Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders because it provides a calming effect on those who take it. Some people take the drug recreationally because they enjoy the feeling of relaxation Xanax gives them but they end up abusing it over time. Xanax can also be addictive when taken as prescribed by a doctor.

The Part Physical Addiction Plays in Xanax Detox

No matter how someone finds their way to a Xanax addiction, the internal biological process is the same. When ingested, Xanax increases the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA within the brain. The more GABA that is active, the more relaxation a person feels.

As an individual continues to use Xanax repeatedly, the body responds to the increased amount of GABA by reducing the quantity it makes available at any given time. This is the point where the physical addiction takes hold of the person taking the drug. Now the user must have more Xanax to get the same effect they previously had from a smaller dose. The cessation of Xanax at this stage will cause painful physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms including:

• Inability to sleep
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Anxiety or panic
• Shakiness
• Rapid heart rate
• Nightmares
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Tremors
• Seizures

These consequences of withdrawal from Xanax drive a person to want to take more of the drug to stop the discomfort. This is a slippery slope toward an emotionally, physically and financially harmful habit.

The Necessity of Detox in Xanax Rehab

Xanax has a brief half-life, so once a person has made the decision to detox from the drug, withdrawal symptoms will start being felt within 12 hours of the last usage. These symptoms will continue to grow in intensity and reach there maximum somewhere around three or four days later. This is the period of most concentrated symptoms, but physical and psychological ramifications of Xanax detox may linger for many months.

Once someone struggling with a Xanax addiction has admitted they have a problem and accepts help, there is no getting around this withdrawal process. No matter what route a person chooses to detox – at home, outpatient rehab or inpatient rehab – detox is always the first stage of getting clean and sober. However, withdrawal from Xanax should not be attempted alone because of the possibility of life-threatening seizures that may occur. Medically supervised Xanax detox is the recommended path for an individual’s safety as well as his or her comfort.

Overcoming the Withdrawal Symptoms of Detox Through Xanax Rehab

Although everyone in Xanax rehab must face the process of withdrawal, some options may be more difficult paths to choose than others. Going cold turkey from Xanax is not advised because of the harsh side effects and potentially fatal convulsions a quick withdrawal from Xanax may cause. In place of the physical and mental anguish caused by a fast detox, a medically supervised taper from the drug is an individual’s best option. This way may take a few months, but it is less of a shock to the system. It took a while to form the addiction, so it makes sense to allow your body to slowly let go of the addiction as well.

Tapering off Xanax allows the chemistry in the brain to slowly return back to normal. As the amount of Xanax is methodically reduced in the patient’s system, the brain starts to make more GABA available for use once again. Since the withdrawal symptoms are due to the lack of GABA, allowing the brain to gradually readjust its chemistry produces a much more manageable set of withdrawal symptoms as the brain once again moves back to its normal functioning state.

Finding High-Quality Xanax Rehabilitation

The most effective way to beat an addiction to Xanax for the long term is to participate in a full rehabilitation program. Trying to defeat Xanax addiction alone usually ends up failing and is risky to an individual’s health. After detox is complete, a rehab program will include counseling to get to the root of the problem and aftercare to support the patient in maintaining sobriety once the intensive Xanax rehab is through.

Give us a call right now. We have counselors available around the clock to answer questions and help connect you with the most renowned Xanax rehab programs in the country. Don’t spend another minute falling deeper into addiction. Call now and let us help you begin the process of conquering Xanax addiction today.