Xanax Overview

People have been using mind-altering substances recreationally for thousands of years. One of the first substances to be used recreationally was alcohol, which was created as much as 9,000 years ago. Of course, alcohol is far from the only substance that’s currently available.

There are dozens — if not hundreds — of other addictive intoxicants that are in widespread use, most of which are divided into one of three categories:

The latter group has become particularly problematic in recent years as rates of alcohol, opioid, and benzodiazepine addiction have skyrocketed. About benzodiazepines, there’s one particular drug that’s become extremely popular among recreational drug users, and that drug is called Xanax.

View All Depressants

 

What Exactly is Xanax?

While stimulant drugs “stimulate” the central nervous system, depressants “depress” the central nervous system. In other words, depressants cause an individual to experience a significant decrease in their energy level. Throughout human history, there have been several depressant substances that have become popular, with the first being alcohol.

While some would say that alcohol is the most dangerous depressant due to its legal status, the many prescription depressants that have been developed were spread liberally throughout the U.S. and abroad, resulting in several pharmaceutical drugs reaching epidemic-like levels of abuse. Xanax, in particular, is one of those pharmaceutical drugs that became and remains a significant issue to this day.

Benzodiazepines

By the mid-twentieth century, people were realizing the dangers of the class of drugs known as barbiturates, which could be considered a predecessor to benzodiazepines. Among their many other drawbacks, barbiturates had a much stronger potential for dependency. Therefore, several chemists and pharmaceutical researchers were attempting to develop substances that could be used to treat similar things as barbiturates while minimizing the amount of danger that they’d put patients in.

Likewise, the psychological community noticed a great need for medications that were relatively mild but could assist with symptoms of mental disorders. The benzodiazepine alprazolam — most familiar by its trade name, Xanax — was created in the late 1960s. However, it wasn’t until 1981 that it was made available to the public.

Anxiety Treatment

Initially, the purpose of Xanax was to treat insomnia and depression, as well as to have similar properties as muscle relaxants. Since then, we’ve realized that the drug has several applications. In addition to being an anxiolytic (treatment for anxiety), Xanax is also an:

  • Anticonvulsant
  • Hypnotic
  • Sedative
  • Muscular and skeletal relaxers
  • Amnestic (It has a negative impact on memory while actively in a user’s system)

Perhaps not surprisingly, Xanax had a difficult time getting approved, which is why it took over a decade for the drug to be made available. While the drug had been partly intended to be an antidepressant, it ended up being approved as an anti-anxiety medication. This is primarily how Xanax is used today.

After its approval, Xanax multiplied in popularity over the next several decades. Xanax was the 12th-most-prescribed pharmaceutical drug in the United States in 2010. Somewhat ironically, it has been favored by medical professionals because Xanax isn’t as harsh on the body as barbiturates and even other benzodiazepines, but it has also quickly become one of the preferred pharmaceutical drugs of substance abusers.

Understanding the Effects of Xanax Dependence

How Xanax Affects the Brain

As is the case with virtually any mind-altering chemical substance, anyone who takes Xanax frequently for an extended period becomes physically dependent on the drug. The reason this happens is attributed to how Xanax affects the brain. Xanax increases GABA activation in the brain, which induces calm and relaxation.

GABA is a natural chemical messenger in your brain. It reduces the brain activity in the areas responsible for:

  • Reasoning
  • Emotions
  • Memory
  • Essential functions, such as breathing

The brain is overstimulated when a person feels anxious. Then, when Xanax is taken, the brain sends signals to counteract the stimulation. This is how the symptoms of anxiety are reduced.

Since Xanax causes excess GABA activity, the brain decides that it’s getting enough GABA from the Xanax and either stops producing or cuts back its production of GABA.

This means that the brain is relying almost solely on Xanax for the GABA, which is a very dangerous situation. Eventually, the continuous use of Xanax causes the brain to become reliant on the Xanax to maintain a minimum GABA level.

When a person addicted to Xanax goes for some time without it, the brain experiences a major GABA deficit with potentially catastrophic consequences. At best, the individual will experience Xanax withdrawal, with some of the most common symptoms being blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty/irregular breathing, weakness, seizures, and/or coma.

Common Uses of Xanax

Currently, the most common (legitimate) uses for Xanax include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Panic disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Various phobias

The reason Xanax is so effective for anxiety-related conditions is because of how it affects the brain. Xanax has a similar effect on the brain as alcohol. When a user takes Xanax, the drug acts as the neurochemical GABA in the brain, causing feelings of relaxation and calm.

Side Effects of Xanax

When a person takes Xanax, some of the most widely experienced effects include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Lightheadedness

If the individual has taken an enormous dose — likely for abuse — Xanax is known to cause:

  • Euphoria
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Shortness of breath
  • Depression
  • Skin rashes
  • Dry mouth
  • Constipation

Information About Xanax Abuse and Addiction

Xanax Addiction Symptoms

When taken as prescribed, Xanax and other benzodiazepines are valuable, effective treatments to help relieve anxiety, insomnia, and other disorders. However, once tolerance has built up and it takes more of the drug to achieve the initial effects, the individual becomes dependent. This then becomes a physical and psychological addiction. Signs of an addiction to Xanax include:

  • Sleep difficulties
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Goosebumps
  • Uncontrollable leg movements

More severe symptoms include:

  • Problems with memory
  • Behavior changes (like increased risk-taking)
  • Delirium (mostly in older individuals)

Withdrawal Timeline

Each person may experience withdrawal differently. There is no definitive guide to withdrawal symptoms, timeline, or severity. It is dependent on these factors:

  • Length of time using Xanax
  • Dosage used
  • Misuse of a prescription
  • Using without a prescription
  • Underlying mental health conditions
  • Using other drugs at the same time
  • Misusing alcohol or other drugs

Possible Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms

  • Anxiety and panic
  • Tremors
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Muscle cramps
  • Seizures
  • Sleep problems
  • Hallucinations
  • Feelings of unreality
  • Headaches and muscle pain
  • Agitation and restlessness
 
 

Overcoming Xanax Abuse Through Detox and Treatment

Being addicted to Xanax is scary. Of course, not everyone who uses Xanax becomes addicted. Experts recommend that those who receive Xanax for legitimate medical conditions only receive the drug for brief periods. However, for those who have become addicted to Xanax, there is a wide variety of recovery resources available.

Medications

Currently, there aren’t any medications specifically approved to treat benzodiazepine use disorders. However, medical supervision is essential to treat symptoms of withdrawal, such as antidepressants for depression and sleep issues, as well as mood stabilizers and other medication as needed for any medical emergency that might occur.

Xanax Addiction Treatment

After detoxing, the individual is often encouraged to enroll in an actual treatment program, which consists of:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is sometimes called “talk therapy.” Problems that are helped by psychotherapy include:

  • Coping with daily life
  • Trauma
  • Medical illness
  • A loss like the death of a loved one
  • Mental disorders like depression and anxiety

These are all issues that may be underlying causes of substance abuse.

Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most commonly used therapy for benzodiazepine dependence. Evidence shows that it produces a change in the short term, unlike many other forms of psychological treatment, which may take years. CBT involves training to change thinking patterns and efforts to change behavior patterns.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is generally preferred over individual therapy because, in a group, the individual is likely to be challenged and receive support from people who are also undergoing treatment.

Individual Therapy

During individual therapy, the therapist and counselor develop a trusting relationship and work together to identify the deep-rooted causes of the person’s drug abuse.

Life Skills Training

The idea is to help individuals accumulate the tools and strategies they need to overcome Xanax addiction and remain sober indefinitely.

Treatment Programs

To overcome Xanax addiction, most experts recommend beginning with a detox program, which will ensure that the patient detoxes in a safe, supervised setting. This is crucial because it provides the individual’s safety during the process. During detox, withdrawal symptoms are severely uncomfortable and may become life-threatening. A medically assisted detox is necessary for a safe and complete detoxification.

There should be no one-size-fits-all program for any addiction, including Xanax addiction. That’s why different treatment programs are developed. As usual, the treatment program an individual needs depends on:

  • The severity of their addiction
  • The duration of the addiction
  • Their support system at home

Standard treatment programs include:

  • Residential: In a residential program, the individual receives all treatment and lives at the facility.
  • Outpatient Programs: There are several levels of outpatient programs. They differ in intensity and amount of time required at the treatment facility.

TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE


Finding the right help for a Xanax addiction can be an overwhelming and stressful process. We can remove those stresses by helping you find a suitable rehabilitation facility. Contact us today. You can have the life you want, so don’t wait any longer.

FAQs About Xanax Detox

Xanax detox is the process of safely removing Xanax (alprazolam) from the body under medical supervision. It is necessary to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms and complications, as stopping Xanax abruptly can be dangerous.

Xanax detox can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the individual’s use history and the dosage they have been taking. Withdrawal symptoms can persist longer, but medical detox helps manage them effectively.

Withdrawal symptoms may include anxiety, insomnia, irritability, headaches, muscle pain, nausea, and in severe cases, seizures. Medical supervision helps manage and reduce the severity of these symptoms.

Detoxing from Xanax at home is not recommended, as withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even life-threatening. It’s safer to undergo Xanax detox in a medical facility where professionals can monitor and treat symptoms.

Yes, medications are often used during Xanax detox to help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce the risk of complications like seizures. A doctor will create a tapering schedule to gradually reduce the dose of Xanax.

After detox, individuals typically enter a rehabilitation program or continue with therapy and support groups to address the underlying causes of Xanax use and prevent relapse.

If you experience withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, shaking, or sleep disturbances when you stop taking Xanax, or if you’ve been using it for an extended period, you likely need a medically supervised detox to quit safely.

Many insurance plans cover Xanax detox and related addiction treatment services. You should check with your provider or the detox facility to confirm coverage details.