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Is Xanax Good For Anxiety

Fiction: It Is Possible To Get Permanent Brain Damage From Employing Xanax

Xanax For the Treatment of Anxiety and Panic Disorder – Overview
  • Fact: There is not any proof to show that Xanax causes any brain damage. Nevertheless, the analysis indicates that there are some major complications. Though theyre relatively rare. Heres a list of such: episodes
  • allergic displays, including rash and anaphylaxis
  • blood defects, including leucopenia and leucocytosis
  • jaundice
  • rage or other antagonistic behavior
  • passing raised liver function tests
  • shocks
  • sleeplessness or sleep disturbances

What Does Xanax Do

According to Medical News Today, Xanax is a brand name for the drug alprazolam, which belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders and is the single most prescribed psychiatric medication in the United States.

Xanax works by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain to promote calmness and a relaxed feeling. This greatly helps people who suffer from anxiety disorders so that they are able to remain calmer in a particularly stressful situation, help curb panic attacks and calm their bodys overactivity. When taken as prescribed, Xanax can be a safe and effective medication. However, it all too often becomes abused.

How To Use Xanax

See also Warning section.

Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking alprazolam and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. Dosage is based on your medical condition, age, and response to treatment. Your dose may be gradually increased until the drug starts working well. Follow your doctor’s instructions closely to reduce the risk of side effects.

Though it helps many people, this medication may sometimes cause addiction. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder . Take this medication exactly as prescribed to lower the risk of addiction. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.

Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

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What Are The Side Effects Of Xanax

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Alprazolam can slow or stop your breathing, especially if you have recently used an opioid medication, alcohol, or other drugs that can slow your breathing. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have weak or shallow breathing, if you are hard to wake up, or if you stop breathing.

  • weak or shallow breathing
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out
  • a seizure
  • increased energy, decreased need for sleep
  • racing thoughts, being agitated or talkative
  • double vision or
  • jaundice .

The sedative effects of alprazolam may last longer in older adults. Accidental falls are common in elderly patients who take benzodiazepines. Use caution to avoid falling or accidental injury.

Common side effects may include:

  • drowsiness or
  • feeling light-headed.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Xanax For Anxiety: Is It A Good Long

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Xanax is the brand name for a fast-acting benzodiazepine medication, alprazolam. This medication is prescribed for short-term treatment of generalized anxiety, panic disorders, anxiety associated with depression, and social anxiety disorder. Rarely, it is used to treat insomnia or seizures, but among benzodiazepine medications, Xanax is not the most efficient at this. Even more rarely, alprazolam can be prescribed to treat more intense and immediate symptoms of depression. However, it is important to remember that benzodiazepines, especially Xanax, work rapidly, so they are prescribed to treat the intense and sudden symptoms associated with panic or related conditions they are no longer seen as a long-term treatment.

There are many reasons that Xanax and other benzodiazepines are not considered appropriate long-term treatment for most conditions. Most people rapidly develop a tolerance to the drugs they can cause euphoria so may lead to compulsive or addictive behaviors and they can take time to detox from. People who abuse Xanax may doctor shop, steal prescriptions from friends or family, or get multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors. This increases the risk of addiction to Xanax, which can lead to long-term health problems.

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Xanax As A Street Drug

Xanax was the most commonly prescribed prescription psychiatric medication from 2005 to 2013 in the United States and although it has allowed many individuals to regain control of their anxiety and their life, it also became a widely used and abused addictive drug. Xanax works within minutes of entering the bloodstream and peaks within hours and results in a state of pleasure and euphoria and as a result, many individuals use this drug for recreational purposes rather than medical purposes. Due to the recreational popularity of this drug, Xanax is a well-known street drug that is often used to enhance the effects of alcohol in social situations such as parties and concerts. Xanax abuse can elicit pleasurable effects such as lightheadedness, a sense of unreality, a feeling of detachment, an emotional numbness and a greater sexual inclination.

How Should I Take Xanax

Take Xanax exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Never use Xanax in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if you feel an increased urge to use more of this medicine.

Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. MISUSE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.

Swallow the extended-release Xanax XR tablet whole and do not crush, chew, or break it.

Xanax is usually taken for no longer than 4 months to treat anxiety disorder, and for no longer than 10 weeks to treat panic disorder. Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions very carefully.

If you use this medicine long-term, you may need frequent medical tests.

Do not stop using Xanax suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Follow your doctor’s instructions about tapering your dose.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep track of your medicine. You should be aware if anyone is using it improperly or without a prescription.

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Fiction: After You Get Addicted To Xanax Its Very Tough To Stop

Fact: Because Xanax has a fast elimination rate from the body , bounce and withdrawal cravings are rather more distinguished after discontinuation.

You may increase the danger of you becoming dependent when:

You have been taking more than four mg a day

You have been taking Xanax for an extended period.

Youve got a history of drug or alcohol abuse. Youll feel as if you are hooking yourself if you try taking Xanax brusquely.

This is usually why people get so worried and annoyed about using this drug. The most efficient way to abandon use is to taper the dose. This suggests reducing the dose by little amounts pretty often. Reducing Xanax gradually helps the body adjust accordingly and reducing intake to nil.

Tapering is an intensely useful technique reducing your Xanax dose by not more than 0.5 mg each three days is a good suggestion.

What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

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Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture . Discard any cotton in the bottle containing orally disintegrating tablets and close the bottle tightly.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

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What Are The Benefits Of Xanax

Xanax can be beneficial for people with anxiety or panic disorders.

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive or unwarranted anxiety and worry for a period of at least six months. Panic disorder is described by recurrent unexpected periods of intense fear, also known as a panic attack.

During a panic attack, a person will usually have a pounding or racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a choking feeling, dizziness, fear, and other symptoms.

In clinical trials, Xanax was shown to be better than a placebo in improving anxiety symptoms in people with anxiety or anxiety with depression. For panic disorders, clinical studies found that Xanax significantly reduced the number of panic attacks experienced per week.

It isnt known if Xanax is safe and effective when used to treat anxiety disorder for longer than 4 months or to treat panic disorder for longer than 10 weeks.

When Are They Used

When benzos were introduced to the market in the 1950s, there was excitement as they were considered safer compared to barbiturates, which had been used to treat anxiety. By the 1970s, benzos made it to the list of the most highly prescribed medications.

Benzos are mainly used to treat anxiety disorders, such as phobias, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. They are mostly used for a short period at the beginning of the treatment. That is because it may take a few weeks for the main pharmacological treatment for anxiety, antidepressants, to kick in. During that time, if anxiety is severe and debilitating, benzodiazepines may be prescribed for temporary use.

Benzos are also prescribed for occasional situations of high anxiety, such as that caused by phobias. The main treatment of phobias, such as excessive fear of animals, places and social interactions, is psychotherapy. Sometimes, however, phobias can interfere with ones functioning just sporadically, and the person may not be interested in investing in therapy. For example, a person with fear of flying who may fly on a plane once or twice a year may choose to take a benzo before flying. However, for a businessman or woman who flies several times a months, psychotherapy is recommended.

Benzos may also be used for situations of short-term stress, such as a stressful job interview.

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Getting A Xanax Prescription

A physician or doctor will determine whether it is right for you to begin taking Xanax for anxiety or panic disorder. If youve been suffering for an extended period, then Xanax may be the right medication for you.

Its very important to only receive Xanax from a doctor and not from an outside source as there may be additional ingredients added or an incorrect dosage being taken. It could potentially be dangerous to take a prescription that you have gotten from someone else. Combining Xanax with other medications can be detrimental to your health and should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor or physician.

If Xanax is taken in too large of a dose or by people who do not experience anxiety, it can cause euphoric feelings which is why its important to not take it without a prescription from a doctor.

How Does Xanax Work On The Central Nervous System

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Xanax and other benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants. The central nervous system is responsible for maintaining our bodies primary functions, including the regulation of heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and body temperature. When taken, Xanax slows down these functions.

Many of its effects are similar to drinking alcohol. For example, the level of impairment, sleepiness and slow reaction time one may feel from Xanax are similar to drinking too much.

Some of the effects of short-term Xanax use include physical and mental relaxation and reduced feelings of fear, agitation and anxiety. However, adverse side effects of taking Xanax can include extreme drowsiness, coordination problems, feeling dizzy or lightheaded or experiencing emotional problems.

Also Check: What Do You Take For Depression And Anxiety

Xanax For Social Anxiety

People who suffer from social anxiety do not think rationally. They have false beliefs and irrational fears that make them feel inadequate as individuals primarily in the company of others.

What this means is that among other things, they lack the confidence and trust that could enable them to embrace their individuality. Among other things, these symptoms are indicative of very low self-esteem that could have much deeper roots.

The most common anxiety disorder experienced today is social anxiety disorder.

People with social anxiety disorder dread situations where they risk being exposed to the critical gaze of others in social gatherings.

Social phobia can be limited to one type of situation. Or, in its most severe form, you may experience symptoms anytime you are around other people.

Before Taking This Medicine

You should not take Xanax if:

To make sure Xanax is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

  • depression, mood problems, or suicidal thoughts or behavior or

  • kidney or liver disease .

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Alprazolam may harm an unborn baby. Avoid taking this medicine during the first trimester of pregnancy.

If you use Xanax while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks.

You should not breastfeed while using alprazolam.

Xanax is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

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Using Alprazolam For Anxiety

Alprazolam is one of the most prescribed medications in the world. One might say that it’s prescribed too often, because most people are given Alprazolam by doctors, not psychologists. No medication should be a person’s first choice when they’re trying to manage their anxiety, rather medication needs to be a last resort, after you’ve tried other non-mediciated options. Furthermore, while many people just want to take a pill to address their anxiety, the best results are actually found when using medication in conjunction with therapy.

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