Does Xanax give you anxiety? If not, it should. According to many healthcare professionals, Xanax is a notoriously abused drug. In fact, Michael Jackson, the late pop superstar, was well known to take over 10 Xanax pills a night, and many people who work in the drug treatment industry say that it’s not uncommon for Xanax addicts to take that many pills or more.
Jackson allegedly used strategies common among Xanax addicts to obtain the pill; he got prescriptions from numerous doctors, forged prescriptions, took prescriptions from people he knew and even bought them illegally. What’s worse, Xanax abuse overall hasn’t slowed down in the wake of the singer’s death in 2009, which stemmed from an accidental overdose of a mix of benzodiazepines and heavy-duty sedatives. Xanax is currently the world’s most popular pill, and U.S. prescriptions for Xanax and other “benzos” increases by 12% every year.
Research shows that in one recent year, over 60,000 people in the U.S. sought help for their Xanax addiction, and because people with Xanax addictions take an alarming 24 pills a day on average, there are over 125,000 emergency room visits as a result of abusing the drug every year.
Xanax 101
Does Xanax give you anxiety? Despite its purpose, the dangers of its use can cause anxiety for many. Xanax is the most famous brand name for the drug alprazolam, which belongs to the benzodiazepines family of drugs. Alprazolam is most commonly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
About 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety disorder and over 6 million Americans struggle with panic disorder. In all, over 20% of the U.S. population lives with one or both of these disorders.
Xanax is by far the most prescribed alprazolam, with over 40 million people per year obtaining the pills legally from their doctor.
Benzodiazepines Are Serious Drugs
Benzodiazepines are depressants; they work by suppressing the nerves in the brain’s central nervous system, which decreases brain activity, and as a result, slows down the body’s physiological functions. This family of drugs alters the brain chemistry by interacting with the brain’s GABA-a receptor, acting as a sedative and producing a temporary sense of calm. The brain quickly builds a tolerance to the drug’s interactions, and this causes the Xanax addict to increase their dosage, with the average abuser of Xanax taking more than 20 pills per day.
Because benzodiazepines are legal, as long as they are prescribed, many people severely underestimate the potency of this category of drug. Once addicted to Xanax, the withdrawal process is long and literally painful. Many doctors have stated that withdrawal from Xanax addiction is far more challenging than heroin detox and recovery.
While heroin withdrawal will cause severe symptoms for weeks, Xanax withdrawal can last for years. Even with proper tapering of dosage and the use of Valium as a milder substitute, the most severely addicted will often still experience withdrawal symptoms for years.
What’s worse, is those who have tried to quit Xanax “cold turkey,” have encountered PTSD-like withdrawal symptoms. The typical withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, disorientation, malaise, severe panic and startle reactions, nerve pain, muscle aches, and short-term memory loss. In severe cases, Xanax withdrawal can even be fatal.
More Xanax Pills Means Wider Abuse
As a side effect to the numerous prescriptions available to Americans, Xanax pills are increasingly making it to the illegal market. Xanax can have effects that last 12-15 hours making it a popular recreational drug. In 2011, U.S. enforcement agencies nationwide confiscated almost 40,000 alprazolam pills. The next four leading benzodiazepines confiscated made up less than 20,000 combined.
In the same year, there were over 6,800 deaths involving benzodiazepines, alprazolam being involved in the majority of those deaths.
Recent studies also indicate that people often abuse benzodiazepines alongside other drugs. One study found that of the 9% of high schoolers who reportedly used Xanax, about half admitted to mixing it with alcohol. Plus, 23% of people who suffered an opioid-related death were found to have benzodiazepines in their system as well.
Does Xanax Give You Anxiety?
Does Xanax give you anxiety? While the doctors nationwide have taken steps to monitor prescription drugs more closely when prescribing benzos such as Xanax, unfortunately, many Americans are already addicted or dependent on Xanax and other benzodiazepines.
At Morningside Recovery, we can help you get clean through a personalized treatment programs, including a state-of-the-art inpatient rehab and detox facility that provides the best possible care for those suffering through the challenges of withdrawal.
For more information about how we can help you achieve sustainable sobriety, call us at 855-631-2135. Our helpline is open 24/7 and our specialists will work with you to help find the treatment option that works for you.
