Can you believe that one out of five Xanax users abuse their medication? Not only that, but it’s even harder to spot addiction when your doctor prescribes your drugs to you.
How can you tell you or someone you know has a Xanax addiction? The answer is clear: you need to know how to detect Xanax abuse symptoms.
Need a push in the right direction? Read on to find out five signs that you or your loved one needs Xanax detox.
1. Physical Symptoms of Xanax Abuse
What are the signs of Xanax abuse, anyway?
Even though there are several different ways to tell if someone is addicted to Xanax, the easiest one to notice is the person’s physical symptoms.
Why does this matter?
Because these symptoms typically only happen when someone is really abusing their recommended prescription dosage.
Curious about the physical signs of abuse? Red flags include:
- Feelings of fatigue
- Mumbling or speaking slowly
- Having severe headaches
- Being extremely dizzy for no reason
- Having a constant dry mouth
That’s not all. Other signs that you or someone you love is suffering from Xanax addiction include:
- Feeling nauseous out of nowhere
- Sudden lightheadedness
- Drooling on yourself
- Constipated digestive system
- Loss of coordination skills
We can’t emphasize this enough: we would never recommend that someone who is addicted to Xanax stop taking their meds cold turkey.
Why is this so important?
For people whose bodies are used to taking high amounts of Xanax, completely stopping your medication could lead to some pretty nasty symptoms of withdrawal.
What’s the real deal about Xanax withdrawal?
Xanax withdrawal side effects can create serious problems for the rhythm of your heart, causing it to tremble.
It gets worse: Xanax abusers can also experience severe muscle stiffness and body pain too.
Why should you help someone who’s addicted to Xanax?
Despite the fact that it’s easier to ignore the signs of addiction, reaching out to a Xanax abuser might be the best way to help them break their unhealthy habit.
Don’t believe us? You don’t have to take our word for it.
According to former Xanax addict Ashley Zlatopolsky: “Even when I forced myself to go out, I still felt so alone. It’s incredible how lonely the road of addiction can be, especially when you’re surrounded by people who love you.”
2. Psychological Symptoms of Xanax Abuse
What about the psychological symptoms of Xanax abuse? You’ve come to the right place.
Like most benzodiazepine addictions, Xanax addiction can cause a ton of mental health issues.
That means that it becomes more and more common for Xanax abusers to forget things like what they talked about at a lunch date.
Not to mention that it can get harder for Xanax addicts to remember what they need to get done that day too.
What’s the big difference between Xanax addiction and Xanax abuse?
The key distinction is that Xanax addicts can no longer control how often they pop their medication. As if that wasn’t enough, they’re also unable to keep their buzz going without taking more meds either.
On the other hand, Xanax abusers reserve their drugs for special occasions or specific events. That means that they’re more likely to quit their drug habit before it takes over their lives.
Here’s the breakdown: people who are truly addicted to Xanax need to abuse medication to get through their day to day life.
That’s when Xanax abusers can become Xanax addicts.
What are the psychological symptoms of Xanax abuse, anyway?
Symptoms of Xanax abuse can include things like:
- Getting easily confused.
- Becoming irritated super easily
- Talking more than usual
- Being extremely tired
- Lacking enthusiasm
That’s not all. Xanax addicts can also experience symptoms such as:
- Becoming irritable
- Having mood swings
- Frequent short-term memory loss
- Staying away from detail-oriented tasks
The worst part?
Recovering addict Ashley Zlatopolsky shared: “Pills have this weird side effect not listed on the bottle where they stop you from caring about brushing your hair, or caring about work, or caring to remember to call your grandparents.”
Does this ring a bell to you or someone you love? Then it’s important to get treatment right away!
3. Obsession with Xanax Medication
Have you noticed that you or a loved one has become obsessed with taking Xanax medication?
Once someone’s body has developed a physical tolerance to Xanax, then it’s not long before the drug consumes most, if not all, of their thoughts.
That means that they’ll begin to increase their dosage as time passes. Naturally, Xanax abusers can become addicted to abusing their prescription. This is the first step before addiction takes over.
In spite of the high rates of abuse, benzodiazepines are still some of the most popular depressants prescribed by doctors in the United States.
Want to know something crazy? Benzodiazepines can actually benefit patients who use them under the guidance of a therapist.
But there’s a catch: medical practitioners only recommend that you use them for a short amount of time.
That’s exactly why most doctors will reduce Xanax prescriptions over time, slowly weaning them off of their medication.
How can you tell if you or someone you love is addicted to Xanax?
One of the most common signs of Xanax dependency is when someone loses control over their ability to stop taking the drug.
In short: even if they could be harming themselves, a real Xanax addict still won’t quit their drug habit.
In fact, doctors only prescribe a small number of refills for Xanax prescriptions because they know how easily people get hooked on this type of medication.
So, that means that people who use up their Xanax refill may seek their medication illegally.
But there’s a catch: it’s a big no-no to get prescription medication from anyone other than your medical physician. That’s because street dealers can cut meds with dangerous additives like fentanyl.
Plus, Xanax addicts have a much higher risk of having a fatal overdose from buying their pills on the street.
4. Taking Xanax with Other Substances
Believe it or not, another sign that you or someone you know is addicted to Xanax is when pills are popped alongside other substances.
If you or a loved one is taking Xanax with other substances, then the risk of developing a polydrug addiction is greatly increased.
In most cases, Xanax users mix their medication with alcohol to increase their feelings of euphoria and relaxation.
However, this potentially lethal combination could lead to overdose and death.
Why is that? Because combining a depressant like Xanax with other substances like alcohol can really slow down your central nervous system.
As a result, your central nervous system could stop functioning, which halts your breathing and heartbeat.
When someone’s heart rate dramatically decreases, it could end up in shortness of breath or worse: not being able to breathe at all.
Plus, mixing Xanax with other drugs raises the risk of getting into a car accident since this medication slows down your response rates.
How much Xanax is too much?
You’ll know if you or someone you love took too much Xanax if you start to observe extreme lethargy for several days in a row.
On top of this, Xanax abusers can have some permanent side effects like:
- Severe bouts of depression
- Intense delirious episodes
- Feelings of anger and aggression
- Extreme memory loss
- Higher odds of getting dementia
- Episodes of psychosis
Could it get any worse than that?
For those who are suffering from an obsession with Xanax medication, there’s only one permanent solution: painkiller detox.
5. Loss of Independence due to Xanax
Wondering how to help a Xanax addict?
The truth is, the best way to help a Xanax addict is to have them sign up for an inpatient treatment program at a rehab center.
Although most people get hooked on Xanax very quickly, it can still be hard to tell when someone’s officially addicted to their prescription medication.
Naturally, people that are obsessed with Xanax can begin to experience some losses in their personal lives as well. That’s because nothing else matters to a Xanax addict but scoring more of their favorite drug.
Why is this so important?
Because Xanax can literally trigger the reward system in the brains of drug users.
How does this happen?
Every time that someone with a Xanax abuser takes a pill, it makes them feel very relaxed and mellow. That makes them associate their prescription drug with happiness and pleasant feelings.
However, when someone becomes physically dependent on Xanax, the brain starts to need it to function. Surprisingly, it can become difficult for Xanax abusers to go about their day without taking their prescription.
But here’s the kicker: people that are addicted to Xanax can experience a loss of their independence too.
That means that it can become increasingly difficult to:
- Keep up with personal friendships
- Follow up with social obligations
- Get their work done at their place of employment
- Maintain their financial commitments
What is Xanax Addiction?
Xanax addiction symptoms include:
- Constantly feeling sleepy throughout the day
- Feeling lightheaded out of nowhere
- Sleeping throughout the entire day
- Sluggish cognitive functioning
- Vomiting for no apparent reason
Other addiction symptoms include:
- Having seizures due to withdrawal
- Feeling suddenly dizzy
- Extreme weakness
- Not showing up to school
- Not showing up to work
Have you noticed these symptoms in yourself or someone you know? Then you should seek help immediately.
One of the first signs that you or a loved need to seek treatment is when the Xanax side effects anger your family and friends.
Ashley Zlatopolsky reveals another telltale sign of Xanax addiction: “The zombie-like feeling that goes hand in hand with popping a pill eventually transitions into your personality, and it no longer becomes a euphoric rush but a necessity to survive, to even exist, to even be yourself. I felt dead on the inside.”
If you’ve noticed significant personality changes in yourself or someone you love, then it’s time to talk about rehab options.
How do you know when you or someone you know has hit rock bottom?
According to Ashley Ziatopolsky, “Maybe it’s the day you finally realize your life is a disaster. I thought about the morning after a Xanax party when I woke up with my face smashed in.”
The point is: Xanax addiction needs to be addressed as soon as possible!
Don’t know where to start?
We highly recommend that you sign up for a Xanax detox program. We promise that you won’t regret it!
It’s Never Too Late to Try a Xanax Detox
Do you or someone you know suffer from Xanax symptoms like severe mood swings, extreme lightheadedness, and intense fatigue?
You’re not alone. Surprisingly, there is hope for this seemingly hopeless addiction.
Incredibly, former Xanax addict Ashley Zlatopolsky shares: “My therapist told me benzodiazepine addictions are harder to kick than heroin and cocaine addictions combined, but any kind of addiction will squeeze out every last ounce of your soul.”
Like most Xanax addicts, kicking the habit really will feel like the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do. But like most difficult things, it can also be extremely rewarding.
Why suffer from the pitfalls of Xanax addiction? Learn how to spot the signs in a loved one before it’s too late.
From the physical and psychological signs to polydrug addiction, figuring out how to tell if you or someone you know is addicted to Xanax has never been easier.
Bottom line: it’s never too late to try a Xanax detox!
Give us a call to schedule a consultation today!