Extreme physical discomfort is not uncommon during withdrawal and can be uncomfortable enough that a person may start using Xanax again (or different substances) to avoid the feelings. The Recovery Village offers a full continuum of care programs, including medical detox, in their nationwide network of facilities. If you are looking for options closer to home or searching for a local peer support group, searching recovery resources by ZIP code can be a helpful way to find treatment. Normal functioning eventually returns, but this may take a long time for some. People commonly report gastrointestinal and mood symptoms for weeks or months.

• With the right resources and support, recovery from Xanax addiction is possible.
• The detox period for Xanax may be longer than the detox period for other drugs.
• Protracted withdrawal is a prolonged withdrawal experience marked by waves of mild psychological symptoms that come and go over the course of several months.
• Some common medications include those used to treat nausea and vomiting, mood symptoms, seizures, tremor and nightmares.
• Detoxification (detox) is a process aimed at helping you safely stop taking Xanax while minimizing and managing your withdrawal symptoms.
• Xanax detoxification and withdrawal are critical steps on the road to recovery.

How to reduce your risk of relapse

Some are related to your environment and life experiences, such as having friends who use drugs. 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 you’ve started. Unravel the surprising connection between OCD and addiction, exploring causes, effects, and treatment options. Discover the economic effects of alcohol and drugs, from GDP impact to costs on productivity and healthcare.

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It involves working with a therapist to develop a set of healthy coping strategies. Some common medications include those used to treat nausea and vomiting, mood symptoms, seizures, tremor and nightmares. The type and length of medication therapy will depend on the needs of the individual. Those diagnosed with a co-occurring mental health disorder may need additional specialized care.

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• Start by visiting a primary care doctor or urgent care center and tell them that you are in or are planning to be in benzodiazepine withdrawal.
• This means discontinuing the drug after supervised decreases by a medical provider.
• The development of tolerance is a major factor that drives a new substance addiction.
• Once a person is ready for treatment, speaking with a doctor can help a person discover what treatments and resources are available to them.
• Dependence refers to a physical state in which your body is dependent on the drug.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, the level of anxiety you experience during Xanax withdrawal may be more intense than what you experienced before taking Xanax. It is common to feel nervous, jumpy, and on-edge during your taper. Reckless prescribing practices have contributed to thousands of cases of dependence and misuse. Research Natural Xanax Alternatives For Anxiety shows that in 2018, an estimated 5.4 million people over the age of 12 misused prescription benzodiazepines like Xanax. In 2017, doctors wrote nearly 45 million prescriptions for Xanax (alprazolam).

Inpatient rehabilitation is recommended for people with severe Xanax addiction, or those entering a rehabilitation program for the first time. When someone is dependent on Xanax, they must take it to feel normal and avoid uncomfortablewithdrawal symptoms. When this behavior begins to have harmful impacts on everyday life, substance use disorder (SUD) is the result.

If someone decides to undergo at-home detox, they should inform their loved ones and seek help from a medical professional, such as a doctor or a nurse, to keep an eye on the process. Friends, family and medical professionals can provide critical support to ensure medical detox continues as planned. Rehabilitation centers typically provide additional care that family and friends are unable to offer. However, the recovery process does not end at detoxification and withdrawal, and these steps are only the beginning.

• Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine drug widely prescribed to treat anxiety disorder.
• This may seem like a long time, but Xanax has one of the shortest half-lives compared to other benzodiazepines.
• If you observe them having a seizure, collapsing, struggling to breathe, or if they are sleeping and can’t be woken up, immediately call emergency medical services.
• Resources about the significance of professional help can be found here.
• For example, to reduce the risk of seizures, the Xanax dose is gradually tapered over weeks under medical supervision.

Mixing Xanax With Alcohol and Other Drugs

Acute withdrawal can result in death in some cases if the medication is stopped without medical supervision. Benzodiazepines (also known as “benzos”) are commonly referred to as sedatives, hypnotics, or minor tranquilizers. They work by increasing the effect of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain.

For more ways to be supportive during recovery, visit our article on ways to be supportive of recovery. If you are using Xanax without a prescription, you can still work with a doctor to taper down your dose. Start by visiting a primary care doctor or urgent care center and tell them that you are in or are planning to be in benzodiazepine withdrawal. Doctors prescribe it for patients struggling with insomnia and mental health issues such as excessive worry, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

How to find a treatment center

If you’re ready to begin the treatment process for Xanax addiction, The Recovery Village is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about Xanax addiction treatment programs that can work well for your situation. Regardless of the reason, someone takes Xanax, the effects usually start to occur within about an hour and last for around six hours in total.