If you or someone you love has a prescription for Xanax, you might want to know what is Xanax, what are Xanax’s side effects, and what are the uses for Xanax? This powerful medication comes with the potential for serious side effects and addiction, so understanding the signs of each makes it possible to get help when you need it most.
What is Xanax?
So firstly, what is Xanax? Xanax is one of many benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are prescription medications designed to treat generalized anxiety disorders, panic attacks, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, muscle spasms, and insomnia. As is the case with any prescription medication, especially benzodiazepines, too much of a good thing can result in an addiction.
Is Xanax Safe?
If you wondered what Xanax is, you probably want to know more about the uses for Xanax and any Xanax side effects, so that you know whether it is safe. Addiction to Xanax can happen quickly, as the body and brain become dependent on it to regulate things like anxiety or stress. In fact, many people have taken to abusing Xanax for recreational purposes.
- Between 2005 and 2010, recreational Xanax led to double the number of emergency room visits for overdoses.
- As of 2018, over 21 million prescriptions were given for Xanax, which has quickly become the largest drug abuse problem in America.
Why? Xanax is a prescription drug given readily for even mild anxiety symptoms in some cases, and this makes it easily accessible in the home to people other than those for whom it was prescribed. Siblings, children, and other family members can easily take Xanax from a pill bottle and find themselves addicted in a short while.
There are many risks associated with Xanax, even if you are the one given the prescription. With this particular drug, your body builds a tolerance quickly. That means you have to take more than what was prescribed or recommended to achieve the same result.
Xanax changes the way the brain works by altering anxiety and anxiety coping on a neurological level. When this happens, you might start with one pill when you are stressed, but then you find yourself stressed more often. So, you start taking one pill per day. Then your anxiety gets worse when you don’t take Xanax, so you start taking two pills per day. Within weeks, your brain is addicted and cannot regular or cope with anxiety without drugs.
Signs of Xanax Abuse
Once your brain is addicted, it can’t produce GABA at the same natural rate. GABA is essential in helping your body relax and sleep. You usually produce it before bed. If you have severe anxiety, insomnia, or panic attacks, prescription Xanax can slow down the activity in your brain and help your body relax (and sleep). But too much of a good thing means your body cannot produce enough GABA anymore, and your levels of anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia get worse and worse.
Signs of abuse include:
- Worsening anxiety, insomnia, or panic attacks
- The inability to control the anxiety without drugs
- Using more than is prescribed
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Cravings
- Shaking and withdrawal symptoms
How to Get Treatment for Xanax Addiction
If you are struggling with Xanax abuse, you can get treatment. Marina Harbor Detox is nestled in a comfortable, relaxing environment along the coast where you can focus only on rebuilding yourself and your life. Treatment starts with detox. Removing any remaining Xanax will enable you to move forward with better anxiety coping skills and therapy.
Our trained staff focuses on guiding you throughout your journey to recovery with evidence-based practices and holistic approaches that meet your needs best. Each person is different, and each treatment plan we create is different. Our goal is to help you in a customized way, in a supportive environment with people who understand your struggle and want to help. We aim for long-term support by offering skills you can use to manage anxiety, depression, insomnia, or any other preexisting conditions instead of turning to drugs. When you are ready, we are here.
At Marina Harbor Detox, we can help you live a whole, rewarding life. Let us help you with your Xanax addiction today.
