The Realities of Xanax Addiction

Xanax has enabled many people with social phobias and anxiety improve their lives and their relationships. Xanax is the trade name for alprazolam which is in the benzodiazepine family. Prozac was the wonder drug of the 1990s that revolutionized the chemical treatment of depression. Xanax is the new popular drug, and as prescription drugs become “popular,” they are vulnerable to being over prescribed and abused. With the misuse of Xanax, the lines between treating a bona fide condition and simply taking a pill to feel better become blurred.

The Problem of Prescription Drug Abuse

In former decades, parents had to warn their kids about the dangers of using illegal drugs. It is at least as likely these days that a teenager could seek a thrill from their parent’s medicine cabinets as they would buying illegal drugs from a dealer. In addition, a number of adolescents are prescribed Xanax and may be at risk of abusing it or giving it to their friends for recreational use. Drug abuse is not confined to teenagers, but many adults may misuse Xanax to relieve stress.

Although Xanax provides significant benefits from people who suffer from anxiety disorder and social phobias, when used in large quantities, it can cause disorientation, slurred speech and lack of coordination. This drug is a depressant, and when combined with another depressant, such as alcohol, it can be particularly dangerous. Most people who are prescribed Xanax do not develop an addiction, but those who do abuse Xanax experience the same kind of problems as those addicted to other substances.

Signs of Xanax Addiction

Xanax addiction symptoms involve a physical and psychological dependency on the drug. The user develops a tolerance to the drug and needs successively higher doses. They may avoid asking their doctor directly for an increased dosage because of suspicion of addiction and may go through secret means to obtain extra supplies of the drug. Hiding one’s behavior and yet being in denial is a complex combination of behaviors that indicate addiction. People are at a higher risk of addiction to Xanax if they have addictions to other substances and have been using high doses of the drug for a long period of time.

People who abuse Xanax may experience nausea, dizziness, headaches and moodiness. Sleep may be impaired and aggressive behavior may alternate with depression. These are hardly the kind of physical and emotional conditions people want to achieve when they use Xanax, and there may be a will to quit.

Withdrawal from Xanax

Like alcohol, withdrawal from Xanax may not be as simple as quitting. Not only does stopping the use of Xanax involve difficulty and a significant chance of reversion back to the drug, but there can be some dangers in the complete cessation of the use of Xanax. Just as some people develop delirium tremens when they suddenly stop drinking, cutting Xanax cold turkey can lead to an irregular heartbeat, disorientation, panic and in some cases, seizures and more severe complications, such as heart attacks. People who want to stop abusing Xanax should see outside help and medical attention to avoid dangerous symptoms.