How Long Does Inpatient Xanax Rehabilitation Take
Patients react differently to Xanax treatment. As such, it is not possible to place a specific timeframe on how long treatment takes. We can offer some general rules, though.
The average Xanax patient needs between 10 and 15 days to fully withdraw. Even so, some protracted withdrawal symptoms can continue for months or even years. Once withdrawal is complete, the patient enters a multi-week course of therapeutic treatments. On average, rehab therapy lasts between four and 12 weeks.
You may find in your case that withdrawal is over in seven days and you work your way through rehab in four or five weeks. On the other hand, you may require more time. Rest assured that you will get all the time you need to do it right. If you are looking to quit Xanax, worry less about the time commitment and more about actually getting well.
We also dont want you to think that time equals success. There are plenty of addicts who have completed shorter programs and gone on to abstain permanently. There are others who spend 10 to 12 weeks in treatment only to come out the other end ready to start using again. Length of time is less important than the effort you are willing to put into recovery.
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Is Dependence The Same Thing As Addiction
Dependence and addiction are not the same.
Dependence refers to a physical state in which your body is dependent on the drug. With drug dependence may also come tolerance, which is when you need more and more of a substance to achieve the same effect. You experience mental and physical effects if you abruptly stop taking the drug.
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.
What causes addiction?
Addiction has many causes. Some are related to your environment and life experiences, such as having friends who use drugs. Others are genetic. When you take a drug, certain genetic factors can increase your risk of developing an addiction. Regular drug use changes your brain chemistry, affecting how you experience pleasure. This can make it difficult to simply stop using the drug once youve started.
How To Help A Xanax Addict
If a loved one is struggling with Xanax addiction, the best thing you could do is help them seek professional treatment. No matter how difficult they become or how much of a tough time they give you, do not abandon them as your absence would further push them towards their Xanax abuse habits. Moreover, abandoning a Xanax abuser for your own sanity and mental health is not a good idea as that would lead them to overdose which would ultimately result in their death! You can play an effective role by assisting them to reach out to: Treatment facilities. Residential treatments. Counselling. Behavioral and medical therapy.
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The Importance Of Medical Detox
Up to 30% of people that do not receive professional medical treatment for Xanax withdrawal will have grand mal seizures.11 Due to this and other health risks, medical detox is the safest option for Xanax withdrawal.3
Detoxification is a set of strategies and medical interventions used to safely and effectively allow the body to rid itself of toxins.3 Medical detox includes observation from medical professionals and administration of medications as needed to relieve symptoms.3
There are several methods by which Xanax may be safely cleared from the body:3,8,15
- Ending all Xanax use and treating withdrawal symptoms with anticonvulsants and sedating antidepressants .
- Gradually tapering the current dose of Xanax over time.
- Switching to a longer-acting benzodiazepine like diazepam or a barbiturate like phenobarbital and then gradually weaning the dose.
Therapy And Support Groups
Overcoming Xanax addiction can be challenging when proceeding through it alone. Having support from a therapist or others going through similar challenges can help make the process of eliminating the drug from your life smoother and easier.
âTherapy support and potentially even peer-group support can be important to help prevent relapse to the medication and the potential transfer of the dependency to other depressants like alcohol,â Jaffe says.
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Xanax Withdrawal And Detox
Long-term use and use of Xanax can lead to drug dependence. This can cause the body to go through a process known as withdrawal after the effects of the drug have worn off.
People that have been abusing Xanax should not stop taking it all at once. This can cause serious withdrawal symptoms, including life-threatening seizures. Other severe symptoms, such as delirium and psychosis, can also occur during Xanax withdrawal.
Due to these safety concerns, coming off Xanax requires a gradual tapering and withdrawal process. The safest and most effective way to determine an appropriate weaning schedule is to seek professional help for medically assisted detox.
What Is Xanax Addiction
Substance use disorders , such as Xanax addiction, develop when a persons substance usage produces changes in brain chemistry, leading to uncontrollable use despite the negative effects.
Abuse of Xanax can start when a person does not take the medicine as directed, such as:
- Taking more than their prescribed dose of Xanax.
- Taking Xanax more frequently than prescribed.
- Buying Xanax illicitly.
- Using another persons Xanax prescription.
When a person uses Xanax for a long period, their body and brain might develop a dependence on the drug, which means they will suffer withdrawal symptoms if they lessen or stop taking it. Some people may continue to use Xanax in order to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
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Am I Addicted To Xanax
There are certain questions you can ask yourself to get a sense of whether you have a problem with Xanax use. These include the following:
- Do you experience withdrawal symptoms when you dont use Xanax?
- Do you have an uncontrollable urge to use Xanax?
- Does your Xanax usage affect other areas of your lifeincluding work, school or interpersonal relationships?
- Do you hide or disguise your Xanax addiction from other people?
If you answer yes to any of these, its time to seek help. If youre ready to seek out a program, prepare some questions you have about facilities and have your insurance information at hand. In many cases, private insurance will cover some or all of your treatment. You may start by calling your provider to inquire about covered programs or reach out to individual programs to ask whether they accept your coverage.
Effective Treatment For Xanax Addiction
Treatment for Xanax addiction must include withdrawal. The challenge here is to withdraw at a quick enough rate to minimise any further damage done by the drug without going so fast as to cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Xanax is especially troublesome in this regard because of its short half-life.
The half-life of a drug is the amount of time it takes for half the concentration of the substance to leave the body. Drugs with short half-lives tend to produce more severe withdrawal symptoms because the effects of said drugs wear off more quickly than other drugs with longer half-lives. This is why some doctors will treat Xanax addiction through substitute tapering.
Substitute tapering can greatly reduce withdrawal symptoms by offering longer lasting effects that diminish more slowly. As the thinking goes, less intense withdrawal symptoms increase the likelihood of successful withdrawal. They also minimise the risk of complications. This is not to say that substitute tapering always goes off without a hitch it doesnt. Yet substitute tapering is a very effective treatment for Xanax detox.
In the end, the most effective treatment for Xanax addiction is whatever works for the patient. It is up to doctors, nurses, and therapists to assess a patients health and current circumstances in order to devise an optimal treatment plan. Whatever that plan might be should be open to modification as needed. This is the way to effectively treat Xanax addiction.
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Symptoms Of Xanax Addiction:
Be it Xanax or other drugs, the red flags that signal an addiction is usually similar in nature and include the following:
- Ingesting Xanax every time your symptoms, that you have tried to suppress, reappear
- Developing a tolerance to your current dosage
- Avoiding social gatherings as they keep you away from taking Xanax
- Worrying about your next supply of the drug
- Inability to control your addiction no matter how much you feel guilty about your usage.
When these red flags start to appear, you have already developed an addiction to Xanax. Moreover, when it comes to this addiction, there are two types of symptoms that plague ones existence.
What Is Xanax Addiction And How Does It Develop
Dopamine is a chemical that is responsible for feelings of reward in the brain.
When you eat a treat or win a race, your brain releases a small amount of dopamine. This gives you a desire to do the same thing again. Xanax addiction comes from the same process, as it changes signals in the brain to increase the amount of dopamine released.
Xanax also increases the GABA activity in your brain, which makes users feel relaxed, lightheaded, and disinhibited.
Xanax is a fast-acting benzodiazepine, so it only takes a short time to cause a significant change in the brain. It a highly addictive substance, and you are most likely to develop a Xanax addiction if you take it for several months.
If you take Xanax at high doses over a long period of time, you will likely develop a tolerance to the drug, though this can develop in just days. As your tolerance increases, you have to take higher and higher quantities to experience the same positive feelings. This intensifies the withdrawal symptoms you experience when you try to stop taking Xanax.
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How To Recognize Xanax Addiction In Others
Someone you know, maybe a friend, family member or a loved one, might try and conceal their Xanax addiction from you. You may start to wonder whether they are doing drugs or if it is a stressful change in their lives. Here are some of the commonest signs to guide you how to recognize Xanax addiction in others.
- Changes in Behavior acting more aggressively or being secretive
- Frequent Mood Changes the person seems irritable in general or seems very happy and tends to fluctuate between depression, anxiety, and bouts of euphoria
- Changes in Appearance they seem to have either gained weight or lost weight recently
- Health Issues- the user may appear to sleep a lot, appear sluggish, have vomiting or nausea, and/or have frequent headaches
- Poor Work Or School Performance you may observe a sudden lack of interest in their work or a fall in attendance at work or study. They may receive poor grades or work review and you will sense that they do not have an interest in the activities they once loved doing.
- Social Changes they seem withdrawn and lack interest in social activities and also have trouble maintaining social relationships
- Financial Troubles they may be experiencing problems in paying bills or other financial issues without any apparent reason.
While these signs may appear similar to any substance abuse, keeping your eyes open for such signals can help recognize Xanax addiction. Recognizing it on time can help in planning proper treatment.
Why Is Xanax Abused
Despite this, the temptation to abuse Xanax may be too good to resist for a lot of people. American Family Physician considers benzodiazepines like Xanax to have a considerable potential for abuse, especially for certain at risk populations. What makes Xanax so inherently addictive is that its effects are felt almost immediately upon consumption , but dissipate after just a few hours. This makes people compelled to take more Xanax, even if it means violating the boundaries of their prescription. But the effect of consuming more Xanax means that the patients tolerance for the Xanax builds up, leading them to take larger and larger doses. Over time, this gets them hooked on the Xanax.
This is also why the ideal Xanax prescription should be for as short a period of time as possible , to minimize the risk of the patients body getting acclimatized to the drug. Even if the patient requires a long-term Xanax plan, it is better for the treatment to be staggered with intermittent stages of consumption and tapering off, than for the person to receive continuous Xanax. The doses should also be as low as possible.
Once dependence is in place, the fear of withdrawing from the Xanax kicks in. Individuals may genuinely want to stop taking Xanax if they recognize the unhealthiness of their situation, but the symptoms of opiate withdrawal are often so bad that they go right back on the Xanax for fear of experiencing those symptoms again.
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What Does Xanax Treat
Xanax is the brand name for a prescription drug called alprazolam used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
Xanax belongs to the class of medications called benzodiazepines. Other drugs in this class can treat seizures, but Xanax is not prescribed for this reason because it is too short-acting to be effective. However, this short-acting property is what makes it useful as an as-needed treatment for panic and anxiety.
How To Find A Treatment Center
Ask your doctor or another health professional for a recommendation. You can also search for a treatment center close to where you live with the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. Its a free online tool provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration .
- suicidal thoughts
- difficulty breathing
Detoxification is a process aimed at helping you safely stop taking Xanax while minimizing and managing your withdrawal symptoms. Detox is usually done in a hospital or rehabilitation facility under medical supervision.
In many cases, Xanax use is discontinued over time. It may be swapped for another longer-acting benzodiazepine. In both cases, you take less and less of the drug until its out of your system. This process is called tapering and can take up to 6 weeks.
In some cases, it can take longer. Your doctor might also prescribe other medications to ease your withdrawal symptoms.
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Does Insurance Cover Xanax Addiction Treatment
Depending on your insurance provider and level of coverage, insurance may be able to cover all or part of the cost of rehab and treatment. Verify your insurance instantly below.
Addictive Behaviorspublished a study where researchers examined the effectiveness of CBT in treating those who presented with both post-traumaticstress disorder and a substance abuse disorder. While conceding that their study was not a comprehensive one, the researchersreported that their findings provided support for using CBT to treat co-occurring disorders.
Ongoing Treatment And Relapse Prevention Strategies
For those diagnosed with mild Xanax addictions, outpatient treatment programs that offer medical detox are an alternative to inpatient rehab. These programs may be a better fit for people who dont have flexibility in their schedules or may be the sole caregiver for young children. Outpatient services may include family therapy, counseling, continuing education, relapse prevention methods and support groups.
For a newly recovering Xanax addict, relapse prevention should be a huge part of their ongoing treatment program. Breaking old habits and solidifying new behaviors learned in therapy doesnt happen overnightit takes time. Knowing how to prevent relapse can help with maintaining sobriety until those newly learned behaviors become a way of life.
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Some tips for avoiding relapse include:
Get professional help, you cant do it aloneStay away from people, places and things that trigger you. Attend meetings, get a good sponsor and give it 100 percent. Dont get over confident and be patientit doesnt happen overnight.
– Guy, formerly addicted to Xanax and other drugs
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How To Treat Xanax Addiction
Like all addictions, following a step by step program for de-addiction is the only treatment available for Xanax addiction. Here are some of the basic steps on how to treat Xanax addiction.
The first step, of course, is to recognize Xanax addiction. It is important to remember here that the chronic use of drugs tends to change the chemical structure of the brain, making it more difficult to stop taking the drug. This is true for any drug that a person may be addicted to, not just Xanax.
Once you have identified that either you or your near one has Xanax addiction, you should research more about the side effects and risks of using Xanax, including the signs of overdose. You can also research for potential treatment centers near your home to try and enroll yourself in a de-addiction program.
You have to be prepared for all possible outcomes. If you have a loved one who is facing Xanax addiction, then be prepared that they may simply refuse to undergo any treatment for stopping Xanax use. An intervention through family members or friends or finding a support group for people with addiction may help in this case. If you want to find a treatment center, then you can ask your family physician or any mental health professional for a recommendation.
Support Groups For Family And Friends
No one should have to face this pain alone. Therapy can help, but many people who love an addict find great comfort among other like-minded people. Nar-Anon, a sister program to Narcotics Anonymous, has helped millions of loved ones set boundaries, protect themselves, and get support for the challenges of loving an addict.
If someone you love has a Xanax addiction, they may take the drug to cope with anxiety–even if they don’t have an anxiety disorder or a prescription. Consequently, understanding anxiety and trauma can help you better understand the challenges your loved one faces.
You may find that trauma and anxiety-sensitive family therapy helps you get your relationship back on track after the addict in your life has recovered.
It’s not easy loving someone who’s bound and determined to harm themselves. Addicts may steal from, abuse, or otherwise mistreat loved ones. You may have to deal with an addict’s arrest, overdose, or disappearance.
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