No, Xanax addiction cannot be “cured” in the traditional sense, but individuals can achieve long-term recovery through effective treatment and relapse prevention strategies. Recovery focuses on managing addiction as a chronic condition by addressing its underlying causes and maintaining sobriety rather than eliminating the possibility of relapse, which a cure indicates. Xanax addiction leads to physical effects such as impaired coordination, chronic fatigue, and liver damage, alongside psychological effects like heightened anxiety, depression, and mood instability. Alprazolam is marketed under several brand names, such as Xanax, Niravam, and Xanax XR. After taking alprazolam by mouth, the body absorbs it alcoholism quickly, reaching its highest levels in the blood within 1 to 2 hours. The amount in the bloodstream depends on the dose, with peak levels ranging from 8.0 to 37 ng/mL for doses between 0.5 and 3.0 mg.
Signs and Symptoms
The first step is to identify any misconceptions you might have about addiction. 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. The number of adults in the U.S. who smoke marijuana has more than doubled since 2013. You can prevent Xanax addiction by ensuring medical guidance, patient education, and gradual tapering. You can also learn more about getting admitted today, paying for rehab, using insurance to pay for rehab, and the different levels of care we offer at River Oaks, including inpatient rehab near Tampa.
Social and Environmental Factors
According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, combining multiple benzodiazepines significantly raises the risk of dependency and xanax addiction cognitive impairment. It is important to consult a healthcare provider before taking both medications. Treatment for Xanax addiction often begins with a slow tapering of the drug or another benzodiazepine so the individual will not experience severe withdrawal effects. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can create a syndrome similar to delirium tremens that causes hallucinations, agitation, confusion, and potentially fatal seizures. For your safety, it is important to have medical supervision throughout the process of Xanax withdrawal so that these symptoms can be avoided, or immediately treated. Those who become addicted to Xanax will not be able to stop taking the drug on their own, even if they want to.
Which Treatment options are available for Xanax Addiction?
Although not FDA-approved for treating depression, some doctors prescribe it off-label for short-term relief of depressive symptoms, especially when anxiety is a contributing factor. Lorazepam is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines and is used to treat anxiety disorders … Benzodiazepine dependence and overdose are on the rise, increasing more than four times between 2002 and 2015. A quick onset of action also appears to increase the chances for addiction of different benzodiazepines, although all benzodiazepines still have strong addiction potential, even when used at normal doses.
- Recognizing these early can make a significant difference in getting the person the help they need before the addiction worsens.
- Research indicates that about 2% of individuals who use benzodiazepines, including Xanax, develop an addiction.
- Polydrug use (using multiple drugs) is common among people with benzodiazepine addiction, with 54.2% abusing opioids and 24.7% abusing alcohol.
- Contact our admissions team, available 24/7, to start your journey towards recovery.
- Alprazolam can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication or alcohol.
- Xanax looks like a small, oval, or rectangular tablet that comes in various colors, depending on the dosage and manufacturer.
Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine substance better known by its brand name, Xanax. All benzodiazepines are depressant medications that slow down a user’s body and mind, resulting in reduced anxiety and increased relaxation. Outpatient treatment options provide maximum flexibility by allowing people to maintain their obligations at work, school, and home while in a treatment and recovery program. It typically involves 5-20 hours of treatment per week, depending on the type of outpatient treatment chosen.
The key causes of Xanax addiction are prescription misuse, recreational use, and co-occurring mental health disorders. Despite its therapeutic benefits, Xanax’s potential for addiction is alarming. Research indicates that about 2% of individuals who use benzodiazepines, including Xanax, develop an addiction. Moreover, a staggering 17.1% of adults who used a benzodiazepine in the past year reported abusing the drug. This abuse can lead to severe physical, psychological, and social consequences.
- Xanax is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, but taking too much can be very dangerous.
- At therapeutic doses, it helps individuals manage anxiety symptoms, but at higher or prolonged doses, it causes impaired cognitive function, slurred speech, and loss of coordination.
- Because Xanax is a controlled substance, it is only available by prescription, and there are regulations around how it can be prescribed and dispensed to prevent misuse and abuse.
- When Xanax binds to the GABA-A receptor, it enhances the receptor’s affinity for GABA, increasing chloride ion influx into neurons.
- Protracted or high-dose use precipitates addiction, as the brain adapts to the drug and necessitates greater doses for the same effect.
- The more Xanax the individual takes, the more serious the addiction becomes and the more they will need professional addiction treatment help.
However, you can become addicted to Xanax even if you take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. No one is exempt from drug dependence, but there are certain demographics that are more prone to it. It is thought females account for more benzo addictions than males, but this may merely be due to women being more likely to receive a prescription for the drugs. These drugs are some of the most highly addictive prescription drugs on the market, and they can hook a user within a matter of mere weeks. Daily use of benzodiazepines for six weeks or more will result in dependency for four in every 10 users, the Royal College of Psychiatrists states.
Physical and Psychological Effects of Xanax Abuse
You might wonder if it’s drugs or something different, such as a demanding job or a stressful life change. 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. 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.