As many focus on the opioid epidemic, another drug is on the rise- “Benzos, “such as Valium and Xanax. Overdose deaths from these highly-addictive, prescription, anti-anxiety drugs have gone from 0.54 per 100,000 people to an astounding 5.02. That’s a nearly tenfold increase in the past 30 years. This leaves people many seeking treatment and wondering what Xanax withdrawal is like. How can a Xanax addiction treatment center North Carolina help?
You’ve got questions. Here are the answers you seek.
Why Does Xanax Withdrawal Occur?
While drugs like Xanax may be available by prescription, there’s a growing body of research that shows that using Xanax over a period causes brain damage.
Xanax is designed to alter the chemistry of the brain to slow down overwhelming brain signals. As a result, if you have anxiety and panic disorders, this can help you better manage stress as long as you keep taking the medication. Xanax supports a substance in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA naturally calms the brain down when it’s feeling overwhelmed.
The issue is that over time, the brain learns to depend on the Xanax. This means that less GABA is produced naturally. As a result, stopping Xanax causes the brain to panic. In effect, it’s overwhelmed and no longer knows how to produce GABA to manage stress on its own.
What Are the Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms?
This inability to manage stress causes numerous Xanax withdrawal symptoms, like:
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Tremors
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Seizures
- Heart palpitations
Is Withdrawal from Xanax Dangerous?
Withdrawal from Xanax can be dangerous. During withdrawal, panic attacks, and the physical tension that it causes to the body can land you in the hospital. Going cold turkey is very dangerous.
Xanax should not be stopped all at once. Instead, it should be tapered off in a controlled setting under the direction of a doctor. Red Oak Recovery®’s highly-trained staff and addiction treatment programs can help guide an individual going through withdrawal on the road to recovery.
Despite the risks of continuing to abuse, Xanax has more significant risks to your health like:
- Mood swings
- Loss of appetite which could make it challenging to get proper nutrition
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble keeping a job
- Extreme tiredness
What Is the Withdrawal From Xanax Timeline?
Unlike heroin, which leaves the body comparatively quickly, Xanax withdrawal may last four or more months.
Generally, for the first four to six hours after the last dose, you’re okay. You may experience these withdrawal symptoms for about a week. These Xanax withdrawal symptoms continue to rev up until about week two when they peak, and things slowly start to get better.
It’s important to realize that during these four or more months, most people will have a strong desire to use because they know it will offer relief. Because of that, you must complete withdrawal in a controlled setting where you can’t access the drugs. At the same time, you begin to learn skills to manage stress as your brain heals.
With time, your brain will begin producing GABA again. If you don’t learn relapse prevention skills to make sure you never use Xanax, benzos, or other drugs again, though, you may fall into the Xanax trap again.
How Can You Ease the Withdrawal Symptoms?
A Xanax treatment center in North Carolina can help you during this difficult time. At Red Oak Recovery, we offer the only genuinely hybrid healing program that seamlessly integrates evidence-based treatments with adventure/wilderness therapy. You’ll spend your days in a safe and relaxing but also stimulating environment, enjoying activities like hiking canoeing, art, and yoga while also attending programs that directly help you heal, including:
- Trauma-informed care
- Family counseling
- Heroin Rehab Program
- Alcohol Rehab Program
- 12 step addiction recovery
- Life skills
- Group therapy
If Xanax is controlling your health and happiness, it’s time to make a change. We can help. Call us at 866.457.7590 to learn more.
