What Is Xanax?
Xanax is a prescription drug classified as a benzodiazepine under the brand name Alprazolam that can lead to drug addiction if abused. Benzodiazepines are designed to produce a calming effect on your central nervous system and brain. This process is done by enhancing the effects of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a chemical responsible for sending messages to your brain and body to relax and rest.
Xanax Use and Abuse
Xanax is commonly prescribed to individuals with an anxiety disorder or someone who experiences seizures or convulsions. When you use the proper dosage as prescribed by your doctor, Xanax can support individuals in overcoming the debilitating side effects of an anxiety disorder, allowing you to maintain your day-to-day lifestyle. However, Xanax has become widely popular among people with substance use disorders for its highly addictive components and side effects of euphoria and relaxation when abused. Xanax is often sold legally and illegally, making it easy to access for those seeking to abuse Xanax.
Common symptoms of Xanax addiction are:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Heart Palpitations
- Hyperactivity
- Manic behaviors
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Slurred speech
- Tremors
See what other household drugs that are used to get high here:
Can I Get Addicted to Xanax?
Yes, Xanax can be highly addictive if you are not taking it as prescribed by a healthcare provider and you are not being monitored by a healthcare provider throughout your substance abuse. Xanax is considered a schedule 4 medication meaning that it is recognized for medical use but has highly addictive components. Xanax will not only increase the levels of GABA, but individuals will also experience an increase in dopamine which is responsible for the reward center within your brain. As your Xanax abuse worsens, it becomes challenging to naturally experience the same feelings of reward. This creates a cycle of drug abuse as individuals are searching for the same intense, good reward feelings by continuing to abuse Xanax.
Common Xanax Drug Combinations
Mixing any drug can put you at serious risk for significant harm to your physical, emotional, and mental health. When Xanax is combined with alcohol, it can create a lethal combination. Both substances are central nervous system depressants that, when combined, can produce severe, fatal, and profound side effects, including respiratory depression creating trouble breathing. Additionally, individuals who are prescribed opioids are commonly paired with Xanax. When opioids and benzodiazepines are combined, it increases the risk of overdose and overdose-related death.
How to Detox From Xanax
When you are detoxing from Xanax, you must have the ongoing medical supervision of a healthcare professional that will monitor your progress in drug detox. During your drug detox, there is the potential to experience serious side effects that will need to be addressed by a doctor immediately. As you rid your body of the physical dependence to Xanax, your body will exhibit withdrawal symptoms that range from mild to severe, depending on the severity of your drug abuse. Once you have overcome the physical dependence on Xanax, you will be ready to address your underlying causes of drug abuse within an addiction treatment program.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Xanax Addiction and Anxiety
Your use of Xanax likely began due to the medical advice to best treat a mental illness of anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and other mood disorders of bipolar disorder, panic disorder, or sleep disorders that create trouble sleeping. However, as your drug abuse progressed, you realized that you could not stop taking Xanax. Seeking treatment within a drug detox and rehab program will support you in addressing the root causes of your drug abuse. A dual diagnosis treatment program will provide you with the ongoing support of addiction counselors and healthcare providers. You will be supported in understanding the root causes of your Xanax drug abuse through behavioral therapy methods and other evidence-based therapy methods. Patients will also gain medical attention and advice about the side effects of their mental illness while learning techniques on how best to manage their mental illness through holistic, natural treatments, so you stop taking Xanax as a method of self-medicating. After completing dual diagnosis treatment with inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, or online therapy, you will complete your treatment program equipped with the tools to maintain your mental illness to a stable level while removing the physical dependence on Xanax.
Contact one of our compassionate counselors at (800) 426-1818 today to begin your road to addiction recovery now.
