Alprazolam
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Alprazolam is the generic drug often marketed under the brand names Xanax, Alprazolam Intensol; Niravam and Xanax XR. A short-acting drug from the benzodiazepine class, alprazolam is used to treat moderate to severe anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and [[]]depression. The treatment is most successful when alprazolam is combined with other medications.
In its true form, alprazolam possess the properties of an anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant. Alprazolam is classified as a Schedule IV Controlled Substance. It is also abused on the street, available under such names as Z-bars, bars, tabs and Upjohn.
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Abuses of Alprazolam
The abuse of alprazolam and its brand name derivatives is on the rise throughout the United States according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The medication is ingested in the form of a pill or injected or insufflated after the pill is crushed. Alprazolam does not fully dissolve in water and can cause severe damage to the arteries.
One of the more toxic benzodiazepines, alprazolam can be fatal when combined with alcohol or other drugs. Abuse is common among young, healthy people seeking to achieve a high. Known as “Xannie Poppers,” alprozolam abusers tend to be club-hopping, twenty-somethings that are likely to use alprazolam in combination with other stimulants.
Effects of Alprazolam
Alprazolam is known to be a very effective medication when taken under the care of a physician. Not all those taking alprazolam will develop a tolerance or an addiction to the drug, but for those that do, the impact can be life-changing.
Some individuals can develop a compulsion with alprazolam and find themselves unable to stop taking it. Others may develop a preoccupation with the drug, growing increasingly concerned with acquiring more alprazolam.
Increased tolerance of alprazolam can lead to specific symptoms that can include memory impairment, constant drowsiness, slurred speech, loss of concentration or motor skills. Even without tolerance, certain effects can still emerge that include unusual risk-taking behavior, depressed mood, hyperactivity, agitation, hostility, hallucinations, fainting, feeling light-headed, muscle twitches, changes in urination and jaundice.
Withdrawal of Alprazolam
No matter why a person is taking alprazolam, if it is taken for an extended period of time, an abrupt cessation is likely to induce some uncomfortable and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms associated with alprazolam can include, but are not limited to:
• Rapid heartbeat and/or high blood pressure
• Anxiousness
• Sleeplessness
• Irritability
• Seizures
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Detachment
• Ringing in the ears
• Nightmares, psychoses or delusions
Treatment of Alprazolam Addiction
Alprazolam withdrawal can cause potentially dangerous symptoms, making it essential that addicts seek care from a board-certified physician and board-certified addiction psychiatrist when trying to stop taking the drug. To ensure the individual rids their body of the drug completely and has a better chance of staying off the drug in the future, entering a center for 24/7 comfortable detox treatment is highly recommended.
A quality center will use withdrawal medications during comfortable detox for those suffering with an alprazolam addiction. This method is used to correct the chemical imbalances in the individual suffering from an alprazolam addiction and should be combined with psychological evaluations and other medical care to address cravings for the drug.
