Xanax Addiction: Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Alprazolam is biotransformed by hepatic microsomal oxidation, yielding 4 and α-hydroxyalprazolam as its principal metabolites, and is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 (Greenblatt and Wright, 1993). 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. If you are taking Xanax as prescribed, check with your doctor before taking another drug or drinking alcohol.

• Addiction is often due to psychological factors that influence individuals to keep using.
• Benzodiazepines (also known as “benzos”) are commonly referred to as sedatives, hypnotics, or minor tranquilizers.
• CDC prescription death rate data reveal that between 2003 and 2009, alprazolam had the highest death rate increase of all benzodiazepines and second highest overall at 234%, compared with 168% for benzodiazepines as a class (CDC, 2011).
• Polydrug use (using multiple drugs) is common among people with benzodiazepine addiction, with 54.2% abusing opioids and 24.7% abusing alcohol.
• Alprazolam should not be prescribed at a higher dose than is US FDA-recommended, and providers should consider discontinuation if patients are requesting higher doses, as it may signal therapeutic tolerance and/or misuse.
• Therefore, the urge to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay reinforces substance use.

Your Guide to Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms and Treatment Options

• Xanax is one of the most popular anti-anxiety medications in the United States.
• On the same table with the kits were photo collages of those who died from fentanyl overdose and poisoning.
• Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
• Taking Xanax in combination with alcohol can cause life-threatening side effects.

The study followed nearly 9,000 older adults for six years after they began using the medication for insomnia or anxiety. The findings suggested that those who used benzos were 51 percent more likely to develop dementia, and the risk increased the longer the drugs https://ecosoberhouse.com/ were used (1). Even if you only take Xanax for a period of several days, you may develop a physical dependence on the drug. This means that you will likely experience Xanax withdrawal, or the uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms of discontinuing the drug.

How to reduce your risk of relapse

Although an intervention may encourage your loved one to seek treatment, it can also have the opposite effect. Confrontation-style interventions may lead to shame, anger, xanax addiction or social withdrawal. In some cases, a nonthreatening conversation is a better option. The way a person behaves while living with an addiction can vary widely.

More on Drugs & Medications

For instance, alcohol is commonly abused alongside Xanax and can significantly increase the chance of injury or death, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states. Study results show a broad range, between 3 percent and 41 percent, of people who struggle with alcoholism also abuse benzodiazepines, per the American Family Physician. Alprazolam, of which Xanax is a known brand name, is a scheduled IV controlled substance and a commonly prescribed psychotropic medication to manage panic and anxiety disorders. Alprazolam is misused as a recreational drug, and when combined with other substances, such as alcohol, can slow breathing and possibly lead to death. Xanax is a powerful benzodiazepine that is often prescribed to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorders, and insomnia.

It’s important that you consider all of your options and choose the treatment program that’s right for you. Although some people can take benzodiazepines without complications, some individuals may develop dependence, and others may misuse the medication. Xanax is a prescription medication that treats conditions such as anxiety and panic disorder. The generic version, alprazolam, is the most frequently prescribed psychotropic medication in the United States. A psychotropic is a medication that affects how the brain functions.

What to know about Xanax addiction treatment

Everyone who takes the drug regularly will develop tolerance, meaning they’ll require higher doses to feel the same therapeutic effect. Patients with a high tolerance to Xanax may require doses greater than 4 milligrams per day, increasing their risk for dependence. People successfully recover from Xanax addictions using both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. However, people with more severe addictions might need the stability of an inpatient treatment center to recover. The detox and withdrawal from Xanax can cause deadly seizures, so professional guidance is vital during this time of treatment.

A walk to remember those lost to drug overdoses