Xanax: an anxiety medication
Xanax is one of the stronger benzodiazpines (BZD), a class of drugs that slows down the nervous system, inducing calm and relaxation.
And it works quickly, and seems to have limited side effects. No wonder that it’s extremely popular, used even by those who appear to be the most successful and least need it.
Unfortunately, use of Xanax may have gone too far because long term use can cause serious problems. Benzodiazepines like it are best used for short term relief of anxiety, and generally as support for treating anxiety and panic disorders.
The American Psychological Association released guidelines to that effect, emphasizing the preferred use of SSRI medications for anxiety disorders.
What should Xanax be used for, for how long, and what are its potential side effects?
Use
Xanax is very good at fighting anxiety. As such it makes sense to use it in the short term for insomnia caused by worrying, and for short term control of anxiety. On the other hand, other drugs are preferred for certain types of short term anxiety, like stage-fright.
Xanax can be used for panic and anxiety disorders and has shown some ability to work for those conditions – but there may be better options that just take longer to work. The SSRIs may perform better and with less risk, and as such have been recommended for typical treatment of anxiety and panic disorders.
And you can’t forget the importance of therapy and exercise for anxiety/panic conditions, which have no side effects.
Use of Xanax after a traumatic event might be a bad idea.
Xanax’s side effects
Xanax can cause excessive sedation, memory problems, and cause or make depression worse. It can interact dangerously with alcohol as both are depressants. And it is addictive.
Long term use has been associated by some with cognitive damage. This means a potential decline in intelligence, ability to pay attention and concentrate, and decreased memory. Stopping Xanax does not always reverse these changes.
Use of Xanax after a traumatic event to help control anxiety may highly increase risk of developing Post Traumatic stress disorder. It is isn’t entirely clear how – or if – this happens.
In terms of physical side effects, Xanax has less side effects than earlier drugs, but can still cause serious physical problems either in overdosing or through interactions with other medications.
Most common side effects: drowsiness, increase salivation, weight gain and constipation.
Use of Xanax can cause difficulties with memory formation and some form of memory impairment in anywhere from 7-33% of those who use it. It may also be associated with difficulty falling asleep, headache, and some form of cognitive impairment.
Menstrual irregularities have been reported in up to 10% of women using Xanax over an extended period of time.
Addiction and Withdrawal
We know Xanax is about as addictive as cigarettes; we just aren’t fully clear on how long dependence takes.
One study showed that 1/3 of people who used any BZD for just a month became dependent to some degree. Another showed a similar rate of addiction over a two months span, and another study put the time-line at 3-6 months.
Use of Xanax over an extended period of time may lead to serious problems upon stopping. The milder problems include anxiety, unpleasant thoughts, and disorientation. Rarer but more serious discontinuation issues include extreme sense-sensitivity, seizures and psychosis.
Do you have any thoughts on Xanax?
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What this article does not mention is how dangerous SSRIs are. Even though many will say they don’t produce dependence, this is simply not true. Some research says it may be safer to stay on them rather than stop.
I agree with what FM states above. I’ve been in the medical field for 20 years and am often baffled at what I see now – seizure medications being used as pain medications, never mind the fact that a lot of them can have potential complications. Often, pain goes uncontrolled, such as recently when I broke my foot and saw a foot doc, they said there was no need for narcotics, never mind the fact that almost my entire right foot was black and purple, swollen and the toes were numb. I was in agony but because of the pressure to prescribe “non-addictive” medications by the government and other such places, and since I cannot tolerate Ultram due to a seizure disorder (Ultram started it all and started me speaking out on some of these things), I was left to suffer for almost 10 days before the swelling went down enough for my foot to stop thumping.
We’ve got medications like Lyrica and gabapentin being used for chronic pain when they are designed to help relieve diabetic neuropathy and really, from experience, I can tell you that they don’t do much (for chronic back pain anyway) but make you care a little less because they make you a little sedated.
Rather than treat my severe chronic lower back pain adequately while it took me 2 years to find out what was causing it, and undergoing needless injections, physical therapy and nerve ablations to try to make it stop, I was left to suffer every day, all day long. Thankfully, eventually I was found to have a large fibroid on my uterus (doc said it was the size of a softball) and since my uterus was retroverted and the fibroid was on the posterior surface of my uterus, the fibroid was pressing directly on my spine, which would have never been found if it weren’t for a prolapsed uterus. I put all those worthless (for me) drugs like Cymbalta, Neurontin and Lyrica, along with some others, into my body and the only thing that really helped was Vicodin but nobody was willing to prescribe it because I was “still young”. I understand the addiction complications but I would have risked them to have adequate relief which, 2 years postop, after the nerves calmed down from being impinged for so long, I now have. I am very thankful to have an active, pain-free life again but I am very upset at how all of this was handled. I know my body pretty well and can tell you when something does not work.
All this use of neuro and psychiatric drugs for uses other than originally intended worries me. Now they have a prescription med that “grows lashes”? It’s a glaucoma medication, folks. Are you willing to take that kind of stuff early in your adult life for longer lashes? Without knowing what the long term effects may be? Sure, it may have been out for awhile under a different name but how many people under age 30 use glaucoma medication long term? Do research and weigh the facts.
Two things need to happen, in my opinion: 1. Patients need to do research and not blindly take medications prescribed. Research your condition and alternate cures. If something is not working, tell your doctor. If he ignores it, ask to be referred to a specialist and purse it! 2. Doctors need to ignore the pressure from the DEA (yes, I’ve worked for enough doctors to know how many of them are actually afraid to prescribe controlled substances because the DEA is stepping on their necks not to give out too many for fear of risking losing their licenses) and treat their patients how they know, in their hearts, is right. Patients also must be educated when being given a medication that was formulated for another purpose. They should know that they are being given the medication for a new indication.
As for me, I’ll stick with what has been out there awhile. I am over 40, an intelligent adult, and very capable of making my own decisions. If the doctor feels addiction is becoming an issue with a patient, they can address it then. I’ll go with the older stuff that I know works.
Sorry for the rampage. Touchy subject.