A Guide to Xanax Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline and Treatment for Detoxing from Xanax
A Guide to Xanax Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline and Treatment for Detoxing from Xanax
Everything You Need to Know About Detoxing From Xanax
Xanax is one of the most widely used anti-anxiety prescription drugs used in the United States. It is prescribed for acute stressful situations to produce a calming effect to reduce nervous tension and anxiety. However, it can easily be abused and comes with many mental and physical risks if taken long-term.
The most significant risk from Xanax involves the withdrawal process when the addict abruptly reduces or stops use. Many people are unaware of the complications associated with Xanax withdrawal until they try to quit, but this guide will help understand withdrawal symptoms and what to expect when detoxing from Xanax.
About Xanax Addiction
Addiction to Xanax can happen to anyone. Doctors will prescribe the medication for those suffering from anxiety and panic disorders. After feeling a significant improvement in their symptoms, patients will assume using more of the drug will produce a greater effect, leading to misuse. Other individuals may not realize they have become dependent on it after using it long term, even though it is not recommended to be used for longer than six weeks.
What Is Withdrawal?
Withdrawal is the series of mental and physical symptoms experienced after stopping usage of a substance such as alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs. It happens after the body has become dependent on one or more of these substances, and then the use of the substance is abruptly stopped or cut down drastically. The intensity and duration of the symptoms vary widely depending on the type of substance, length of use, and the user’s biological makeup. These symptoms can be highly unpleasant and potentially life-threatening.
Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms from Xanax can range from unpleasant to medically dangerous. They usually appear within 8 to 12 hours from the last use, depending on the amount, how frequently it’s been used and how long they had been using it.
Some of the withdrawal symptoms can look like a heightened version of the anxiety and the panic disorder symptoms the individual experienced before starting the medication, such as nervousness, depression, panic attacks, hyperventilation, and insomnia. Some of the physical symptoms include tremors, muscle spasms, sweating, headaches, and racing pulse. The more severe and even life-threatening symptoms are hallucinations, delirium, and seizures.
Medical Detox for Xanax Addiction
Withdrawal from Xanax and other Benzodiazepines is best handled in a medical environment known as medical detox. A medical detox facility offers monitoring, supervision, and medicinal support. Side effects can be safely controlled with a tapering schedule, slowly lowering the amount of Xanax taken over some time.
Valium can also be substituted for Xanax during detox to keep a small amount of benzo in the bloodstream to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Some other medications used include antidepressants, beta-blockers, and other pharmaceuticals to control specific symptoms of withdrawal. A slow medical detox is essential for Xanax addiction because of the risk of seizures, hallucinations, and delirium when coming off it.
How Long Does it Take to Detox From Xanax?
Withdrawal from Xanax can start within a day of last use and continue for about two weeks. The most severe symptoms happen when an individual has been taking a high dose and then abruptly stops; therefore, it is safest to wean off it gradually. Withdrawal symptoms from benzos tend to come and go during the detox process as well. The detox process length varies from person to person, and a tapering method will extend the detox process, which may be several months. Individuals can expect to taper faster in a medical detox facility.
What Happens After Xanax Detox?
Detoxing from Xanax is usually just the first step to a healthier life. Rehabilitation centers and therapy are crucial for helping to develop new skills for sober living. Group therapy, individual therapy, support groups, and other treatment forms help with the underlying issues that led to addiction. Underlying mental health issues like anxiety and panic disorders may have been why the medication was started in the first place and will still be there after the detox process. It is crucial to find therapy treatment to heal those disorders to help patients abstain from using benzodiazepines.
If you or someone you know is addicted to Xanax and needs help detoxing, JC’s Recovery Center can guide you with their treatment programs and how to get started. Once detox is completed, patients undergo a full medical assessment and psychiatric evaluation to find the underlying causes of addiction. We prepare an individualized treatment plan that includes medication management, individual therapy, and trauma-focused group therapy to truly heal. We also offer Christian Drug Rehab to repair our clients’ faith if need be. Call JC’s Recovery Center at (844) 524-6873 today to find out how our treatment programs can help you or a loved one get on the road to recovery.