately 40% of alcoholics regularly abuse Xanax.