Location
Our Washington Location
Our inpatient facility is located in Washington, and will serve Washington state. It will provide a safe & therapeutic environment for both our staff and patients.
- Edmonds
7416 212th St SW,
Edmonds, WA 98026
Xanax Abuse and Addiction Facts: Treatment is Available and Recovery is Possible
Xanax addiction and abuse are prevalent all over the United States. People often do not realize that detox and rehab may be needed to stop taking it, but quitting it cold turkey can be extremely dangerous. This drug is extremely potent, and it may not take long at all for a person to form an addiction to it.
People often consider Xanax to be relatively safe for a few reasons. The first is that it can be very effective. Those who take it get almost immediate relief for their symptoms. The second is that it is prescribed by a doctor. That fact alone causes people to assume that it must not be dangerous. But the reality is that it can make it even more risky because of the assumption of safety.
Whether a person is abusing Xanax with a prescription for purely for recreational purposes, the dangers are the same. This drug carries a lot of risks, and more people need to be made aware of what they are. We also want people to know the best ways to get treatment, which include going through detox and rehab.
What is Xanax?
Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug that can be sold under a few different names. Its generic name is alprazolam, and it is also marketed under the brand names, Niravam and Xanax XR. This drug is commonly prescribed to people who have extreme anxiety or panic attacks. It works by affecting the chemicals in the brain to relieve those issues.
Most doctors prescribe Xanax to be used on an as-needed basis. It is considered a “rescue” drug for when their anxiety gets too far out of hand. But it is often abused, even by those who have prescriptions for it. Taking it can produce a euphoric high that is very addictive.
Quitting Xanax: What to Expect During Withdrawal
Typically, benzodiazepine drugs tend to have very serious withdrawal symptoms when they are stopped. The same is true for Xanax. This is why it is never a good idea to attempt to detox on one’s own, or outside of a professional treatment facility.
Xanax withdrawal symptoms can quickly become severe, and even deadly if they are left untreated. Some of the more common withdrawal symptoms from this drug include:
- Having panic attacks.
- Becoming disconnected from reality.
- Having hallucinations or suffering from delirium.
- Problems with concentration.
- Feeling restless.
- Symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
- Trouble sleeping at night.
- Body tremors.
- Muscle spasms.
- Excessive sweating.
- Painful headaches.
There is also the possibility of hyperventilating or even having seizures. Many of these symptoms can be controlled in a medical environment. That is why we always recommend professional treatment.
Xanax Addiction Treatment: Know the Options and Recommendations
Recovering from a Xanax addiction is not as easy as simply stopping the drug for the reasons we mentioned above. But this addiction is not just physical; it is also psychological. That means that both need to be addressed, and quality treatment programs know exactly how to do this.
Going through the drug detoxification process is very important for anyone who is addicted to benzodiazepine drugs. It is so important to address the physical symptoms of withdrawal. This may start by tapering the patient off the medication slowly, over time. This approach may minimize the effects of withdrawal, and some symptoms may not appear at all.
After the patient is off the medication, medical detox may be implemented. This simply means that the patient will take different medications to help with their withdrawal symptoms. Once they have gone through detox, they will be ready to move on to rehab.
Drug rehab is the step that comes after detoxification. This is a critical form of treatment that should not be missed. Rehabilitation involves multiple types of therapy, which addresses the underlying reason for the addiction.
During rehab, patients have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings as they recover. They talk with a therapist about the issues that led to their drug use, and they work with a group of their peers in group therapy as well. There may be many other types of treatment recommended as well.
One of the most important parts of rehab is relapse prevention planning. Patients get to learn how to avoid going back to using and how to live their lives without being reliant upon Xanax.
The Importance of Treating Co-Occurring Disorders During Recovery
Almost everyone who is addicted to Xanax most likely suffers from some type of co-occurring disorder. This means that they have a mental health issue that is really the root cause of their drug addiction. In this case, that mental health issue is most likely going to be anxiety.
If only the drug addiction is addressed during rehab, the patient is very likely to go back to using Xanax again later on. For them, the drug has become a way to self-medicate. If their symptoms are still present, this will only contribute to a dangerous cycle of addiction.
Dual diagnosis treatment helps by addressing both issues at the same time. It gives people a much better chance of being successful in recovery long-term.
Northpoint Washington’s Inpatient Drug Treatment Program
Northpoint Washington offers one of the best inpatient drug detox and rehab programs in Washington State. Both types of treatment are available under the same roof, which is both convenient and effective. We find that when our patients can transition from one to the other, they have much better outcomes.
We are located in Edmonds, Washington and our program runs for 28 days. During that time, our patients go through detox and rehab and receive the aftercare planning they need.
Reasons for Xanax Detox: Xanax Withdrawal
Getting through your Xanax withdrawal symptoms is the main reason for Xanax detox. Xanax withdrawal can be quite severe as time goes on if you choose to stop taking it on your own. You may experience both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms like:
- Headaches or body pains similar to the flu
- Blurred vision
- Upset stomach with vomiting
- Cold or hot sweats
- Difficulty sleeping at night
- Severe, uncontrollable shaking
Seizures have also been reported, and rebound symptoms are fairly typical when stopping Xanax. Rebound symptoms are exhibited by a return in the severity of the symptoms you started taking the medication for. For example, if you started taking it because of anxiety, you may experience a sharp increase in the intensity of your panic attacks.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go through all of these withdrawal symptoms on your own, and choosing to get help from a Xanax detox can lessen them and help you have a shorter withdrawal period.