Xanax - description of the drug, instructions for use, reviews

Drug addiction is a disease that can affect anyone. Unfortunately, addiction does not take long to develop. Yes, and highly addictive drugs may seem at first glance to be safe drugs. Xanax is just such a drug. The drug, designed to help combat insomnia, is easy to buy in pharmacies. Xanax is a drug that also has hidden benefits. It is often chosen by drug addicts in pursuit of an inexpensive and accessible high.

Even if Xanax is prescribed by a doctor and purchased with a prescription, do not forget that the treatment can cause serious consequences. The strongest sedative quickly becomes addictive and should be taken under the strict supervision of a doctor and only in doses specified by a specialist. Exceeding the dosage or increasing the number of doses may cause addiction.

Xanax is a form of benzodiazepine that helps treat anxiety and insomnia. The drug slows down the functioning of the nervous system, helps relieve anxiety and the feeling of threat. The person calms down, his life rhythm improves. But only if you follow all the rules and recommendations for taking the medicine.

In addition to combating anxiety, Xanax helps cope with alcohol addiction. When giving up alcohol, a person experiences feelings of anxiety, panic attacks and other problems, the solution to which is a drug prescribed by a doctor. For medical purposes, Xanax is also used to treat seizures. This is truly one of the most effective and efficient psychoactive substances, which is why drug addicts choose it.

Xanax as a drug can radically change a person's life. Even the slightest overdose causes addiction, and if the drug is used systematically without the supervision of a specialist, the consequences can be fatal.

Content:

1. Description of the drug: what is it for, is it a drug?
2. Why is alprazolam dangerous and is it a drug?
3. How it affects the body
4. Why is alprazolam dangerous and why is it used by drug addicts?
5. Formation of addiction
6. What is chemical dependency
7. Withdrawal syndrome
8. Therapy

Uncontrolled use of alprazolam is a problem
that every specialist involved in medicine or related sciences has heard about. Why did it happen that one of the most effective medications aimed at treating anxiety-phobic disorders began to be sold on the black markets as a drug? Why is alprazolam dangerous, and how to cope with addiction? More on this below.

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** The Drug Directory is intended for informational purposes only. For more complete information, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions. Do not self-medicate; Before you start using Xanax, you should consult your doctor. EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of information posted on the portal. Any information on the site does not replace medical advice and cannot serve as a guarantee of the positive effect of the drug.

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** Attention! The information presented in this medication guide is intended for medical professionals and should not be used as a basis for self-medication. The description of the drug Xanax is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended for prescribing treatment without the participation of a doctor. Patients need to consult a specialist!

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Why is alprazolam dangerous and is it a drug?

This medication is not a narcotic drug. The increased interest of drug addicts in Xanax is explained by its ability to reduce the intensity of symptoms during the development of syndrome o), induce a state of mild euphoria, and reduce the level of restlessness and anxiety.

Most doctors believe that alprazolam, when used correctly, is absolutely safe, and this is true.

. Strict adherence to the instructions of the attending physician regarding the dosage and duration of the course reduces the risk of addiction to a minimum. The question of how to relieve dependence on alprazolam does not arise in principle.

Medical uses of Xanax

The wide spectrum of action of Xanax determines the indications for its use in medicine. This drug is prescribed for the following disorders:

• nervousness;
• insomnia and other sleep disorders;
• anxiety states;
• depression;
• tremor of various origins;
• panic attacks.

Xanax has also found use in drug addiction. It is prescribed to patients with alcoholism and drug addiction. Moreover, you can use it even during the abstinence period. In this case, it is necessary to take into account contraindications, the presence of which does not allow the use of the drug:

• severe liver and kidney diseases;
• respiratory tract problems;
• intraocular pressure;
• pregnancy;
• age up to 18 years.

After taking the drug, it is not recommended to drive a vehicle or operate machinery.

Formation of addiction

Long-term use of the drug is fraught with the development of severe psychophysical dependence. It is difficult to indicate the exact timing of its formation due to many factors: health status, body characteristics, dose, individual susceptibility, etc. On average, addiction develops within 1.5-2 months of regular use.

exceeding recommended sizes and doses.

Among the main negative consequences of drug addiction is the withdrawal syndrome that occurs when you stop taking alprozolam. The pathological condition is accompanied by the return of psychoneurological symptoms, the relief of which the treatment was aimed at.

At this moment, most patients begin to feel that a full existence without this medicine is impossible for them. Of course, this is far from true. The problem is solvable. To understand how to relieve dependence on alprazolam, you need to understand the very concept of chemical dependence. What is it and how does it manifest itself?

What is chemical dependency

Addiction (dependence) on a substance or compound - manifests itself in the form of a strong, uncontrollable desire to use it. The need to perform this action is assessed by the addict as a priority. Everything else, until it is satisfied, loses value.

Today, there are several concepts and theories of the formation of chemical addiction in the body. The most successful and recognized is the complex biopsychosocial model of behavior, which considers the development of addictions as a result of the influence of the following factors on a person:

• biological
  - heredity, past diseases, including brain injuries, individual characteristics of the neurotransmitter system;
• psychological
  - lack of attention and love in childhood, alcoholism or drug addiction of one of the parents;
• social
  - abuse of alcoholic beverages and psychoactive substances, antisocial behavior.

The main obstacle to getting rid of the uncontrolled use of a substance that has caused addiction is denial of the very fact of its existence. Most patients are confident that they will be able to stop as soon as they decide to do so. This is partly true. Without the appropriate attitude of the patient, no treatment will be successful in the long term.

On the other hand, the patient is not able to critically comprehend his condition, and here he needs help. In most cases, the desire of a drug addict to undergo treatment is the result of coordinated work

his close relatives, narcologists and psychotherapists. This should be remembered.

Treatment for Xanax Addiction

Pharmacy drugs are very dangerous. They cause persistent addiction, which is impossible to get rid of on your own. Only seeking help from drug addiction doctors can save the life of a drug addict.

The rehabilitation center offers its services in organizing treatment for people addicted to Xanax and other medications. Using modern methods of therapy, you can restore health at any stage of the disease. The best results are achieved by comprehensive treatment in a hospital, where the patient is under 24-hour supervision by doctors and can use their help at any time.

Laboratory and hardware diagnostics will help you choose the most effective method of therapy. Next, detoxification of the body and medical and social rehabilitation are prescribed. A course of psychotherapy will provide an opportunity to cope with the difficulties of completely quitting drugs.

If you have any questions about organizing drug addiction treatment, call our consultants at 8 (800) 551-95-17.

Withdrawal syndrome

Long-term use of this drug leads to increased tolerance. The patient stops feeling pleasure and begins to increase the dose. After 1.5-2 months, in the intervals between taking the medicine, she begins to feel the symptoms of withdrawal syndrome.

Withdrawal symptoms:

• causeless anxiety, severe agitation;
• aggressive behavior, irritability;
• insomnia, and when falling asleep - nightmares;
• sweating;
• depression;
• intolerance to bright light and excessively loud sounds;
• muscle tremors;
• development of epileptic seizures.

How to stop dependence on alprazolam? It's difficult to do this on your own. You can try to gradually reduce the dose, but the essence of addiction is that a person is not able to adequately think and control his actions. For this reason, experts strongly advise not to put your health at risk and to immediately seek qualified help.

Xanax: features of the drug

Treatment with Xanax rarely leads to addiction when administered correctly. But the development of drug addiction as a result of medical care is rare. Much more often, drug addicts deliberately begin to take pills of the drug.

The human brain is home to a huge number of gamma receptors (neurons). They are responsible for anxiety, restlessness, a sense of danger and other symptoms, which are eliminated with the help of Xanax. With severe anxiety, neuronal activity increases excessively, and the drug helps to “extinguish” it. Xanax acts very quickly - anxiety and panic disappear almost immediately after taking the pill. But addiction also occurs quickly. Under the supervision of a doctor, the drug is quickly discontinued, replacing it with other methods of treatment. With drug addiction, withdrawal does not occur.

Reviews for the drug Xanax vary. For some patients, this medicine helps them cope with the disease. In other people, it causes serious health problems and dependence, which can be felt even between doses prescribed by a doctor.

Xanax is a drug, and if taken the way drug addicts take it, anyone can become addicted. As a result, a feeling of euphoria and lightness arises, mental activity is dulled, the body relaxes, and the mood improves. A long period of Xanax use leads to dementia, mental disorders, and deterioration of coordination. With each new dose of the drug, the condition will worsen, the dose of the drug will increase, and the risks to life will increase. If you have been prescribed Xanax for treatment, keep the tablets out of the reach of children and strangers. Monitor your condition carefully and be sure to visit your doctor regularly.

Therapy

Treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. Every 4-5 days the dose is reduced. After which alprazolam is replaced by other tranquilizers. At the same time, symptomatic treatment is carried out aimed at eliminating the patient's insomnia, seizures, pain and disorders of the cardiovascular system.

Next comes the stage of psychological rehabilitation

. Most specialists, when developing a rehabilitation strategy, take into account the age, level of psychological dependence and personal characteristics of the patient. Great importance is attached to working with codependents (relatives and loved ones of the patient).

The last stage is socialization.

Here, a lot depends on where the person returns from the clinic, how committed he is to changing his lifestyle, and whether he receives support from family and specialists. New habits need to be formed. Change your social circle, and in some cases, your place of residence. Find a hobby that will capture your entire attention and leave no time for bad thoughts. Over time, the risk of relapse will decrease. In 2-3 years it will be possible to talk about a complete cure.

SIDE EFFECTS OF TRANQUILIZERS

(ANTI ANXIETY DRUGS).

Development of addiction and formation of drug dependence

Signs: the first sign of addiction to the drug is the desire to increase the dose of the drug used, since the previous amount of the drug ceases to give the desired effect and no longer relieves unpleasant symptoms. Subsequently, the dependence manifests itself in the inability to “get off” the drug: when trying to stop the drug, a “withdrawal syndrome” occurs: anxiety, low mood, irritability, heaviness in the head, insomnia, severe weakness, loss of appetite, tremors in the hands, palpitations, increased blood pressure . Leg cramps and even grand mal seizures and daytime urinary incontinence may occur.

Drugs that cause addiction and dependence:

Most often: Relanium (Seduxen, Sibazon), lorazepam (Lorafen), alprazolam

Reliably less common: Elenium, clonazepam, tazepam (nozepam)

What to do if you become addicted to the drug? It is very difficult to stop taking a tranquilizer on your own if you have developed an addiction due to the duration of the “withdrawal syndrome” (about three weeks), the gradual increase in symptoms by the end of the first week of abstinence, and the possible development of dangerous complications (epileptic seizures). It is most advisable to reduce the dose of the drug very slowly under the supervision of a doctor who, in addition to observation, will be able to select therapy aimed at accelerating the elimination of the drug from the body and relieving unpleasant and painful symptoms.

Attention! Signs of the formation of drug dependence appear within 1 - 1.5 months after starting to take the above drugs (especially Relanium, Lorafen and Alprazolam). Most often, dependence on tranquilizers occurs during self-medication, so it is strongly NOT recommended to prescribe these drugs to yourself without the participation of a doctor.

Deterioration of memory and attention, impaired coordination of movements, increased effects of alcohol

Signs: These side effects are united by the concept of “behavioral toxicity” of tranquilizers. A person feels less efficient, it is difficult for him to concentrate for a long time, it is difficult for him to think quickly and find answers in a conversation, he may immediately forget the facts that are told to him. There is a feeling of insufficient “inclusion” in the situation. There may be motor clumsiness and lack of coordination of movements.

Drugs that most often cause such symptoms: diazepam, clonazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam, phenazepam, elenium (Librium), estazolam

Attention! Alcohol intake is prohibited during the treatment period. You should refrain from activities related to operating machinery and vehicles.

Excessive sedation

Signs: drowsiness, lethargy, difficulty waking up in the morning.

Drugs that most often cause these symptoms: flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), nitrazepam (radedorm), clonazepam, phenazepam, lorazepam, diazepam (Relanium, Seduxen)

Muscle relaxation

Signs: general weakness, or weakness in certain muscle groups (for example, in the arms), relaxation in the body, reluctance to move again.

Drugs that most often cause these symptoms: diazepam (Relanium, Seduxen), clonazepam, phenazepam, nitrazepam, lorazepam

Paradoxical reactions

Signs: instead of calming and relieving anxiety, opposite reactions to taking a tranquilizer may occur: increased anxiety, motor restlessness, fussiness, irritability and even aggression. Such reactions are rare and depend on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body.

“Paradoxical” reactions have not yet found definitive confirmation of their connection with the use of certain tranquilizers. However, there is evidence that triazolam, for example, quite often contributes to the appearance of pronounced aggressive behavior. In isolated cases, paradoxical reactions in the form of anxiety and sleep disturbances were noted in patients taking buspirone.

Drugs that do not cause excessive sedation, muscle relaxation and impairment of memory and attention: oxazepam (tazepam, nozepam), grandaxin, stresam, buspirone, atarax, afobazole, mezapam (rudotel), clorazepate.

If you are taking mood stabilizers (mood correctors)

Mood correctors

– drugs that have the ability to influence both pathologically depressed and pathologically elevated mood. The ability to regulate mood is manifested in the elimination of severe affective disorders, and then in the stabilization of mood at a certain average level. Thus, the main indication for prescribing mood stabilizers is the presence of depressive and manic attacks that recur quite often.

Most mood correctors (except lithium) are also anticonvulsants used in the treatment of epilepsy.

In addition, mood stabilizers are successfully used in the treatment of:

- personality disorders accompanied by explosiveness, conflict, irritability, aggression

— depression in patients with alcoholism

- migraine

Normotimics include:

- lithium salts (preparations sedalit, micalit, litosan, contemnol, quilonum retard)

- valproic acid (drugs Depakine, Konvulex, Encorate, Apilepsin, Konvulsofin, Dipromal, Orphyril, Everiden)

- carbamazepine (synonyms: finlepsin, tegretol, actinerval, gene-karpaz, zagretol, zeptol, carbadak, carbalepsin, carbapin, karbasan, carbatol, carzepin-200, mazepin, novo-carbamaz, stazepin, storilat, timonil, finzepin, epial)

SIDE EFFECTS OF NORMOTIMICS.

Side effects of lithium drugs (sedalite, micalite, litosan, etc.)

At the initial stage of preventive therapy with lithium salts, mild side effects may appear in the form of increased fatigue, disorders of the digestive system (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), and occasional mild hand tremors. At acceptable concentrations of lithium in the blood (within 0.5 - 0.8 mEq/L), these phenomena do not require a dose reduction and usually disappear as the body adapts to the drug.

With a relative duration of treatment (over several months and years), the following may appear:

- diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland

- noticeable weight gain

- minor swelling

- temporary deterioration in vision clarity.

In these cases, it is sometimes necessary to slightly reduce the dose or switch from using a long-acting (long-acting) drug to taking short-acting drugs in the same dose 2-3 times a day.

The main complication that can occur with long-term use of lithium drugs is intoxication with lithium salts.

Early signs of lithium overdose: increased thirst and trembling fingers. Then lethargy, weakness, and drowsiness appear. Then vomiting and diarrhea occur, swelling increases, speech difficulties and heart rhythm disturbances appear.

At the first signs of intoxication, you must immediately stop taking the drug and consult a psychiatrist, who will prescribe treatment aimed at accelerating the elimination of lithium from the body and relieving symptoms of intoxication.

Provoking factors that increase the concentration of lithium in the blood: a diet with limited salt and liquid, combination with indomethacin, some antibiotics (ampicillin, tetracycline)

Attention! Treatment with lithium preparations is carried out with regular monitoring of the concentration of lithium in the blood plasma:

- in the acute period (treatment aimed at “breaking off” a painful attack): the concentration of lithium in the blood is monitored daily, and it should not exceed 1.2 - 1.4 meq/l

- selection of a daily dose for prophylactic use (treatment is aimed at preventing repeated attacks of depression or manic states) requires determining the concentration of lithium in the blood, first once a week during the first month, then 1 - 2 times a month, after 7 months of therapy - once at 3 – 4 months. The lithium concentration that provides a preventive effect should be in the range of 0.5 – 0.8 mEq/L

Side effects of valproic acid drugs (convulex, depakine, encorate, etc.)

The most common side effects of valproic acid therapy are gastrointestinal disorders: nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite.

Possible excessive sedative effect in the form of drowsiness, slowing down of thought processes.

Also possible: tremor (shaking of hands), loss of coordination of movements.

When using long-acting drugs used once a day (for example, Depakine Chrono), side effects occur more often, it is possible that appetite may increase rather than decrease, and hair loss is sometimes observed.

To prevent these phenomena, it is advisable to combine valproic acid with a daily intake of multivitamins with a set of microelements, including, in particular, selenium and zinc.

Side effects of carbamazepine (finlepsin, tegretol)

When carrying out carbamazepine therapy, side effects are expressed in headaches, dizziness, loss of coordination of movements, drowsiness, dermatitis or skin itching, sometimes double vision, blurred vision.

As with other mood stabilizers, side effects such as nausea and vomiting are possible.

However, in most cases, carbamazepine is well tolerated, even with long-term use.

If you take nootropics (meals that improve nutrition and brain function)

Nootropics

– medications that stimulate mental activity, improve memory, and accelerate learning processes.

Application: decreased general activity, asthenic conditions of various origins, brain lesions (vascular, traumatic, alcoholic, infectious), conditions after strokes, coma, dementia, in pediatric practice: with intellectual disability, developmental delay, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ), tics, enuresis.

Noothorps are always used in the treatment of alcoholism.

Effects of nootropics (present in different drugs in different amounts):

— Psychostimulating (increasing the activity of the sphere of impulses) – used in states of decreased activity, inactivity and apathy, intellectual inhibition

— Antiasthenic (reduction of weakness, increased physical and mental exhaustion)

— Increasing the level of wakefulness of consciousness - used in states of depressed or darkened consciousness

— Adaptogenic – increasing the resistance of the body and psyche to various harmful environmental factors, including intoxications

— Nootropic (strengthening the functions of thinking, memory)

— Antiepileptic (for some drugs)

— Antiparkinsonian (used not only for Parkinson’s disease, but also to relieve the unpleasant side effects of antipsychotic therapy - see above)

— Vegetotropic (stabilization of the autonomic nervous system)

Table of synonyms for nootropic drugs.

SIDE EFFECTS OF NOOTROPICS

Nootropics are low-toxic drugs and are usually well tolerated by patients.

Side effects may include sleep disturbances and increased irritability. Such effects are inherent in nootropics with a predominant stimulating effect. These include (in descending order of stimulating effect): acephen, phenotropil, bemitil, encephabol, nootropil (piracetam), demanol, aminalon.

On the contrary, drugs with a predominance of a mild sedative (calming) effect do not cause increased irritability, anxiety and sleep disturbances, and even relieve these unpleasant symptoms. Nootropics with a predominant calming effect include phenibut, mexidol, picamilon, pantogam.

Other side effects of nootropics (occur quite rarely, are unstable and pass quickly): headache, nausea, stool disorders, fluctuations in blood pressure

Literature:

1. General characteristics, application in medicine, methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis of alprazolam / Alexander Igorevich Medvetsky / 2013 / Far Eastern Medical Journal
2. The problem of pharmacy drug addiction in Tver / Inzhevatova A.E., Minakova Yu.E., Morozov A.M. / 2021 / FORCIPE
3. Use of alprazolam in clinical practice / Fursov Boris Borisovich, Papsuev Oleg Olegovich / 2012 / Social and clinical psychiatry

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