subject: Xanax Addiction [print this page] Xanax is part of the benzodiazepine family that sedates and calms patients during severe anxiety or panic attacks. For people who are unable to control the sudden dizziness, increased heart rate, nausea and blood pressure, Xanax offers a solution to lessen symptoms. A Xanax addiction can develop relatively quickly. A person who suffers from an anxiety disorder may be prescribed Xanax by their physician to help them control anxiety-related symptoms. If taken for long periods of time or if too much is taken, it is very easy to become addicted to it.
Many individuals are becoming addicted and therefore require an intervention and drug treatment program to overcome their addictions. The addicts body can also build up a tolerance to the drug and require larger doses if taken for long periods of time. Individuals who stop taking their medication experienced withdrawal symptoms such as: vomiting, dizziness, headache, nausea, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, chills, lethargy, fatigue, moodiness, crying, dystonia, paresthesia, tremor and vivid dreams.
Many persons enjoy the feelings of relaxation that this drug provides and thus take more then they have been prescribed. Over time, they may develop both a physical and psychological addiction to the drug. Though Xanax addiction can be physical, sometimes the psychological addiction can be extremely strong. It helps to ease a persons anxiety and they may not feel like they can handle life without it. It will be important for that person to develop some coping strategies so that they are no longer psychologically dependent on it.
A person with a Xanax addiction help will need to contact their physician and consider entering some sort of rehab program. This can be a very effective way for individuals to get over their addiction. Typically, this will involve some type of cognitive behavioral therapy. This of course will only be effective once a person has gone through the withdrawal process and no longer has any traces of the drug in their system. One of the major difficulties with Xanax treatment for withdrawal is that it increases the initial symptoms the patient was trying to suppress. So it is always advisable to keep in mind that if you or your loved one is addicted to Xanax then the best way to get through Xanax withdrawals is through a tapering method. Every few days just lower the dose that you take. Keep lowering the dose until you get close to .25mg a day. Once you are at about this dose, there is more safety in quitting the drug altogether.
