As long as they communicate with their doctor about their treatment, they can develop a plan to discontinue Xanax when necessary. Doctors usually start patients who have never taken benzodiazepines on low doses of Xanax, such as 0.25 milligrams or 0.5 milligrams. Everyone who takes the drug regularly will develop tolerance, meaning they’ll require higher doses to feel the same therapeutic effect.

While detox medications are focused on avoiding adverse effects of withdrawal, behavioral therapy is a process that is focused on maintaining recovery. Individuals battling mental illness may be on Xanax to treat symptoms or simply abusing it in attempts to self-medicate, and this abuse can often cause mental health conditions to worsen. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports around half of all https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/xanax-addiction-signs-symptoms-and-treatment/ people with severe mental illness also have co-occurring substance abuse problems, so this issue is a common one. 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.

A note about anxiety

When a person comes to terms with the dangers of their Xanax dependency, discontinuing use by going cold turkey can cause more harm than good. This is because the body has adapted to the effects of this medication, and may be prone to withdrawal symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, worsened anxiety, weight loss, and even suicidal thoughts. Doctors like prescribing Xanax because it has a short half-life, meaning its effects wear off more quickly than long-acting benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam).

The sedating effect can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and calm your body’s response to the anxiety or stress. Many people who take Xanax recreationally, or without a prescription, describe the feeling as sedating or calming. Interventions, therapy, and constant worry become part and parcel of life for those closely connected to someone grappling with https://ecosoberhouse.com/.

How to help if a loved one is dealing with addiction

Sudden withdrawal from Xanax and other benzodiazepines may cause sweating, insomnia, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and shaking. These side effects may be more pronounced in individuals who have chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Combining Xanax with other substances can also intensify these unpleasant side effects. In addition to anxiety, this medication has also been used off-label to manage depression and may be recommended for insomnia treatment. There is little question that Xanax provides relief from anxiety symptoms. However, its addictive properties (particularly of the immediate release form) make Xanax prone to misuse, increasing the risk that people who use it will develop a dependency.

Treatment may involve a combination of strategies, including detoxification and various psychotherapeutic and psychosocial approaches. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. The way a person behaves while living with an addiction can vary widely. You may notice changes in mood, behavior, appearance, or performance at work or school, but many of these can be attributed to other factors as well.