Xanax Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drug abuse is a widespread problem, and Xanax addiction is one of the most common addictions to a drug that’s widely prescribed. Used since the 1960s, Xanax is listed on the Controlled Substance Act as a Schedule IV controlled substance. It’s used for anxiety, stress, panic attacks, nervousness and tension springing from any or all of those problems, so it’s widely prescribed in a psychiatric setting.

Xanax basically acts as a tranquilizer, which can give a person a sense of relaxation and peace, and can help them get past the nervous, panicky or tense feelings they were experiencing before. This is why it’s often used when it shouldn’t be and Xanax addiction results, because it can ease general tensions as well as serious ones.

The drug is a depressant that affects the central nervous system. Its Schedule IV rating by the Controlled Substance Act means that it’s not high on the list of addictive substances, yet all the experts explain that Xanax addiction can and does happen. For this level IV drug, the rating means that Xanax isn’t likely to be an abused drug, that it’s a valid medical treatment and that use of the drug can become a Xanax addiction if it’s taken improperly. For comparison, Valium is also a Schedule IV drug.

Care must be taken if you are prescribed Xanax, which is also known as alprazolam, so that you don’t end up feeling better because of the drug but then are faced with a Xanax addiction. Even though it’s ranked among the least likely become addictive if abused, it is possible to become dependent on the drug.

Unfortunately, Xanax addiction often occurs because of the body’s own natural reaction to the drug. The body builds up a tolerance after a while so that the person must take larger doses to feel the beneficial effects of taking Xanax. As the person takes larger doses and takes them more frequently in an effort to find relief, dependency increases and Xanax addiction occurs. Xanax addiction isn’t just physical, either. The person becomes psychologically dependent on the drug, strengthening the addiction.

For those faced with a Xanax addiction, even if they’re not sure they have one but they suspect that they do, it becomes necessary to get some kind of treatment before stopping the drug. Quitting “cold turkey” can make it difficult if not impossible to overcome Xanax addiction causes a wide range of withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, chills, crying, dizziness, tremors and many other uncomfortable and often painful symptoms.

Xanax addiction is sometimes complicated because in some cases the user is also addicted to an illicit drug like heroin or cocaine. But if you need Xanax and your doctor prescribes it, you should take it as prescribed and keep your doctor informed about how you feel before and after taking the drug. Keen observation of your pill-taking habits and your feelings can tell you if you might be starting to form dependency, which could lead to a hard to break Xanax addiction.