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Quality Xanax Addiction Treatment
The drug known as “alprazolam” is best known under the brand name Xanax. This medication is classified in the benzodiazepine class. It is not uncommon for people to receive a prescription for upwards of four weeks in order to manage disorders and anxiety symptoms. Most people who take the medication complete the course of treatment without problems when doing so according to their physician’s specific instructions. However, some people start to rely on the relaxing feeling that the medication can provide. If use continues longer than originally planned, the drug can be both psychologically and physically addictive. At that point, chances are that the user will need treatment for Xanax addiction in order to be able to live their life without needing the drug.
More About the Drug
Like many other benzodiazepines, alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance. It attaches itself to specific GABA sites in the brain and augments the effects of GABA. GABA is a brain chemical that naturally occurs. An increase in GABA will reduce the brain’s stimulating activity. As a result, those who struggle with anxiety will have a feeling of calm. Benzodiazepines are often abused, and the most commonly abused drug in this class is alprazolam.
The Dangers of Xanax Addiction and Abuse
Most people who need Xanax addiction treatment have begun to take the medication for non-medical purposes. Instead of relying on the drug to reduce anxiety, some users will take Xanax to enhance the high provided by another downer such as alcohol or opiates.
However, this use can be extremely problematic, because these ‘downers’ all function as respiratory depressants. When combined, it can lead to significant respiratory depression. This significant respiratory depression can lead to coma, overdose or even death.
Others will abuse alprazolam to avoid the jitteriness and anxiety, the unpleasant side effects of stimulant abuse. Here again health problems arise, because the combination of both uppers and downers can lead to stroke, heart attack or other cardiovascular complications. This is why it is important to seek Xanax addiction help, because the abuse of the drug can lead to a number of dangerous health complications.
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Originally Short-Term
The issue is that the drug was originally intended to be used on a short-term basis. However, there are people who have been on alprazolam for several years in a row. Because it is a controlled substance, only doctors are able to refill prescriptions for patients. However, people who need Xanax treatment but refuse to enroll will try to buy additional pills from the street, try to get their primary physician to prescribe them more of the drug, or will try to get different pharmacies or doctors to give them prescriptions. As people take more and more of the drug, a tolerance begins to develop – this means that the user is going to need to ingest more of the same drug in order to get the benefits that they once experienced. It can be difficult for people to function normally if they have extreme anxiety disorders. This is especially true for people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder or panic disorder.
After first ingesting alprazolam, it could be possible for a user to become hooked instantly from a mental standpoint. This is primarily because of the rapid relief that the drug can provide. Many people find it difficult to stop using the drug altogether, especially if they have been able to function normally after years of suffering from an anxiety disorder. As a result, doctors may prescribe a higher dosage or the patient will try to find more of the drug themselves.
Withdrawal from the Drug
Despite the fact that the immediate physical symptoms are not life threatening, they may be severe enough to cause people to stray from their Xanax recovery and abuse the drug again. In long-term programs, it may be possible to make the withdrawal process tolerable through administering supplemental drugs. A few of the symptoms that patients are likely to go through include irritability, moodiness, dizziness, confusion, vomiting and nausea. Others include joint pain, headaches, dry mouth, an inability to concentrate and extreme tiredness.
How to Get Help for Xanax Addiction
Because of the potency of the drug, it is normal to see physicians start with lower dosages for the drug and increase the dosage after several weeks. Even though first-time users may feel confused and drowsy, this is a feeling that eventually starts to diminish. Especially because it can make patients feel sleepy and drowsy, many begin to rely on the drug to help them sleep.
If the user stops ingesting the drug altogether, their anxiety may begin to resurface. This, in combination with the aforementioned withdrawal symptoms, is going to make it easier for people to use “just one more time.”
Enrolling someone into Xanax addiction rehab is especially important in this case. Not just because of the withdrawal symptoms and the addictive behavior, but also because the user may have to deal with the underlying anxiety that will begin to resurface again. As a result, it is a good idea to have qualified professionals around these patients who can help them through the situation.
If you believe that you or someone close to you struggles with Xanax addiction, do not delay and get help immediately. Not only is this a dangerous drug to be dependent on, but without help, few patients are able to make a lasting change.