There is no ethnicity, gender, age group, or socioeconomic portion of society that is not affected by alcohol or drug addiction. Although demographics for each type of drug vary, no matter who you are or where you come from, drugs or alcohol have almost certainly touched someone you know or love. Addiction to prescription drugs is no different in this way and in the end, the fact that the substances in this group are prescribed by a medical professional matters little. Thus, Xanax rehab in many ways is like drug rehab treatment for any of the hundreds of substances to which a person can become addicted.

Many experts believe there are simply two ways to stop using drugs or alcohol once a person has become addicted: rehabilitation or overdose. Drug and alcohol rehab professionals, along with most laymen, would agree that the former is the much preferable route. There are countless drug and rehab facilities across the nation, and in any one geographic area, no matter how small or remote, there are probably multiple options from which to choose. In short, there's always someplace to turn. It is often taking the first step and agreeing to even finding out more about the help that is available, that is the hardest.

Coming to the decision to find a Xanax rehab may seem simple but may also end up being a lifesaving moment in a person's life. Courses of treatment for prescription drug treatment can vary greatly and making sure the process an organization uses fits an individual in need is also an important variable in the equation. Whatever the case may be, whether someone has been addicted for five months or five years, there are drug and alcohol addiction treatment specialists ready and eager to help. Even if a person is not ready to commit to treatment it never hurts to find out what programs are available to them.

What Class of Drug is Xanax?

Xanax is a prescription drug that falls into the group referred to as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are prescribed by doctors to treat a group of ailments or symptoms including alcohol withdrawal, insomnia, muscle pains, and depression. This group of drugs has been a popular go-to for medical professionals for several decades, due to their ability to help a person's body produce more dopamine, which assists in easing the symptoms listed above. In most cases, benzodiazepines, or benzos for short, are prescribed for brief periods of time due to their inherent highly addictive attributes.

Xanax is the brand name used for the drug alprazolam and is among a group of commonly prescribed benzodiazepines that also includes Ativan, Klonopin, Valium, and Restoril. Tens of millions of prescriptions for alprazolam, the most popular drug of the group in many states, are written each year across the country. The good thing is that through Xanax rehab programs, addiction to this prescription medicine is highly treatable. However, due to the sedative and euphoria-causing effects of the drug, all too often individuals overdose before they decide that they need to get help.

Prescription drug abuse comes in a few different forms, but the overall definition is any time a drug is used other than prescribed. This can occur when the person who is prescribed the drug takes more, most likely due to a growing tolerance for the substance, than was prescribed by their physician. It is very important to inform your medical practitioner any time you have been prescribed a drug of any sort and notice a diminishing effect. Tolerance is thought to be one of, if not the most, dangerous parts of addiction. Not only does tolerance lead to dependence on a substance, but it can also be the forerunner of a deadly overdose if a person chooses to take more of a drug in order to achieve the same effect. At some point, and it greatly depends on the individual, the body will only be able to process a certain amount of a given substance and in one way or another will shut down or react adversely (stroke, heart attack, and other major medical issues can be common).

Prescription Drug Abuse

Another form of prescription drug abuse is when a person who has not been prescribed a drug decides to self-medicate, often due to the same symptom, by borrowing another person's prescription drugs. This can seem like a simple blurring of the lines, and often is justified by it just being done once, or because it is an emergency. However, any use of a prescription drug by someone for whom it is not prescribed is illegal, and more importantly, very dangerous. Medications are issued by doctors. not on generic symptoms alone, but only after careful and knowledgeable medical analyses have been accomplished. Something as simple as an allergy to an everyday item, like eggs or nuts, could greatly affect what drug a doctor prescribes for a patient.

No matter how a person has become addicted to alprazolam, there are Xanax rehab programs that can help. If you've been abusing Xanax, whether originally prescribed the drug or not, and you're not sure if you're addicted, here are some of the signs: stomach cramps, confusion, loss of appetite, depression, drowsiness and/or fatigue, vision changes, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory problems, slurred speech or stuttering, dry mouth, constipation, and tremors. In many instances. it will need to be a friend or loved one who notices and acts, in response to a person in their life displaying these symptoms.

The long-acting version of alprazolam was developed to be a time-released substance, allowing a patient to take one or two doses and day, as directed, and have the drug have a positive effect on their symptoms over a length of many hours. Whether this was to dull pain after surgery, lessen anxiety throughout the day, or mitigate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, Xanax, when used properly, the extended-release tablet form is not meant to have an immediate, acute effect. However, when a person has become addicted to the drug, the long-acting form is often crushed and dissolved in water to be injected, or snorted, which does result in an immediate effect.

Getting the Help That You Need

Once a person experiences the high associated with Xanax abuse, convincing them that they need to find help for their addiction is not always an easy conversation. First, many addicts will not take part in a Xanax rehab program simply because they enjoy getting high and there is nothing that's going to convince them to do otherwise. A second group of addicts has a very good understanding of what it's going to be like to go through rehabilitation, either because they have tried to quit on their own in the past or have seen others go through the process.

A third group is not willing to admit they have a problem. They claim to use Xanax recreationally, as wrong as they know that is, but it is not having any real, negative effect on their life according to them. A fourth and final closely related group of addicts are those that think they can quit on their own at any time. No matter how addictive alprazolam may be, they have the willpower to stop abusing the drug any time they want and don't need any assistance from a Xanax rehab program.

Treatment for every substance typically begins with detoxification and it is no different when it comes to alprazolam. Many drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities are equipped with detox centers as part of their overall programs. No one should ever attempt to detox at home, as the dangers are many. By entering a facility that includes detox, rehab, and aftercare programs, a patient can go from the initial stage of rehabilitation to treatment and therapy, to support programs that can help individuals re-enter society and live a positive, drug-free life.

After a person has successfully removed alprazolam from their body through detoxification, they can then move on to one of many types of therapy. Many experts have found that a combination of therapies, which can be developed by a case manager, is often the most successful road to recovery. Some programs that have been found to be effective as part of Xanax rehab are dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness and stress management, recreational, art, and adventure therapy, and motivational interviewing. A patient often begins with one type of therapy they are most comfortable with and moves on to other types as they progress through the overall arc of their rehabilitation.

Xanax rehab, whether accomplished in an in-patient or out-patient setting, can be an incredible turning point in a person's life. An individual often doesn't understand how much of a toll their addiction is taking on their life, and only truly realize it in retrospect. Addiction can affect a person's career, finances, love life, and of course, their health. However, all that takes a back seat when a drug begins to rule their life. That's why there is never a bad day to decide to start rehab and make what will likely be the most important decision of your life.