Xanax Withdrawal Nearly Killed Me: How Detox Saved my Life
Anyone who struggles with anxiety or insomnia well knows how quickly these conditions can all but destroy your quality of life. As one of the most commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drugs, Xanax provides ample relief from both anxiety and insomnia within a fairly short period of time.
The problem is drugs like Xanax interfere with brain functioning in dangerous ways, and can really cause problems when taken in excess. By the time you realize it’s time to stop taking this drug, Xanax withdrawal turns this good intention into a nightmare all its own.
If you’re facing this dilemma and don’t know what to do, it may be time to consider entering detox treatment. Understanding how Xanax effects disrupt the body’s systems can help you take steps towards getting needed treatment help.
Feel free to call our helpline at 888-602-1971(Who Answers?) to ask about Xanax withdrawal treatment options.
The Xanax Withdrawal Nightmare
It doesn’t take very long at all before the brain and body become dependent on Xanax. When this happens, the brain requires steady doses of the drug to keep the body running as normal, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Xanax withdrawal nightmare begins when needed amounts of the drugs are lacking. Should you dare to stop using it altogether, it can actually bring on life-threatening effects, such as:
Suicidal thoughts can occur during Xanax withdrawal.
- Seizures
- Delirium
- Violence-prone behaviors
- Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
- Feeling separated from one’s body
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
Under these conditions, it’s all but impossible to stop using Xanax on your own without some form of treatment support.
How Detox Helped
Xanax acts as a central nervous depressant, which accounts for its effectiveness in treating anxiety- and insomnia-based disorders. Unfortunately, abusing this drug can have an opposite effect, making anxiety symptoms that much worse. When this happens, it’s not uncommon for a person to turn to alcohol in an attempt to enhance Xanax’s desired effects, according to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration.
These factors combined greatly increase the risk of experiencing the very worst of what Xanax withdrawal has to offer. For these reasons, it’s essential to seek out needed detox treatment help.
Detox programs provide a range of supports based on a person’s treatment needs. Treatment supports may include:
- Stabilizing life-threatening symptoms
- Round-the-clock monitoring
- Medication treatments to reduce drug cravings and withdrawal effects
- Counseling
- Support groups
Anxious, Irritable and Overwhelmed: How to Survive Benzo Withdrawal
The Need for Ongoing Treatment
A Xanax withdrawal detox program not only helps you get through the withdrawal stage, but also prepares you for the next stage of the recovery process. While making it through detox may seem like the worst is over, Xanax carries an incredibly high addiction potential so the risk of relapse runs equally high.
For these reasons, detox programs prepare an aftercare plan that lays out your ongoing treatment needs. From here on out you’ll be working on the actual addiction problem so aftercare recommendations will likely include ongoing counseling treatment and support group work within an outpatient or residential treatment setting.
When all is said and done, Xanax withdrawal should not be taken lightly so it’s important to seek out the level of treatment that’s best able to get you through this critical stage of recovery.
If you’re struggling with Xanax abuse or addiction and need help finding a treatment program, please don’t hesitate to call our toll-free helpline at 888-602-1971(Who Answers?).
