What Are the Symptoms of Alprazolam Withdrawal?
Benzodiazepines are known as effective prescription medications to help people manage severe anxiety. Still, these potent drugs that depress the central nervous system can also lead to physical and mental dependence and even addiction, which is why they’re closely regulated. If someone has taken alprazolam for a period of time, they’re at a high risk of suffering from distressing and potentially dangerous side effects as their body struggles to continue operating normally without the drug in its system anymore. For people who are at high risk of suffering from alprazolam withdrawal symptoms and are struggling with addiction, a Florida prescription drug addiction treatment center offers the best treatment and most effective path toward a better future.
Table of contents
» What Is Alprazolam?
» What Physical Symptoms Can Happen During Alprazolam Withdrawal?
» How Soon Do Symptoms of Alprazolam Withdrawal Usually Begin?
» How Can Medical Detox Help Manage Alprazolam Withdrawal Symptoms Safely?
» Key Takeaways on Alprazolam Withdrawal
» Resources
What Is Alprazolam?
Alprazolam is a type of benzodiazepine most often sold under the brand name Xanax, available in immediate-release and extended-release formulations. It’s prescribed by doctors to treat severe anxiety, such as anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Like other benzodiazepines, it works by increasing the amount of a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA that calms the brain.
With this boost of GABA, the patient’s brain slows down the signals that lead to anxiety and panic, helping them feel more relaxed and sleepy while relieving anxiety symptoms. Most benzodiazepines take effect rather quickly, with effects being felt as soon as 30 minutes after taking the pill.
Benzodiazepines are intended only to be used for a short period of time because they have a high risk of misuse, dependence, and addiction, as well as distressing withdrawal symptoms if quit suddenly. However, many people are prescribed benzodiazepines for long periods of time despite these risks, which can cause serious problems and require them to eventually get to a point of admitting drug addiction and seeking out professional help to quit. People who take or misuse benzodiazepines can also be at risk of overdose, especially if they combine them with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol or opioids, which can be fatal.
What Physical Symptoms Can Happen During Alprazolam Withdrawal?
People who have developed a physiological dependence on benzodiazepines like alprazolam are at risk of experiencing many different symptoms of withdrawal if they quit suddenly or don’t taper off the drugs slowly enough. Alprazolam withdrawal symptoms can include things like:
- Sleep problems (insomnia, difficulty staying asleep, etc.)
- Irritability
- Feeling tense or anxious
- Panic attacks
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Hand tremors
- Struggling to concentrate
- Weight loss
- Heart palpitations
- Headaches
- Muscle pain and stiffness
- Perceptual changes
In addition to these more common withdrawal symptoms, those who have been on a high dose of benzodiazepines are at greater risk of more serious problems, including seizures and psychosis. There are some case reports of people who suffered from psychosis due to sudden withdrawal from a high daily dose of strong benzodiazepines. Even alprazolam withdrawal can lead to delirium and brief psychotic episodes.
One such case involved a 21-year-old man with multiple addictions who was admitted for psychiatric hospitalization due to psychotic symptoms, confusion, and aggression. He was on a prescription for buprenorphine-naloxone to manage his past opioid use. The patient told medical professionals that he was suffering from visual hallucinations similar to those he had experienced when he had used LSD in the past.
It was discovered that the psychotic symptoms he was experiencing, including delirium, were only happening when he was sober. He had stopped taking alprazolam two days before he was admitted, thinking he needed to go off the medication to receive his opioid treatment. Eventually, over the course of a couple of weeks with benzodiazepine tapering treatment, his symptoms improved.
How Soon Do Symptoms of Alprazolam Withdrawal Usually Begin?
Unfortunately, there’s evidence in some research that taking benzodiazepines like alprazolam daily for even just one week can cause discontinuation or alprazolam withdrawal symptoms, especially a rebound of anxiety, panic attacks, and other psychological problems.
Rather than thinking about how long a person stays in rehab for treatment for addiction, it might be helpful to start with the more immediate concern: How long benzodiazepine withdrawal can last, especially if professionals don’t treat it. The most common pattern of benzodiazepine withdrawal occurs after taking a regular dosage of the medication, with patients developing a temporary rebound of anxiety and insomnia that starts just one to four days after quitting the drug.
After that, they’ll then experience full-blown withdrawal for 10 to 14 days, with symptoms including things like sleep problems, headaches, muscle pain, heart palpitations, nausea, sweating, difficulty concentrating, and various sensory changes.
After getting through this peak of withdrawal, patients can continue to suffer from a return of their previous anxiety symptoms that will continue until they receive some other kind of treatment, meaning they could suffer from withdrawal symptoms like psychological problems for many months or even a year after they quit taking medication.
On top of that, there’s some evidence that cognitive changes that happen when taking benzodiazepines might not be resolved even if someone slowly tapers off the drug and doesn’t take it for months or years. Some of these changes might be permanent, which can make them more likely to relapse without enough support to continue avoiding these drugs.
What our customers are saying
How Can Medical Detox Help Manage Alprazolam Withdrawal Symptoms Safely?
Alprazolam withdrawal can cause many distressing and even severe symptoms that can last weeks or months, which is why it’s so important to work with a medical professional to slowly taper off the drug rather than quitting suddenly. For those who are at a high risk of withdrawal, a medical detox program can help get through this period of time by preventing, minimizing, or managing withdrawal symptoms.
Medical detox treatments include constant medical supervision as well as access to other medications that can help people get through this brief period of time and become more physically stable. Once stabilized, they’ll be better able to focus on the task at hand as they work through the mental and physical aspects of their addiction in a comprehensive drug rehab program.
Key Takeaways on Alprazolam Withdrawal
- Alprazolam is available under the brand name Xanax.
- This medication is a prescription benzodiazepine that is prescribed to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks.
- Benzodiazepines are typically only meant to be taken for a short period of time, not as a long-term treatment.
- Benzodiazepines have a high risk of dependence, misuse, and addiction.
- Alprazolam withdrawal symptoms can last for several weeks or months without professional help.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction to benzodiazepines like alprazolam, it’s essential to know that help is available. Across Florida, WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab has a network of prescription drug rehab centers that offer comprehensive addiction treatment, including medical detox programs. Help is available, and our team knows what it takes to work with you to break the chains of your addiction once and for all. Call us at 877-855-3470 today to get started on your road to recovery.
Resources
- National Library of Medicine – A Review of Alprazolam Use, Misuse, and Withdrawal
- Psychiatry Online – Delirium and Psychosis Associated with Alprazolam Withdrawal: Case Report and Literature Review
- National Library of Medicine – The Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
