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Xanax Abuse And Addiction Signs

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“I think that my best friend has a problem with Xanax, what are the signs of abuse and addiction?”

Xanax addiction and addiction to prescription pills have increased greatly over the last decade.  This may have something to do with more people suffering from mild disorders like anxiety, stress, and depression and it might also be related to more prescription drugs coming in from outside of the U.S.  For some, using Xanax is a necessary part of their daily treatment, however, Xanax like many other prescription drugs is psychologically and physically addictive and extra caution must be taken.

Xanax, which is also called Alprazolam was originally intended to help people with severe anxiety disorders.  In the younger generations, Xanax along with other drugs including Oxycontin, Adderall, and Ritalin are taken to produce mind-altering effects but in some cases are not used to treat any known disorder. Prescription drug abuse among young people has been on the rise with an increase in the diagnosis and availability of prescription drugs. Many teenagers and young people have their first experience abusing prescription drugs by taking them from a friend or family member’s medicine cabinet.

Some of the signs that your friend might be abusing Xanax include

  1. Running out of pills or complaining that something happened to their prescription
  2. Chewing pills
  3. Taking more pills than prescribed
  4. Upon running out having effects that look similar to detox
  5. Mood swings related to not having enough Xanax

If your friend also has co-occurring disorders such as alcoholism, bipolar, or depression, these conditions can also exacerbate Xanax addiction.  Listen to what your friend is telling you.  If you have the type of relationship where you can express your concern, this is ideal.  If the situation is such that he or she will not listen to you, perhaps you can confide in another close friend or a family member to see if you can collectively help through the use of an intervention.

It is difficult but not impossible to work through a Xanax addiction and getting help through the use of a professional interventionist can be a key in this process. A skilled interventionist can help plan, administer, and execute a successful intervention. An interventionist can help answer common questions, plan for addict responses, and ensure the addict follows through with treatment and aftercare if necessary. If your friend is able to see his or her addiction and get help, you will be able to help along the way and be there all the way through the recovery process.