When it comes to maintaining your mental health, taking time to reset your brain and calm your thoughts can play a significant role in your mental well-being. However, some people have mental health conditions that make it difficult to calm their brain, which is where Xanax may come in.
Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam, a controlled substance that is used to treat people with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorders and anxiety that stems from major depressive disorder. It’s a type of benzodiazepine, a depressant that works to slow down the nervous system to create a calming and sedative effect.
While it can be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, Xanax is highly addictive and your body can become dependent on it if you take it for an extended period. The dependency means that your body expects the medication; when it doesn’t get it, the lack of dosage can lead to symptoms that range in severity.
Withdrawing from Xanax can lead to a variety of side effects that can affect your ability to carry out your everyday routines, and in severe cases, it may even require emergency medical assistance. In this blog post, we’ll talk about common side effects of Xanax withdrawal and how to go about the process safely.
8 Xanax withdrawal side effects to be aware of
It can take just six weeks or less for your body to become dependent on Xanax. The severity of the symptoms depends on several factors, including how long you’ve been taking Xanax, the dosage and co-occurring benzodiazepines. The average half-life of Xanax is 11 hours. However, withdrawal timing can vary with factors like dose and duration. Sometimes it may begin in as little as 6–12 hours for short-acting benzos, or slightly later for extended-release formulations.
Xanax withdrawal symptoms are often described as uncomfortable and “flu-like,” but the experience is different for everyone. By learning about the most common side effects that you can expect from Xanax withdrawal, you can alleviate some of the uncertainty and know when you need to seek further help from a health care professional.
Here are eight common side effects of Xanax withdrawal:
- Anxiety symptoms, such as overwhelming worry
- Panic attacks, including rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and chest pain
- Muscle spasms
- Unintentional movements
- Nausea or vomiting
- Insomnia
- Change in appetite or weight loss
- Hypersensitivity to light, sound or touch
While many Xanax withdrawal side effects don’t call for a hospital visit, it’s possible to experience seizures, which can be life threatening and require emergency medical treatment.
How to safely discontinue Xanax
You may no longer want to take Xanax because your anxiety symptoms have improved and your doctor agrees that you don’t need it anymore. You may also need to switch to a different medication due to side effects or lack of improvement. However, proper supervision and treatment from a health care professional are essential for a safe Xanax discontinuation.
Safely discontinuing any prescribed medication like Xanax usually involves tapering, or slowly reducing the dose over time. Tapering can reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and also slowly eases the dependency that your body has on the chemicals by giving it less and less without immediately stopping the dosage.
Your health care provider can create a treatment plan for your Xanax discontinuation, which may include a taper schedule as well as therapy, medication, and lifestyle adjustments. In certain cases, prescribers might switch you from Xanax to a longer-acting benzodiazepine, such as diazepam, for tapering. Depending on the severity of your symptoms and potential addiction behaviors, you may be referred to an inpatient detox facility.
Lightfully can help you after you experience Xanax withdrawal symptoms
No matter what reason you have to stop taking Xanax, it’s important that you continue to move along your mental health journey, whether that means changing your medication or continuing treatment with other options, such as therapy, self-care and lifestyle adjustments.
At Lightfully, we’re here if you need a bit more intensive support beyond outpatient therapy sessions and you’re having trouble managing your anxiety on your own after stopping Xanax. We offer four levels of care:
- Residential Treatment
- Partial Hospitalization Program
- Intensive Outpatient Program
- Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program
We treat your whole person, not just your anxiety, because you’re more than your diagnosis. We provide evidence-based, clearly defined and data-driven care.
Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.
