Infrahuman and human studies suggest that a determinant of the abuse potential of a drug is rate of onset of subjective effects. Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine drug prescribed to treat anxiety issues, such as panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is intended to be used for temporary relief, and may be less effective after several weeks.
- Further, positive subjective effects (e.g., “good”, “stimulated”, and “like”) were most affected by rate, even when controlling for dose.
- If marketed, the reduced availability and increased cost of inhaled alprazolam may render the societal risk of increased abuse to be low.
- Some people may abuse the medication by crushing the tablets and snorting them.
- Many people who misuse Xanax do so by snorting it rather than just taking it orally.
- For most benzodiazepine users, the oral route of administration is the most common method of recreational use (Roset et al. 2001).
Xanax (Alprazolam) Abuse, Addiction, And Treatment Options
Swallowing benzodiazepines can result in the body building up a tolerance, so users often make the switch to snorting them when this happens. While snorting drugs like opioids can result in a stronger and quicker high, this is not necessarily the case for Xanax. Time to onset was defined as the first time point after drug administration that was significantly different from placebo. Time to peak effect was defined as the time point corresponding to the peak of the group data. Time to offset was defined as the time point after the last significant difference from placebo.
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There is also the risk of infections and blood borne virus transmission such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. As tolerance to the drug builds, people may take larger doses to achieve the same effects. There are several ways to take Xanax, including oral tablets, capsules, and liquid form. Illicit Alprazolam can contain other unknown and potentially harmful sedative drugs, and has been linked with a number of deaths in both the UK and US when mixed with other potent drugs.
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Bypassing the liver may give a quick high, but usually a strong one. Immediately after someone injects Xanax, they may feel intense burning and pain around the injection site, and then arterial area edema and cyanosis. Xanax itself can potentially cause vasoconstriction, and the additives found in Xanax might cause thrombosis or vasospasm. The gang used cryptocurrency to buy the powder needed to make the pills from China, which were pressed in four legally-obtained pill-making machines.
Abusing it, however, can cause it to have the opposite effect, and increases a person’s risk of overdose, dependence, and addiction. This is where you cease taking the Xanax and let your body rid itself of the substance. Detoxing from Xanax can take anywhere from one week to one month.
Dangers of Snorting, Smoking, or Injecting Xanax
If your doctor has prescribed Xanax and you’re interested in taking alprazolam instead, talk with your doctor. You’ll also need to check your insurance plan, as it may only cover one or the other. For example, you may take it in the morning, after lunch, and in the evening. If you have anxiety that prevents you from falling asleep at night, your doctor may recommend taking your last dose of Xanax before going to bed.
If you inject xanax drink alcohol, it’s best to avoid drinking it while taking Xanax. Alcohol and Xanax can reduce the activity of your central nervous system (CNS). If you have questions about consuming other foods with Xanax, talk with your doctor. Taking Xanax with cannabis could increase the risk of side effects from Xanax, especially sleepiness. Due to this interaction, doctors will typically advise that you do not take Xanax with cannabis. Taking Xanax with the herb St. John’s wort may lower the level of Xanax in your body.
Opioids are powerful drugs that are also known as opiates or narcotics. They include strong prescription pain relievers, such as hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) and certain illegal drugs. It eases anxiety by boosting the effect of GABA, a type of neurotransmitter in your brain. If you no longer need to take Xanax and have leftover medication, it’s important to dispose of it safely. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident.
If you need treatment for a Xanax dependency, give our friendly representatives a call today. When Xanax pills are crushed into a powder, they can be snorted. This is typically done via a manufactured or makeshift tube and is nearly identical to how someone might snort cocaine or heroin.
Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness. Xanax is a brand-name oral tablet prescribed for certain anxiety disorders. Xanax contains the active ingredient alprazolam and belongs to the benzodiazepine drug class.
- Since Xanax is not water soluble, people who shoot it up will dissolve it in alcohol first, which is inherently dangerous.
- Doctors usually taper patients off of Xanax to reduce the occurrence and severity of withdrawals.
- If you have questions about consuming other foods with Xanax, talk with your doctor.
- These programs may take place in an outpatient setting, which allows flexibility for individuals to stay at their jobs and continue their family responsibilities.
- Serious side effects from Xanax are not common, but they can occur.
The second method of smoking Xanax involves smoking only the powder with the use of a pipe. Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox. Xanax addiction is a significant problem that requires professional treatment. Thankfully, there are many treatment options available that can help people struggling with addiction to Xanax.
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely. The active ingredient in Xanax is alprazolam, while the active ingredient in Valium is diazepam.
Regard Healthcare offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. Unfortunately, an individual may experience overdose because of Xanax abuse even if they are careful. Several reports have surfaced about fake Xanax pills being sold on the street that contain the deadly opioid fentanyl, which is up to 100 times stronger than morphine. Many people have been hospitalized and several have died from unknowingly overdosing on fentanyl.
Not only can you shoot up Xanax, but there are also other forms of administration that users might try to get high, including snorting Xanax. Any form of alprazolam abuse can lead to physical dependence and addiction and can also increase your risk of a fatal overdose. In addition to these side effects, this method of Xanax abuse increases the rate of tolerance as well as the risk of addiction and overdose. Alprazolam overdose can occur if a regular dose is administered in a way that will flood the body and distribute it all at once. Rather than allowing the drug to gradually take effect, injecting Xanax sends it into the bloodstream and up into the brain in one moment, not giving the body enough time to process it. It may also be used alongside other medications to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy.
Some pharmacies offer labels that have large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy does not have these options, your doctor or pharmacist may be able to direct you to one that does. Consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking Xanax could increase your risk of side effects from Xanax.
Alprazolam – is there an alternative drug for alprazolam?
Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. For information about these interactions, see the “Xanax precautions” section. The half-life of a drug is the length of time it takes for half a dose of the drug to be removed from your body. It typically takes between four and five half-lives for a drug to fully leave your system. A half-life chart can show you the amount of a dose that may still be in your system after a certain amount of time.