However, other medications that are less addictive can treat these conditions, so it is important to talk to your doctor if you are tempted to take more Xanax than instructed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths involving benzodiazepines like Xanax often occur in the context of polysubstance use. Therefore, it is crucial to use Xanax strictly as prescribed and avoid mixing it with other substances. Given that aging adults don’t process Xanax as rapidly or efficiently as younger people do, seniors are at an elevated risk of overdose. Seniors using Xanax to treat Parkinson’s-related anxiety often become physically and psychologically dependent upon this drug.
Physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. XANAX can cause physical dependence and withdrawal reactions.
Drugs that block the functioning of this enzyme will affect how the body removes Xanax, which can increase its levels in the blood. Doctors aim to prescribe the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration to manage the risk of dependence. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. To take the concentrated liquid, use only the dropper that came with your prescription.
Overdose may be can you overdose on xanax accidental or intentional, but the overdose will be treated in the same manner. After the initial medical treatment, additional professional help may be needed. Xanax abuse can lead to psychological and physical health problems such as suicide or depression.
- Both Xanax and alcohol may cause central nervous system (CNS) depression.
- A Xanax overdose can cause slurred speech, movement problems and altered mental status.
- Squeeze the dropper contents into a liquid or semisolid food such as water, juice, soda, applesauce, or pudding.
Can You Overdose on Xanax?
Long-term use or abuse can lead to dependence and addiction, which increase your risk of experiencing the negative side effects of high doses. These combinations can lead to severe respiratory depression, which can be fatal without prompt medical intervention. Xanax, also known as alprazolam, is a prescription drug prescribed to millions of Americans each year.
What are the Symptoms of a Xanax Overdose?
Doctors prescribe Xanax to ease the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or frequent panic attacks. While Xanax can help with these mental disorders, it can also be deadly if you overdose on it. Doctors strongly recommend that you do not drink alcohol if you are on Xanax. Chronic use of Xanax in combination with other substances can exacerbate mental health issues.
Why Choose Tricare Approved Residential Addiction Treatment for Men?
If you have an addiction to Xanax, you may want to seek help at a Xanax addiction treatment center in Northern IL. The combination of Xanax with alcohol or opioids not only increases the risk of respiratory failure and coma but also significantly raises the likelihood of fatal overdose. Each substance intensifies the depressant effects of the others, leading to a higher probability of a fatal outcome. It’s crucial to understand that even small amounts of these substances, when taken together, can have life-threatening consequences.
- While prescription drug abuse affects all age categories, it is troubling to see a spike in the cases of Xanax abuse among teens in recent years.
- If an interaction is suspected by your physician, an alternative to Xanax is likely to be prescribed to avert dangerous complications.
- Patients should always ask their doctors for medical advice about adverse events.
- When you overdose on Xanax, an excessive impact on neurotransmitters, specifically GABA, affects your brain.
- They’ll ultimately prescribe the lowest dosage of Xanax that you need to relieve your anxiety symptoms.
- People typically abuse medication to relieve pain, stay awake, get high, or fit in their social circle.
Drugs That May Interact With Xanax And Affect Overdose Risk
Sometimes, people may experience delayed symptoms, while others may experience severe symptoms, such as coma or even death. Fortunately, help is available for Xanax abuse and addiction. A medical detox program can wean you off Xanax in a safe environment to help you avoid withdrawal symptoms. This is followed by a rehab program that helps ensure you stay off Xanax for good.
Rolling onto their side also prevents them from aspirating vomit, which could happen if they lay on their backs or face down. It’s important not to leave a person alone when they’re experiencing an overdose. An overdose is more common when you take the drug for recreational purposes. High doses can cause effects that are similar to alcohol intoxication and may lead to a loss of consciousness, slowed breathing, and a lower heart rate. If an overdose occurs, medical personnel will immediately transport the overdosing individual to the closest emergency room.
Elderly patients are more sensitive to Xanax’s effect and are generally prescribed smaller doses to prevent adverse reactions. – Xanax (alprazolam) is a prescription medication indicated for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorder. Because Xanax depresses the central nervous system (CNS), drinking alcohol or consuming another CNS depressant while on Xanax can cause an overdose.
The amount to overdose on Xanax is usually high, though this varies from person to person. Some of the factors that affect how likely a person is to overdose on Xanax are weight, metabolism, and previous exposure to the drug. In other words, as long as you take the drug according to your doctor, Xanax is relatively safe in these terms. This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants.
8 Neonatal Sedation and Withdrawal Syndrome
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.
Sometimes, simple actions such as standing or holding objects may become challenging. Loss of physical control increases the risk of falling or getting injured, particularly if the individual moves in a sedated state. As a benzodiazepine, Xanax acts as a central nervous system depressant to calm the mind and simultaneously slow down physical responses in the body. In therapeutic use, the CNS impact of this drug can aid in anxiety relief and the promotion of relaxation.
Xanax is usually prescribed in 0.25 to 0.05-milligram doses each day, and this dose may be split up over the course of the day. If you take much more than this, you may start to experience side effects. If you took an extremely high dose that was several thousand times the standard dose, you could experience a fatal overdose.