Xanax Addiction, Abuse, and Symptoms

How Xanax affects the brain

Xanax enhances the effects of GABA, a natural chemical that plays a role in the function of the central nervous system. Thus, it makes the nervous system less excitable, producing a calming effect. Xanax also allows more dopamine, a natural chemical that transmits messages between nerve cells, to enter the brain. As a result, some users experience a sense of euphoria, increasing the potential for misuse.

Xanax works in an area of the brain called the hippocampus, according to an article by Arvat et al. published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The hippocampus plays a role in memory formation, which is why long-term misuse of Xanax can cause memory loss or interfere with the brain’s ability to create new memories.

Behavioral signs of Xanax usage and abuse

Long-term use of Xanax can lead to tolerance, a state in which the user no longer responds to the substance in the same way, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Once a user develops a tolerance for Xanax, higher doses of the drug are needed to achieve the same effects, which can cause significant behavioral changes.

In some users, these behavioral changes include irritability, anger, aggression, difficulty controlling impulses, and an increased level of excitement. Rarely, users may develop antisocial behaviors, causing them to experience fits of rage or lash out at others.

According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), an individual with a substance use disorder may have trouble focusing on important aspects of life, such as school, work, and relationships. Some users stop paying their bills on time or show other signs of financial distress because they are using most of their money to buy Xanax. Another possible behavioral change is an increase in secretive behavior. The individual may start hiding things from friends and family members in an attempt to conceal Xanax misuse.

Some Xanax users also engage in a practice known as doctor shopping. These users visit multiple prescribers within a short period in an attempt to conceal their dependence on Xanax. To combat this problem, some states have implemented monitoring programs, which rely on electronic databases to track prescriptions for controlled substances.

How Xanax affects the body

Xanax is a benzodiazepine that intensifies the effects of a substance known as GABA, or gamma-Aminobutyric acid. GABA is a chemical that controls the excitability of the cells in the central nervous system. After taking Xanax, the user typically feels calmer. However, misuse of Xanax can produce some concerning physical symptoms. Depending on the amount of Xanax taken, the user may experience fatigue, drowsiness, blurred vision, vertigo, and difficulty coordinating body movements.

Early physical effects of Xanax

Xanax and other benzodiazepines act quickly, causing physical and psychological symptoms to appear in as little as 30 to 45 minutes. Some of these side effects are unpleasant, and others can be life-threatening.

Severe and long-term physical effects of Xanax

Long-term use of Xanax causes the user to build up a tolerance that makes the substance less effective at smaller doses. As a result, some users take Xanax more often than prescribed or in larger doses than prescribed to continue experiencing desirable effects, such as reduced anxiety and feelings of euphoria.

Xanax is frequently taken with alcohol, opioids, and other substances, as Xanax can reduce the undesirable side effects of these substances. Taking Xanax with alcohol, illicit drugs, or other medications can increase the risk of sudden death. Combining Xanax with opioids is especially common, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse reporting that more than 30% of opioid overdoses also involve benzodiazepines.

Taking Xanax in combination with alcohol can cause life-threatening side effects. Like Xanax, alcohol enhances the effects of GABA on the central nervous system, which can cause impaired coordination, drowsiness, dizziness, and other physical and psychological effects. When an individual combines Xanax and alcohol, the tranquilizing effects of each substance are intensified. Therefore, mixing Xanax with alcohol can cause an individual to lose consciousness or slip into a coma. Depending on how much Xanax and alcohol are consumed together, combining these substances can even cause the user to stop breathing.

As noted by Jeremy Barnett, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, “While heroin and other opioids tend to dominate the public’s attention, Xanax – and benzodiazepine abuse in general – can wreak havoc on users in similar ways. Many prescribing doctors are unaware of their patients’ often excessive alcohol consumption and may skip educating on the dangers of combining Xanax with alcohol. Both alcohol and Xanax have identical neurological effects, resulting in a deadly, and possibly fatal, outcome if taken together or in excess. If Xanax use is stopped abruptly after a physiological tolerance has been built up, seizures and even death can result.”

Further Resources

Both the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offer in-depth information on both the symptoms and treatment of prescription benzodiazepine addiction.

Worldwide benzodiazepine use has increased over the past 20 years

In a 2017 report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime referred to the non-medical use of benzodiazepines as a “growing threat to public health.” While misuse of benzodiazepines is dangerous on its own, the UN report also revealed that counterfeit medications are a serious problem in some countries. For example, 400 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo suffered serious side effects after taking counterfeit Xanax in 2015.

The 2018 World Drug Report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, indicates that some Western nations are also dealing with an increased demand for non-controlled substances that have the same effects as benzodiazepines. These substances are marketed as “designer benzodiazepines” or “legal benzodiazepines.” Some individuals are combining these substances with Xanax and other benzodiazepines, increasing the risk of overdose and other serious consequences.

Data related to the seizure of controlled substances by worldwide law enforcement organizations further highlights the growing problem of benzodiazepine use. According to the 2018 World Drug Report, there was a 700% increase in the quantities of benzodiazepines seized in 2016.

Abuse of prescription tranquilizers is increasing in the United States, especially among adolescents and young adults

Although Xanax is classified as a benzodiazepine, it also acts as a tranquilizer, so it is sometimes included in tranquilizer usage statistics. In 2016, approximately two million individuals aged 12 and older misused tranquilizers at some point during the year. The problem is especially prevalent among young adults. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 536,000 individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 had misused tranquilizers within the previous month.

The total number of individuals who misused tranquilizers in 2016 represents approximately 0.7% of the American population, while the number of individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 who misused tranquilizers within the previous month accounts for just under 0.17% of the population.

Tranquilizer use among adolescents has also been increasing. The National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted the Monitoring the Future Study: Trends in Prevalence, which examined substance use in three groups of adolescents: 8th graders, 10th graders, and 12th graders. According to the data, lifetime tranquilizer use among 8th graders increased from 3% in 2015 to 3.5% in 2018. The number of 8th graders who reported using tranquilizers within the past year increased from 1.7% to 2% in 2018 as well. Lifetime use among 10th graders increased from 5.8% in 2015 to 6% in 2018, while lifetime use among 12th graders decreased from 6.9% in 2015 to 6.6% in 2018.