How Is Ativan Legally Classified
Ativan can only be purchased legally with a prescription from a physician. Ativan is listed by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency as a Schedule IV drug. This means that it is believed to have a low potential for abuse or physical addiction relative to drugs such as heroin or cocaine. However, just because Ativan is not considered to be as physically addictive as heroin, this does not mean it is not a drug that carries potential for abuse and/or addiction.
What Is Xanax Addiction
Addiction, or substance use disorder, is when a person continues to use a pleasurable substance or perform a pleasurable action despite negative consequences the substance or action causes. Consequences can be financial, occupational or interpersonal.
Substance use disorder develops over months and years, and may not be easy to identify at first.
Xanax dependence can be a trigger that encourages addiction. When a person is dependent, they cannot stop using a drug without experiencing withdrawal. They also cannot function normally without the substance. Therefore, the urge to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay reinforces substance use.
Addiction does not discriminate, especially when it comes to prescription drugs like Xanax. People from all walks of life can become addicted to Xanax. While addiction is different for everyone, the progression from the first use to a substance use disorder may look something like this:
Treatment Options For Xanax Misuse & Addiction
Many of the side effects of Xanax addiction, including short-term memory loss, are curable and may improve with time.
Although the mental effects of Xanax addiction may be permanent, the brain is also a sophisticated organ that can recover with appropriate treatment.
Medical detox
For many individuals seeking treatment for Xanax addiction, the initial step is to enroll in a medical detoxification program.
Although Xanax withdrawal is rarely fatal on its own, it may be dangerous to go through without medical assistance.
Medical detox treatments are often included to assist patients in a safe transition to a drug-free life.
Inpatient Treatment
Substance use therapy for Xanax addiction may be provided in a hospital or other inpatient setting.
People in recovery are temporarily housed in a treatment center and attend daily therapy sessions.
A residential recovery center provides a homelike setting for extended periods of time . They may also provide dietary counseling, meditation, fitness classes, and other forms of therapy.
Outpatient treatment
In certain cases, outpatient care is a step down from inpatient care. Some people with less serious addictions may choose outpatient therapy as their primary method of recovery.
People in outpatient programs live at home rather than at a facility. They have more time to attend to personal responsibilities such as work or school.
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Physical Signs Of Xanax Abuse
One of the most obvious indications of Xanax abuse is when one consumes more than the prescribed dosage amount.
Physical Signs of Xanax Abuse Include:
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Lack of coordination
Xanax addiction starts with physical dependence and then develops into a compulsive and uncontrolled need, and might even engage in potential self-harm. There are just a few numbers of refills for the prescription, due to its habit-forming effects. This is where obsession can lead to addiction.
Addiction Is About Relationship
Addiction is also related to your relationship with the drug. Do you rely on the drug to get through the day? How does thinking about quitting make you feel? How has your attitude toward Xanax changed over the course of using it? Addiction develops faster when Xanax feels like an important or necessary part of your life.
If you rely on it to feel good or simply not feel bad, you are dependent on the drug.
Dependence is an early sign of addiction. It is a chemical response to the drug and isnt an indicator of personal failure or weakness. In fact, recognizing that you are losing control to Xanax displays awareness and concern. It indicates that you are ready to make a positive change in your life. With the right tools and resources, you can turn addiction into an opportunity for healing, growth, and forward movement.
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Lifestyle Alternatives To Xanax
Simply, the anti-anxiety drugs are not working for all individuals and also none another supplement is 100% effective. Even if you attempt some of the ingestible natural Xanax alternatives, you do not get instant relief that you are searching for. Still, there are several other things you can perform. It may be that your lifestyle requires a few adjustments like:
- Eliminate caffeine
- Get physical exercise
How Xanax Affects The Mind
Often, people who are abusing Xanax have anxiety disorders they were trying to treat with the drug. Some 20 percent of Americans suffer from anxiety, Everyday Health reports.
Even when used in a medicinal fashion, dependency will generally still occur. The first sign of this is tolerance. With tolerance, Xanax stops working as well, even as a treatment medication. Those with anxiety will see a return of symptoms and may feel inclined to up their dose in order to keep symptoms at bay. Throughout this process, the brain is becoming more reliant upon the drug to feel normal.
When people are mentally addicted to Xanax, they wont be able to keep their minds off thoughts of the drug. In addition to the health risks associated with detoxing alone, quitting without professional intervention is extremely hard to do since users minds are compulsively driving them to use again.
The mental impact of withdrawing from Xanax can be turbulent. The mind becomes accustomed to the drug and can go through periods of insomnia, depression, paranoia, and irritability while trying to come off it. The majority of withdrawal symptoms can be treated during medical detox to make the process as comfortable as possible for those in detox.
As many as 44 percent of chronic benzodiazepine users ultimately become dependent on their drug of choice, the Journal of Addictive Behaviors notes. Addiction is often due to psychological factors that influence individuals to keep using.
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Toxicity And Side Effects
With the introduction of chlordiazepoxide in 1960, and because of the relative safety of benzodiazepines, these agents rapidly replaced barbiturates as sedative-hypnotics. They cause significantly less respiratory depression than barbiturates and, consequently, are rarely lethal in an overdose.
As a class of drugs, benzodiazepines share many clinical properties, although the different agents in this class may display different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties . Pharmacologic properties such as potency, half-life and lipophilicity, the duration of treatment and the rate of a dosage increase or decrease have a bearing on the occurrence of side effects.1 The development of physiologic dependence is somewhat predictable and is proportional to the total benzodiazepine exposure , although significant variability may exist among patients.
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Flurazepam |
How Long Does It Take To Get Addicted To Xanax
Xanax® is the brand name of the drug alprazolam. Like many other prescription drugs, people can become physically dependent upon this medication and develop an addiction. The time it takes to get addicted to Xanax varies from individual to individual, and depends largely on the nature of use. Benzodiazepines like alprazolam are involved in a surprisingly high number of overdose deaths, with benzodiazepine overdose rates climbing in recent years. Although it is most often when another drug is present in the body, Xanax overdose is a very serious issue and often results in fatalities.
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Can Xanax Kill You
The short answer is, yes, Xanax can kill you, but the real explanation is a bit more complicated than that. While Xanax is widely viewed as a safe drug, many fatalities have been linked with this prescription medication.
As with any medication, it is essential to follow medical dosage directions when taking Xanax. If someone who takes Xanax fails to listen to the instructions that their doctor gives them, they may face many serious fatal health complications. Xanax-related death could be caused by addiction, overdose, unsafe ingestion, unsafe combinations with the drug, suicide, and withdrawal.
The 3 Signs Your Loved One Is Addicted To Xanax
Addiction Treatment,Mental HealthAddiction, Xanax
Xanax is a try of benzodiazepine, which is a central nervous system depressant. Its often prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders, and its one of North Americas most highly prescribed drugs. In fact, in 2017 Xanax was the 21st most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 25 million prescriptions.
Because Xanax is so accessible in the U.S., and because it helps numbs extremely common signs and symptoms of anxiety, it is highly addictive. In prescription instances, the drug is also highly tolerable, and a person may take up to 30 pills a day without extreme risk of overdose.
Unfortunately, like alcohol, Xanax is a dependency drug and if a person with a tolerance decides to quit, they will likely experience withdrawal effects like heightened anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and tremors.
Because of its tolerability, spotting a Xanax addict is extremely difficult. In this blog, we showcase some of the common signs that your loved one might be addicted to Xanax.
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Xanax Poses Serious Overdose Risk
According to the Chicago Tribune, Xanax and other benzos are related to about a third of all prescription medication overdose deaths. This drug is widely prescribed and with its high potential for abuse, people frequently take a much higher dose than their bodies can handle.
Other addictive prescription drugs like Oxycodone and Fentanyl are also widely prescribed which means many people end up combining their pain-killers with their anti-anxiety meds. Unfortunately though, when these opioids are mixed with Xanax, they can dramatically increase the risk for overdose. Thats because all of these medications, the different classes of benzos and opiates, are respiratory depressants. This means they will all work together to suppress breathing, which is one of the main reasons people die from overdose.
Xanax, while very addictive, does have the power to help some people manage severe anxiety. It is also a highly effective aid for anesthesiologists preparing especially frightened patients for surgery. For these reasons, were not going to see it disappear from the pharmacy anytime soon, which means we have to be more mindful of how were using it, and who is getting prescriptions. If were not careful with this powerful anti-anxiety drug, we will see more and more people getting addicted and falling into harms way because of it.
Looking For A Place To Start
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- Muscle weakness
- Coma
Treatment for a Xanax overdose will depend on how much of the drug was taken and whether other drugs or alcohol were also taken. In the event of an overdose, medical providers may pump the stomach to remove as much of the unabsorbed Xanax as possible. Medications such as Flumazenil may also be administered as antidotes. Doctors may insert an IV to provide necessary fluids. It is important for anyone suffering from an overdose to be honest with the emergency medical personnel about exactly what substances were taken and at what amount.
Featured Centers Offering Xanax Treatment
- About
Jeffrey Juergens earned his Bachelors and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. Jeffreys desire to help others led him to focus on economic and social development and policy making. After graduation, he decided to pursue his passion of writing and editing. Jeffreys mission is to educate and inform the public on addiction issues and help those in need of treatment find the best option for them.
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All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
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Increased Access And Increased Accidents
In 2012, over 49 million prescriptions were written for alprazolam, the drug behind the brand name Xanax. This made Xanax the 2nd most often prescribed psychoactive medication, after the opiate narcotic hydrocodone. Some of these prescriptions were used by individuals with anxiety disorders, but many were sold for illicit use.
Increased use led to increased addiction and increased health risks. Between 2005 and 2011, emergency room visits related to Xanax use more than doubled. When these emergency room visits involved the combination of Xanax and alcohol, a fatal overdose was too often the end result.
Young adults age 18 to 25 are the most vulnerable to Xanax addiction, simply because approximately twice as many individuals in this age group use the drug than individuals age 26 and olderand Xanax is so highly addictive that any use, illicit or by prescription, will almost always lead to dependence. Because Xanax is a controlled substance, even individuals with a doctor willing to prescribe the drug will eventually be forced to turn to illicit sources after they have reached the legal limit of how many scripts can be written for a single patient.
Mixing Other Drugs With Xanax
Xanax and alcohol are potentially fatal. It can severely depress the central nervous system to the point where it can stop or not function altogether by drastically reducing breath and heart rates.
Long-Term Side Effects of Xanax, Which Can Lead to Permanent Damage Include:
- Depression/depressive state
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America. . Facts & Statistics. Retrieved from https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
- Nih.gov. . Benzodiazepines and Opioids.https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/benzodiazepines-opioids . from
- Nih.gov. Alprazolam use and dependence. A retrospective analysis of 30 cases of withdrawal. . from
- The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852/
- Reissig, C. J., Harrison, J. A., Carter, L. P., & Griffiths, R. R. . How Long Does It Take to Get Addicted to Xanax? Retrieved from https://areterecovery.com/xanax/how-long/
- Orrange, S. . Xanax or Ativan: Which Is Better for Anxiety? GoodRx. Retrieved from https://www.goodrx.com/blog/xanax-or-ativan-which-is-better-for-anxiety/
- WebMD. . What is GABA? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/qa/what-is-gaba
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Tolerance To Xanax And Other Benzos Develops Fast Especially For People With Sleep Problems
One of the most common reasons that benzodiazepines are prescribed is for insomnia. When people cant fall asleep for whatever reason, they may get a Xanax or Ambien prescription. However, according to Psychiatrist Dr. Stewart Shipko, this is a risky solution. In an interview with the Huffington Post he explains:
Already by the end of the first week, theyre no longer getting that quality. So the dose begins to rise, say, from .5 mg, which is easily stopped, to 2 mg, which is not.
In other words, dangerous levels of tolerance can start in just ONE week of use. This makes Xanax HIGHLY addictive since users will have to quickly start upping their doses just to get the same effect as when they originally started taking the medication as prescribed.
Treatment To Prevent Overdoses
Although it may seem strange to seek addiction treatment before experiencing the symptoms of addiction, considering preemptive treatment can help you better understand your relationship with drugs or alcohol. If you or your loved one experience potential signs of addiction, seeking treatment at Arrow Passage Recovery can help you continue down the path to health and sobriety before potentially dangerous situations such as addiction or overdose occur.
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How Long Does It Take To Feel The Effects Of Xanax
Xanax is taken by mouth and is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. You should start feeling the effects of Xanax in under an hour. The medication reaches peak concentrations in the bloodstream in one to two hours following ingestion.
People who take Xanax will often build up a tolerance. For these people, it may take longer to feel the sedative effects of Xanax or the sedation may not feel as strong.
Switch From Xanax Tablets For Instant Release To Xanax Xr Tablets For Extended
The person who is presently being treated with separated doses of Xanax tablets to be taken three to four times per day might be changed to Xanax XR tablets at a similar total everyday dose to be taken once per day. If the therapeutic reaction after switching is insufficient, the dosage might be titrated as mentioned above.
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How Are Xanax Bars Made
Xanax bars are made by pressing by taking the powder form of alprazolam and compressing it into tablets. These tablets are then scored and imprinted XANAX 2 mg.
This is done with a pill press machine.
Because ownership of pill presses is legal, anyone can make counterfeit Xanax.3 This is often laced with fentanyl and other additives, making it more deadly.
Find The Help You Or Your Loved One Needs
You can avoid Xanax overdose and recover from your addiction with the help of the right rehabilitation program. The Recovery Village has helped countless men and women take back their lives from substance use disorders. With facilities located across the country, we can help you too. Contact us today to learn more about Xanax addiction treatment programs that can work well for your situation.
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How Can Addiction To Xanax Be Prevented
While there are legitimate medical needs for prescription anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, there is no way to guarantee that you will not become addicted if you take it. The only way to be certain is to never use it. However, if you find that Xanax is recommended to treat anxiety, and there are no other options, there are some steps that you can take to lower your risk of addiction.
- Follow the directions for taking the medication to the letter. Do not take more than what is prescribed without consulting your physician.
- Be aware of potential adverse interactions with other medications and alcohol.
- Dont discontinue taking the medication without consulting your doctor.
- Dont use someone elses prescription medication, and dont share yours with anyone else.
- Store your medications safely.
Be sure to talk with your doctor about alternatives to Xanax and other benzodiazepines to see if there is anything else that can be done to alleviate your anxiety. For some people, antihistamines or blood pressure medications are good non-addictive alternatives.
