This is the second article of the five-part series Benzodiazepines: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You. Read part one, Benzodiazepine Addiction: Causes and Treatment.
Xanax is a benzodiazepine with high potency, and it’s one of the most commonly prescribed and abused benzodiazepines. While all benzos generally produce the same effects and have the same withdrawal symptoms, different types have different potencies that can affect the intensity of symptoms and how long Xanax withdrawal symptoms last.
Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine, so when you stop taking it, Xanax withdrawal symptoms set in within one or two days after the last dose. Xanax withdrawal symptoms can last for as few as two weeks or as many as four weeks. In some cases, symptoms can persist even longer.
The severity of Xanax withdrawal symptoms and the duration of withdrawal typically depend on the dosage you’ve been taking, how long you’ve been dependent and other factors like your age and your general state of health.
Xanax withdrawal symptoms include:
- Intense cravings
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Tremors
- Headache
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Agitation or irritability
- Poor concentration
- Memory problems
- Muscle aches
During detox, dangerous Xanax withdrawal symptoms may occur, including seizures and dangerous shifts in heart rate and blood pressure, according to an article published in the journal American Family Physician. For this reason, the safest way to manage Xanax withdrawal symptoms is to gradually decrease the dosage.
The best way to do this is to base the length of time between each dose reduction on the presence and severity of Xanax withdrawal symptoms. The longer the interval between dose reductions, the safer and more comfortable withdrawal will be. In general, there should be at least a week between reductions. Benzo withdrawal symptoms can fluctuate, but if symptoms worsen, a higher dose probably won’t be given in order to relieve them. Rather, you’ll likely be kept on the current dose until the symptoms subside and then continue with the reduction schedule.
Medical Professionals at Roots Through Recovery will help you successfully withdraw from Xanax and any other substances. Visit Roots Through Recovery at 3939 Atlantic Ave, Suite 102 Long Beach, CA 90807 or call (866) 766-8776 for immediate assistance.
Read part three of this five-part series, Professional Help for Benzo Withdrawal is Essential for Success, or download the entire series as a fully illustrated eBook, Benzodiazepines: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You.
