Xanax Addiction Treatment Programs
Xanax is a highly potent benzodiazepine frequently prescribed to treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorders, and insomnia. When for extended periods, this drug is highly addictive, making Xanax abuse and addiction a serious concern. Xanax rehab can help.
In the United States, Xanax is the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medication. Many young adults suffering from a Xanax addiction first obtain the drug from their home’s medicine cabinet.
Tolerance develops quickly, necessitating the use of more of the drug to achieve the desired effects. A person with Xanax addiction may consume up to 20 or 30 pills per day. If the user discontinues using Xanax, they may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, insomnia, and tremors. The onset of withdrawal symptoms indicates that a person is addicted.
Luckily, Xanax addiction is treatable through evidence-based approaches at a drug rehab facility. If you or a loved one is battling an addiction to this drug, get in touch with the admission team at Icarus to explore the various treatment options at our facility.
What Is Xanax?
Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam, a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which works to calm a nervous system that is otherwise overexcited. This is a Schedule IV drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which means there is a known risk of misuse and dependence.
It is legally distributed as oral tablets imprinted with the word “Xanax” and available in various colors and potencies with a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Xanax is one of the top three prescriptions diverted and sold on the street, appearing as counterfeit pills that aren’t necessarily even alprazolam.
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Approved Uses for Xanax
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Xanax for the treatment of panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Xanax may also be prescribed to treat insomnia and depression.
This drug is the most widely used benzodiazepine. Taking Xanax in higher doses, taking someone else’s Xanax prescription, or taking it for the effects it produces, such as lowered inhibitions, euphoria, or to modulate the effects of other substances, are all examples of Xanax abuse.
Xanax Street Names
Common street names for Xanax include:
- Xannies
- Zannies
- Z-Bars
- Zanbars
- Xanbars
- Handlebars
- Blue Footballs
- Bicycle Parts
- School Bus
- Totem Poles
- White Girls
- Planks
- Bars
- Benzos
- Upjohns
If you buy benzodiazepines on the street, you may encounter much more severe adverse effects.
You have no way of knowing what you’re getting from a street dealer. Fentanyl and other hazardous compounds could be present in the street drug. Because the formulation is not controlled, it is more difficult to know how much to take and when.
Signs of Xanax Addiction
Xanax has a high potential for dependence and misuse. It is a highly addictive substance, especially for people with a family or personal history of substance abuse or addiction.
When a person has difficulties with daily functioning due to compulsive use of Xanax or other benzodiazepines, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) classifies it as a sedative, hypnotic or anxiolytic use disorder.
Clinicians use varying criteria outlined in the DSM-5 to diagnose a sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic disorder:
- Using more sedative, anxiolytic, or hypnotic medication, such as Xanax or another benzodiazepine, than intended or longer than intended.
- Desiring to reduce or discontinue the use of Xanax but unable to quit.
- Increasing the time spent obtaining, using, or recovering from Xanax use.
- Having cravings or intense urges to use Xanax.
- Failure to meet responsibilities at home, school, or work results from recurrent Xanax use.
- Continuing to use Xanax despite persistent problems caused or exacerbated by use.
- Due to Xanax use, giving up previously important or meaningful activities or commitments.
- Using Xanax in physically hazardous situations regularly.
- Using the drug despite knowing that it causes or worsens ongoing problems.
- Increased tolerance for Xanax.
- Experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Xanax.
Addiction to Xanax is often accompanied by a wide range of mental health disorders.
If you experience two or more of these signs in a 12-month period, then you meet the diagnostic criteria for Xanax addiction.
Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms
Prolonged and regular Xanax use can lead to physiological dependence. The body becomes so accustomed to having the substance present that withdrawal symptoms can emerge if use is abruptly discontinued or drastically reduced.
Suddenly stopping Xanax use can be difficult, if not dangerous. Mist people compulsively use Xanax to avoid the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms
Some of the common withdrawal symptoms of Xanax are:
- Anxiety
- Weight reduction
- Insomnia
- Seizures
- Increased sensory perception
- Concentration is impaired
- Modifications to the sense of smell
- Impaired ability to think clearly
- Sensation of tingling, burning, or prickling in the hands, arms, legs, or feet
- Cramping and twitching of the muscles
- Diarrhea
- Hazy vision
- Inappetance
Xanax dependence usually causes acute withdrawal symptoms within 6 to 8 hours of stopping use, which peak on day 2 and extend for 4-5 days. Specific withdrawal symptoms, including melancholy, anxiety, and insomnia, may last for several weeks or months after quitting Xanax.
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The Risk of Xanax Overdose
While benzodiazepine overdoses are rare, they are possible. Overdosing on Xanax usually causes signs of CNS depression and over-sedation, such as:
- Slurred speech
- Loss of coordination
- Confusion
- Changes in the mental health
Most benzodiazepine overdoses are not lethal. However, benzodiazepine overdoses, when combined with other substances, particularly opioids, alcohol, and other CNS depressants, can cause severe respiratory depression, which can lead to brain damage, coma, and death.
Individuals who acquire Xanax illegally risk unwittingly combining benzodiazepines and opiates, as phony and contaminated Xanax is increasingly being discovered.
A person who buys Xanax on the street may take a pill that appears genuine Xanax but is laced with fentanyl, increasing the probability of a lethal overdose.
Overdose is an explicit medical emergency. If you suspect an overdose, dial 911 right away. If naloxone (also known as Narcan) is available, it should be delivered as soon as feasible. Naloxone will not reverse the effects of Xanax or other benzodiazepines. Still, it will change the respiratory lowering effects of opioids and will not damage someone who has not previously used opioids.
Xanax Rehab and Addiction Treatment
Various approaches, including education, medicines, counseling, and behavioral therapies, are commonly used in effective Xanax addiction treatment. While treatment is tailored to the individual’s specific needs, components of treatment may include:
Medically-Assisted Xanax Detox
You should never abruptly cease or severely reduce your Xanax use without medical supervision because of the danger of experiencing life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Under the leadership of experienced specialists, a supervised medically-managed Xanax detox can help your body to eliminate all traces of Xanax and other narcotics safely and comfortably.
Medication may be used to taper off Xanax and help lessen withdrawal symptoms during supervised detox. However, it is essential to note that medical detox alone is rarely enough to sustain long-term recovery from substances in someone suffering from a substance use problem. It is frequently regarded as the first step in a more thorough Xanax addiction treatment approach that tackles the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that cause addiction and equips patients with skills and knowledge to identify and manage relapse triggers.
Inpatient Xanax Rehab
Inpatient or residential treatment entails receiving care in a hospital or residential institution around the clock. You will generally attend instructional sessions and individual and group counseling that will use behavioral therapies to help you get to the base of your addiction and develop coping methods to help you identify triggers, manage stresses, and avoid relapse.
Outpatient Treatment
The intensity and time commitment of outpatient programs vary. Treatment is generally identical to inpatient treatment, but you can return home or to a sober living situation after each day.
Aftercare Services After Xanax Rehab
Continued care, often known as aftercare, might involve ongoing counseling, group therapy or support groups, monitoring, and accountability to assist you in remaining substance-free after treatment.
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Get Life Back on Track at Our Xanax Addiction Treatment Center in Nevada
Xanax addiction can have detrimental effects on your life and the lives of your loved ones. Our Nevada Xanax rehab center offers evidence-based drug addiction therapy and behavioral health treatments. The compassionate team at our Xanax addiction treatment center can help you choose the right treatment plan for you.
Call us today for professional medical advice on Xanax and benzo addiction treatment plans at Icarus Behavioral Health in Nevada.