Xanax is a type of benzodiazepine medication prescribed to treat anxiety. Its generic form is called alprazolam. This medication works by enhancing the effects of a specific brain neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA helps regulate and slow nerve activity in the brain, which can have calming and sedative effects.
More than 19% of adults in the United States suffer from anxiety disorders, making it the most common mental health issue in the country. That percentage means that more than 40 million adults struggle with conditions like:
- General anxiety disorders
- Social anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Panic disorder
Xanax, a short-acting benzodiazepine, is an incredibly effective pharmacological treatment for anxiety, but it is only meant to be taken in small doses for a short period of time, and always under doctor supervision. When people take it recreationally, they increase their risk of developing an addiction. When people can no longer obtain Xanax from a doctor’s prescription, they turn to illicit sources, making alprazolam (Xanax) one of the most prevalent benzodiazepines on the illicit market.
Too many people fall into Xanax addiction by accident, assuming that it isn’t dangerous because it’s such a widely prescribed drug, commonly found in households everywhere. This is the same misapprehension that people believed for years about prescription painkillers. Over time, misuse of prescription opiates led to the current opiate crisis, a dramatic increase in heroin use, and a drastic surge in overdose fatalities.
Increased Access to Xanax Online
In 2022, more than 14 million prescriptions were written for alprazolam. Some of these prescriptions were used by individuals with anxiety disorders, but many were sold for illicit use. In 2022, more than 192,000 people visited the emergency department (ED) for a benzodiazepine-related health issue. Adults aged 26 to 64 are the most vulnerable to Xanax addiction and comprise more than 70% of those ED visits.
Xanax is so highly addictive that any use, illicit or by prescription, will almost always lead to dependence. Because Xanax is a controlled substance, even individuals with a doctor willing to prescribe the drug may eventually be forced to turn to illicit sources after they have reached the legal limit of how many scripts can be written for a single patient.
Not only is Xanax quite widely prescribed, but people can also easily order it through “the dark web,” the illegal online marketplace where people disguise their IP addresses to buy and sell dangerous items that they can have delivered anywhere they want. Xanax itself is dangerous, but taking drugs from illicit dealers presents additional dangers, such as the possibility of ingesting a counterfeit drug.
Increasingly, drug dealers are also turning to social media to attract and connect with people who want to purchase these drugs. On common platforms like Instagram and TikTok, they’re using slang terms, emojis, and hashtags to communicate their messages. They’re also using encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal to finalize sale/pickup details and evade law enforcement.
Some dealers take incredibly potent synthetic opiates like fentanyl and mix them with other substances that they then press into pills that look like Xanax or other popular drugs. Because it is difficult to evenly distribute the fentanyl through these diluting substances, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is actually in each pill. Someone with counterfeit Xanax could end up taking a fatal dose in just one pill.
What does Xanax Use Do to Your Body and Mind?
Xanax very quickly produces a feeling of calm and well-being. It can also make you drowsy, leading many people to start depending on it for sleep.
In addition to these sought-after effects, Xanax can cause a range of unpleasant side effects:
- Joint pain
- Difficulty urinating
- Constipation
- Weight changes
- Changes in appetite
- Nausea
- Changes in sex drive or ability
- Increased salivation or dry mouth
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Dizziness and light-headedness
- Fatigue
- Headache
Some possible side effects are more serious and require immediate medical attention:
- Problems with balance or coordination
- Unusual behavior or mood swings
- Speech problems
- Memory problems
- Confusion
- Depression
- Yellowed skin or eyes
- Severe skin rash
- Shortness of breath
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
As the drug begins to wear off, people suffering from Xanax addiction may feel their anxiety return, possibly stronger than before, pushing them to use again. Because tolerance to benzodiazepines like Xanax develops quickly, they will have to take more and more of the drug to find relief.
If they don’t, they may experience Xanax withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, serious fatigue, joint pain, and headaches. If you have been taking Xanax for a long time, you could continue to experience shortness of breath, strange mood swings, speech difficulty, memory loss, and bouts of depression for years after giving up the drug. This is one of the many reasons why Xanax addiction necessitates professional treatment.
How Long Does It Take to Get Addicted to Xanax?
Physicians typically prescribe Xanax in very small initial doses. This is because it’s very potent and tolerance develops rapidly, decreasing the drug’s effectiveness within weeks.
Over time, using Xanax can cause your brain to start producing less GABA overall, leading to tolerance. In three weeks or less, you may have to increase your dosage to get the same benefits.
Xanax has a short half-life, which causes it to quickly reach peak concentration in the bloodstream. This means you feel the effects quite rapidly, which makes the drug even more addictive.
Even taking the drug by prescription, for a legitimately diagnosed anxiety or panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or social anxiety disorder, can easily lead to addiction. When individuals who have been struggling every day to function with these debilitating disorders feel the sudden and complete relief that Xanax delivers, they can instantly become psychologically addicted. With continued use, they can become physically addicted in just one to two weeks.
This is why Xanax is only meant to be prescribed on a short-term basis. Anyone who takes the medication for longer than a week is very likely to become addicted, suffering withdrawal if they try to stop taking or reduce their dosage. In addition, any problems that may have been resolved or masked with Xanax use—such as anxiety, insomnia, and depression—will resurface stronger than before due to changes in brain chemistry.
Why Is Xanax Addiction a Problem?
Most people do not see Xanax as a dangerous drug. Even people who know that they are physically and psychologically dependent upon the drug may not see this as a problem.
In addition to all the symptoms and side effects described above, regular use or misuse of benzodiazepines has been linked to vivid and disturbing dreams, hostility, and amnesia. In fact, blackouts are relatively common among Xanax users.
Xanax is particularly risky when combined with alcohol. This combination amplifies the sedating and relaxing effects of the drug, as well as the risk of accidents, dangerous behavior, and side effects. Both alcohol and Xanax work as central nervous system depressants. When the central nervous system is overly sedated, you could experience heart trouble, respiratory depression, and loss of consciousness. Your heartbeat and breathing rate could slow to the point where you slip into a coma and die.
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines like Xanax can be extremely dangerous, especially if you have taken the drug in conjunction with other substances. Like alcohol, benzodiazepines can cause a dangerous withdrawal syndrome that necessitates emergency medical care. Symptoms include tremors, extreme agitation, hallucinations, and seizures. For this reason, among many others, you should never attempt to detox from Xanax on your own.
What Kind of Xanax Addiction Treatment Is Available?
Xanax addiction treatment should begin with a medically-monitored detox at a qualified addiction rehab facility that provides 24/7 medical care. This is both to protect you from risky withdrawal symptoms and health complications, and to keep you as comfortable as possible throughout the process.
Medical detox at an inpatient Xanax addiction treatment program will begin with a slow, gradual tapering of your dosage. This will minimize withdrawal symptoms and health risks. You will also receive care for any co-occurring mental or physical health issues that may have been masked by or caused by your Xanax use.
Checking into a rehabilitation facility for detox will also keep you from turning to Xanax again because you know it will rapidly bring you relief from your untreated detox symptoms. In addition, most treatment facilities will help you undergo counseling and attend group therapy sessions, even before your detox is complete, allowing you to start healing the psychological side of your addiction.
Group, individual, and family counseling will be important components of any Xanax addiction treatment plan, and some form of counseling or peer support should continue even after you are discharged from a treatment program. You have to address all of the underlying issues—mental, behavioral, physical, etc.—that led you to misuse Xanax in the first place.
If you have any undiagnosed or improperly treated mental health conditions like an anxiety disorder, a facility that offers dual diagnosis care can improve your health and help you grow in recovery. These programs normally include behavioral therapy, which can teach you how to think, act, and react differently to situations that would have triggered you to use drugs in the past.
Counseling and other therapies that are incorporated into your Xanax addiction treatment plan can teach you practical tools and techniques for handling stress, conflict, and negative emotions healthily. These lessons will get you safely through withdrawal and intensive treatment, then continue to support your abstinence as you go out and live the new, exciting life you have built for yourself.
Don’t put your health and happiness at risk by suffering in silence or trying to recover from Xanax addiction on your own. There are effective, affordable treatment options to turn to, no matter what your circumstances may be.