Xanax addiction is a subject that's near and dear to my heart. Alprazolam, which is the chemical name for Xanax (which is the brand name of the drug produced by Pfizer), is a prescription I've had off-and-on for years. It's a sedative from the benzodiazapene class of drugs, that is often prescribed to treat panic attacks.
And I've suffered some panic attacks in my day. Ironically, it's because I've abused alcohol regularly, and alcohol depletes your body's stores of vitamin B. Vitamin B is, of course, a mood stabilizer. Remove it from your body, and suddenly the walls start closing in and everything is going wrong. And that's where the xanax addiction comes in.
You see, xanax cures what's ailing you. Take half a milligram (a relatively low dose) and suddenly you won't be paralyzed with fear or depression. You might not be singing and dancing, but you'll be in control of yourself enough to put your anxieties aside and get on with your work.
Take a full milligram and you'll be completely chillface. Take more than that, and you'll either be asleep or you'll have yourself a full blown xanax addiction.
You see, sedatives work by calming you. They make it so that you'll be able to completely relax and face whatever is troubling you. A xanax addiction means that you can't do that without the help of the drug. You don't want to get to that point, but unfortunately, many people are already there.
My current prescription, for example, is to take a two milligram "bar" (called "zany bars" among the cool kids) three times a day. Which is absolutely ridiculous. No one could take that much xanax in a day and not become a complete zombie. Plus, I don't think anyone could take that much xanax or other benzodiazapene drugs (valium and klonopin being two that come to mind) without developing a xanax addiction.
Instead, I'll take a bar and break it into quarters. If I'm feeling wired before bedtime, I'll take half a milligram to help me relax when my head hits the pillow. If I'm feeling something beyond wired - depressed, anxious, whatever - I'll take a whole milligram. Only when I'm feeling a full-blown panic attack will I take a full two milligrams, and most nights I'll take nothing at all.
So beware of a xanax addiction. It's a wonderful drug, but just like everything else, it needs to be used in moderation.
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