Therapy for Xanax misuse involves identifying triggers, developing coping strategies, and addressing underlying issues contributing to addiction. Professional therapy provides support and tools to overcome Xanax dependence effectively. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic technique that helps patients recognize and alter detrimental thought and behavior patterns related to substance abuse.

Xanax Detoxification

However, while the available data show that alprazolam monotherapy is as effective as other benzodiazepines for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders, this must be considered along with its propensity for tolerance, dependence, and rebound anxiety. Xanax, otherwise known as alprazolam, is a potent central nervous system depressant within the benzodiazepine family of medications. It works by enhancing the activity of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This increased GABA activity results in a calming and sedative effect, which can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, panic disorders, and sometimes insomnia.

Rare or serious side effects

• If you’re uninsured or under-insured, SAMSA can refer you to state-funded treatment programs, programs that accept Medicare or Medicaid, and those that charge on a sliding scale.
• By customizing treatment approaches based on specific needs and circumstances, healthcare providers and treatment centers like The Edge Treatment Center can address underlying issues effectively.
• If you or a loved one are overdosing on Xanax, opioids, or any other drug, call 911 immediately or seek medical help at once.
• Knowing these causes is important for addressing marijuana addiction and implementing effective prevention and treatment strategies.
• Anti-anxiety medications are also prescribed during withdrawal to alleviate acute symptoms and facilitate the recovery process.

There are also encouraging case reports and case series with the use of other antiseizure medications to help alleviate symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal. There are 3 case reports suggesting that valproate may be effective for the treatment of sedative-hypnotic withdrawal, but a double-blind, placebo-controlled study failed to replicate the results (Rickels et al., 1999). Medical interventions for Xanax abuse may involve detoxification under medical supervision, medication-assisted treatment, and management of withdrawal symptoms.

• Common complaints reported with varying frequency by patients treated with alprazolam include sedation, fatigue, ataxia, amnesia, slurred speech, poor concentration, hypersensitivity, and irritability.
• Xanax produces its main effects by mimicking GABA, a neurotransmitter used by brain cells.
• Mixing Xanax with other drugs not only intensifies its sedative effects but also increases the risk of accidental overdose.

Xanax Addiction & Overdose Statistics

At this point, drug rehabilitation or medical intervention is the safest method for someone attempting to overcome their addiction. Due to the risks of alprazolam withdrawal symptoms, professional treatment should always be sought when ending use. When withdrawal is done under the supervision of medical staff, the effects can be diminished, leading to a safer withdrawal process where any complications can be addressed. Another concern with Xanax addiction is the risk of overdose, which can result in acute benzodiazepine toxicity.

• You might be prescribed other medication to treat depression, anxiety, or a sleep disorder.
• The time varies for each person and withdrawal symptoms vary depending on numerous factors.
• Alprazolam has been consistently found to approximate the magnitude of anxiolytic effect of other comparable benzodiazepines.
• Alprazolam and its 2 hydroxylated metabolites are known to cross the placenta.
• Withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety occur when the drug is not taken which reinforces the repeating cycle of addiction.

Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)

Protracted withdrawal is a prolonged withdrawal experience marked by waves of mild psychological symptoms that come and go over the course of several months. Many people experience irritability and agitation, which can cause problems at home, work, or school. Insomnia, another symptom, can also contribute to these feelings of anxiety and agitation.

• If you or a loved one has been prescribed Xanax, it is vital to alert your physician to what medications you are already taking before using Xanax to prevent any potentially adverse combinations.
• In 2017, doctors wrote nearly 45 million prescriptions for Xanax (alprazolam).
• Either way, it is very important that someone with a Xanax addiction also addresses their mental health and any behaviors that led to their addiction in the first place.
• Marijuana addiction alters neurotransmitter levels, mainly decreasing dopamine and serotonin.
• Unlike many other withdrawal syndromes, benzodiazepine withdrawal can be complicated and, occasionally, life-threatening.

While we are unable to respond to your feedback directly, we’ll use this information to improve our online help. It is important to seek medical attention immediately if any of the above symptoms are present. Like many drugs, the presence of Xanax can be detected with laboratory tests. This drug can be detected in urine, saliva, and hair follicles, although the reliability of these tests is not consistent. Treatment may involve a combination of strategies, including detoxification and various psychotherapeutic and psychosocial approaches.

One of its pharmacological actions includes the modulation of neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric Natural Xanax Alternatives For Anxiety acid (GABA), thereby eliciting an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and sedative effect. Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug that is known for its fast onset of action, making it effective in quickly reducing anxiety and panic symptoms but it also has a high dependency risk. Additionally, when Xanax use is discontinued, a phenomenon called protracted withdrawal may occur where withdrawal symptoms are experienced for up to a year. Symptoms will be milder than acute withdrawal and they can disappear for weeks at a time and then pop back up.

Once you are stabilized on a dose of diazepam, your prescribing doctor will help you slowly taper down a little bit at a time. Xanax is a short-acting drug, which means your body metabolizes it very quickly. Tapering Xanax is challenging because the amount of the drug in your system quickly goes up and down with each dose. To help you avoid these peaks and valleys, doctors often switch you from Xanax to a long-acting benzodiazepine such as Valium (diazepam). The best way to try to lessen the severity of your Xanax withdrawal symptoms is by slowly tapering down your dose of Xanax.