Treatment for Xanax Addiction

What is Xanax and what is it prescribed for?

Xanax is the brand name for the drug Alprazolam which is a benzodiazepine compound that is highly potent in nature yet short-acting. It is usually prescribed for the treatment of several types of disorders including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression related anxiety disorders
• Panic attacks
• Social anxiety disorders

Xanax is a prescription sedative used to treat anxiety and panic disorder. From the family of drugs known as benzodiazepines, Xanax is the trade number of the drug officially known as Alprazolam. It works by decreasing the amount of excessive excitement in the brain, and it can produce a host of side effects, even when taken at the prescribed doses.

Side Effects and Dangers

Side effects from normal use of the drug may include weight loss or gain, a change in appetite, diarrhea or nausea, dry mouth and a decrease in sexual functioning or desire. Drowsiness, dizziness and light-headedness are additional side effects.
When normal use turns into abuse or addiction, side effects can become increasingly common and increasingly dangerous. It may cause anorexia, incontinence, and the inability to urinate. Those abusing Xanax may exhibit fatigue, slurred speech, fatigue, a loss of coordination and have trouble remembering things or concentrating. Fainting, numbness, irritability and hallucinations may accompany Xanax abuse, as may extreme mood changes, loss of muscle control or balance, and an irregular heartbeat.

Xanax is known to react with many other medications. These include cold and allergy medications, sedatives and sleeping pills, narcotic pain killers, muscle relaxers and certain antibiotics, anti-depressants and anxiety drugs. Reactions have been reported using Xanax with birth control pills and even vitamin and herbal products such as St. John’s wort.

Allergic Reactions

An allergic reaction and overdose are other dangers with Xanax use and abuse. Symptoms may include hives, swelling in the hands, feet, tongue, lips, face and throat. Reactions may include breathing difficulties, seizures, and suicidal actions and thoughts. Signs of an overdose can include confusion, drowsiness, coordination issues and unconsciousness. Seeking immediate medical help in the event of an allergic reaction or overdose is vital, as Xanax can be deadly.

Changes in behavior can accompany Xanax abuse and addiction. Those suffering from Xanax addiction may begin to isolate, perform poorly at work or school, or find themselves having legal or financial problems. They may exhibit a complete change in personality and attitude, becoming hostile or depressed.

Xanax Addiction Treatments

Medical assistance and counseling combined are treatments that have been effective for Xanax abuse and addiction. Delray Recovery Center offers both, first by offering a safe and medically supervised detoxification. Those who have abused Xanax need to be weaned off the drug slowly, reducing the amount of the drug in the system in minute quantities until the body is fully free of it. A slow and steady Xanax reduction helps to reduce the discomfort and dangers of withdrawal, and ease the process of addiction treatment.

How Delray Recovery Center can Help

Once the body is free from the drug, Delray Recover Center focuses on changing the behaviors, habits and thought-processes that have invaded the mind. Our addiction treatment programs consist of various modes of therapy, both in a group setting and for the individual. We use a variety of therapeutic techniques to help individuals build a successful foundation for a life of recovery. Techniques include Gestalt, narrative, existential and person-centered therapies, further fortifying our programs with reality objectification and psychoanalytic theory. Each of the techniques contributes to the overall goal of establishing self-awareness, a positive self-image and healthy coping mechanisms that stay with an individual long after he or she leaves our facility.

Support and Care Throughout Treatment

In addition to therapy offered by certified counselors, we enhance our programs with workshops focusing on the 12 steps of recovery, life-skills development and educational opportunities to learn more about addiction and what works to overcome it. Aftercare treatment is part of our lineup, providing continued support and resources as needed to make the transition from addiction into recovery.

Contact Delray Recovery Center Today

If you or someone you care for is currently caught up in the destructive grip of addiction, please seek help with Delray Recovery Center. We are an addiction treatment provider that understands the struggle. We know the suffering of the addict and the heartache of the families involved.

Call us today at the toll free number at the top of the page. If you are fearful of voicing the problem, please simply fill out our form. Any measure of contact is a step in the right direction.