What Every Parent Should Know About Xanex

Xanax is in a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. These are anti-anxiety medications prescribed when people are highly stressed or having panic attacks. There are 44 million prescriptions written each year for Xanax (alprazolam), the most of any benzodiazepine. It is the eighth-most prescribed drug in the country.
Having plenty of a drug in circulation usually means that there is plenty of the drug available for abuse as well. And that is the case. Xanax “bars” are a very popular drug of abuse; this drug comes in the form of a small white bar that is scored so it can be broken into smaller doses. Generic forms of the drug—alprazolam—may be green or other colors.

Benzodiazepines Send Tens of Thousands to Rehab

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, benzos help send 60,000 people per year to publicly-funded rehab centers. Add in the privately funded centers and the number would be even higher.
The number of people being admitted to drug rehabs for addictions involving benzodiazepines nearly tripled between 1998 and 2008, while treatment admissions as a whole only went up eleven percent. However, nearly every person in treatment for benzodiazepines abused another substance as well. The most common secondary drug to abuse was opiates, then alcohol and then marijuana. But in the 12-to-17-year-old range, the most common secondary drug to abuse along with benzodiazepines was marijuana.
In 2009, there were more than 150,000 emergency room visits related to Xanax abuse—this number increased 150% over the number from 2004. By itself, it seldom kills people but when mixed with alcohol or opiates, the cumulative effect can be to slow a person’s breathing to the point of death.
This drug was present in the deaths of Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. One report from CNN stated that Michael Jackson was taking 10 Xanax bars a night just before his death, and that it was a decrease in his consumption from 30 to 40 bars a night.
Xanax is a fast-acting benzo and so is used to get anxiety or panic attacks under control quickly. There are a few benzos that act even faster that are primarily used before surgery.

Tolerance to Xanax Builds Quickly, Followed by Addiction

One of the problems with these drugs is that a body quickly builds a tolerance to them, meaning that more of the drug must be taken to get the same effect perhaps after just a few weeks. This buildup of tolerance can occur again and again, until one’s dosage gets very high.
According to the National Institutes of Health, this type of drug should not be taken for more than a few months due to the risk of addiction. There are also dangerous side effects suffered by some people, especially at higher doses like those taken by those are abusing the drug.
More serious effects include depression, thoughts of suicide, aggressive behavior, chest pain, tremors, confusion and hallucinations. Less serious effects include blurred or double vision, nausea, vomiting, loss of interest in sex and memory problems.
Since Xanax is a drug with such high abuse and addiction potential, use of it should be very short-term under close observation of a doctor. Supplies of the drug should be kept out of the reach of anyone who might abuse them. And if a person does become addicted to Xanax, an effective drug rehab service should be found to help that person find recovery.
At Narconon drug rehabilitation centers around the world, lasting recovery from addiction to Xanax can be found.
The Narconon program not only addresses the debilitating effects of drug abuse on the mind and body, but also resolves why a person turned to drugs in the first place. As a result, a person can graduate from the program into a new life free from drug use.
To those who wish to break the pattern of drug use or drinking that is destroying their lives, Narconon provides a unique drug recovery program that works.


 http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/xanax.html

The Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Alcohol

These days, it’s not uncommon to turn on the news and hear about a celebrity death involving a mixture of drugs and alcohol. Deaths from mixed drugs date back decades — most notably, “Wizard of Oz” star Judy Garland and American music icon Elvis Presley. More recently, we’ve seen it happen to Whitney Houston, Health Ledger, and Anna Nicole Smith.
But the problem extends far beyond Hollywood. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) reports that drug overdose deaths have spiked 102 percent from 1999 to 2000. In 2010, there were over 38,000 deaths from drug overdoses, and 60 percent of those deaths involved prescription drugs (as opposed to heroin or cocaine). Of the 22,000 deaths involving prescription drugs, 30 percent involved benzodiazepines such as Xanax.
Drugs such as Xanax are highly addictive. Aside from how addictive it is, Xanax is relatively safe when taken on its own, and the amount needed to overdose is very high. However, it’s much easier to overdose on Xanax when it’s combined with other drugs, such as alcohol. When combined, Xanax and alcohol can cause various side effects, some of which can be fatal. This is why alcohol and Xanax should never be combined. Even if you think you’re responsible with your drinking, and Xanax is taken as prescribed, it’s important to still be aware of the dangers of taking Xanax with alcohol.
This page can address a number of your questions regarding mixing Xanax and alcohol, including:

• What happens when you mix Xanax and alcohol?
• Can you die from Xanax?
• Are there dangers associated with Xanax and drinking?
• Are there dangers associated with Xanax and beer?

What Makes Mixing Alcohol and Xanax So Dangerous?

Xanax is a prescription anti-anxiety medication. It’s also sold in the generic form under its chemical name, alprazolam. Xanax is classified as a benzodiazepine central nervous system depressant. Benzodiazepine medication is commonly prescribed to treat anxiety, panic disorder, and occasionally, alcohol withdrawal. The goal is to slow down the activity of the central nervous system and produce a calming effect. When abused, misused, or combined with other drugs, benzodiazepine medications can cause dangerous, and even deadly, side effects.
Similarly, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Because of this, the warning label for Xanax warns against drinking alcohol and using other non-prescribed drugs while taking it.
Alcohol and Xanax both increase activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This neurotransmitter is responsible for muting excitation in the brain, which causes a sedative effect. When depressants are mixed together, over-sedation occurs, which is a serious problem that may result in death.
Xanax intensifies the symptoms of alcohol and vice versa. When taken together, alcohol and Xanax become more potent than if you used either of them on their own. As a result, you’re at risk of excessive sedation, dangerous accidents, respiratory depression, cardiac problems, and loss of consciousness.
Other depressants that are commonly mixed with Xanax include:

• Opioid analgesics (OxyContin, Vicodin, morphine).
• Barbiturates (Seconal, Nembutal).
• Hypnotic drugs (Ambien).
• Heroin.
• Methadone.

Combining drugs can escalate the side effects of Xanax, causing severe drowsiness, fatigue, weakness, and clumsiness. It also increases the risk of breathing difficulties, unconsciousness, and unintentional death.

Side Effects of Mixing Xanax and Alcohol

Alcohol and Xanax work to reduce overall activity in the brain, effectively reducing signals in the central nervous system. When taken independently, they both cause a relaxing effect on users. But together, the effects of each drug build upon one another.
Reduced activity in the central nervous system can lead to dangerous side effects. Individuals mixing Xanax and alcohol are at risk of:

• Vertigo
• Fainting
• Slow breathing
• Drowsiness
• Slurred speech
• Slow pulse
• Impaired coordination
• Nausea
• Memory loss
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Delirium
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

With these side effects in min, mixing Xanax and alcohol (including drinking on Xanax) is never a good idea. Whether it’s Xanax and beer, wine or any other alcoholic beverage, these two substances should never be combined in any way.

Can You Overdose on Xanax?

“Can you die from Xanax?” and “Can you overdose on Xanax?” are two commonly asked questions regarding this medication. Even without mixing Xanax and alcohol, there can be dangers with taking Xanax alone. Taking this drug in larger doses than prescribed or for longer than recommended can lead to addiction. It takes a relatively high dosage of Xanax to cause an overdose, but it’s a common occurrence when combined with alcohol or other depressants.
Symptoms of a Xanax overdose may include:

• Extreme drowsiness
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Confusion
• Lightheadedness
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• Blurred vision
• Fainting
• Coma

If you or someone you know experiences any of these overdose symptoms, call 911 immediately.

Getting Help

If you or someone you know is mixing Xanax and alcohol, it’s important that you seek help immediately from an addiction treatment facility. Treatment for co-occurring alcohol and Xanax use often requires a period of medically monitored detox.
If you’ve been abusing alcohol and Xanax over an extended period of time, it’s likely that you’ve become dependent on them. When you stop using, you’ll likely experience withdrawal symptoms that range from mild discomfort to dangerous medical conditions.
Attempting to self-detox at home or quit cold turkey is never advised, especially if you’ve been using for a long time. Medically assisted detox helps minimize the risk of experiencing potentially dangerous symptoms. A team of medical professionals will provide 24-hour care and if necessary, provide you with medications to help with withdrawal symptoms.

 https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/xanax-addiction/dangers-xanax-alcohol/