Do I need a Xanax Prescription?
The conversation about mental health has greatly improved. Many people are now recognizing that anxiety and panic disorders are legitimate conditions that need treatment. Because of this, more people are speaking out about their issues and are looking for ways to overcome them. One of the most popular medications in treating anxiety and panic disorder is Xanax.
Also known by its generic name alprazolam, Xanax is a fast-acting benzodiazepine drug used to treat many mental disorders. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that have psychoactive effects used to reduce anxiety and act as a sedative. Valium or diazepam is another popular benzodiazepine drug taken by many people. These drugs are effective if used according to the advice of a medical professional, however, they are also commonly abused for recreational purposes.
Xanax is considered a prescription drug. What this means is that not just anyone can buy Xanax in the pharmacy or over-the-counter. In order to get Xanax, a doctor’s prescription is necessary. In 2016, alprazolam ranked number 19 out of 300 top drugs prescribed in the United States. This was due to the fact that more than 27 million prescriptions of alprazolam were prescribed that year alone. With so many people taking the drug, it does not necessarily mean that just anyone can take it. Only those with legitimate conditions should consider taking the drug.
Do you need a Xanax prescription?
With mental health disorders still not as common as age-old illnesses such as the flu or a skin allergy, it can become confusing for some people whether they actually need a Xanax prescription or not. To know whether you need a Xanax prescription, you should be experiencing the following.
You have severe anxiety issues.
Anxiety refers to the feeling of persistent worrying over something that has not happened yet. For example, if you have a job interview the next day or you are attending an important event in the coming days, anxiety is constantly distressing and overthinking that something bad will happen. It is normal to feel anxious once in a while. For sure most people have been anxious in their lives more than once and have gotten over it with no medication needed.
However, for some people, their anxiety is so severe that it already affects their capability to function normally. If you experience severe anxiety and it is already affecting your daily activities, it is best to consult with a medical professional to see whether Xanax is the right medication for you.
You have a panic disorder.
A panic attack is a sudden burst of intense fear marked by various symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and increased heartbeat. When something is amiss, like a fire or an earthquake, people feel panic. The fight-and-flight response in the brain is activated during these situations. For people with panic disorder, they tend to experience panic attacks even in normal situations that most people wouldn’t panic about. These attacks are often triggered by external stressors like a past experience or a phobia.
You have a phobia.
People who experience phobia, which is defined as an extreme or irrational fear of something, may also be prescribed Xanax. This is to prevent them from feeling anxiety and panic which could both be triggered by this phobia. For example, if you have aviophobia or the fear of lying on a plane, you may feel anxiety before flying or experience panic disorder during the flight.
How can you get a Xanax prescription?
Many people wonder how to get a Xanax prescription. If you believe that you are struggling from one of these conditions enumerated above, the best thing to do is consult with a doctor. Only a medical professional will know whether you really need Xanax or not. If a doctor does prescribe you Xanax, make sure that you only take it as per the specific instructions. Do not continue taking it beyond the recommended duration of use.
Why you should not take Xanax without a prescription
If your doctor believes that you are not supposed to take Xanax, follow this advice. Do not take Xanax without a prescription. Keep in mind that Xanax can be dangerous if not taken correctly. Xanax can be highly addictive so if you make it a habit to take this drug, the chances of developing addiction are high.
Using Xanax for recreation is very dangerous. Most people hooked on Xanax try to amplify the intense high that they feel by mixing it with alcohol and other illegal drugs. If you try to mix this drug with other substances, Xanax can kill you.
It is also not advisable to buy Xanax from unauthorized sources just because you cannot get a prescription. Taking Xanax from your friends or buying drugs from social media can be deadly. There are now fake Xanax pills in the market and many people take them without knowing that they are not really alprazolam. Instead, these fake pills contain substances like fentanyl which can push you towards overdose.
If you are suffering from mental health issues and struggling with substance abuse, you don’t need to deal with this alone. Help is available.
Contact Morningside Recovery to learn more.