Xanax or Benzo Alternative?
Question by Fred: Xanax or benzo alternative?
Been drinking booze for 15 years, depression and lack of motivation have been a longtime norm. I bought a street drug Xanax to help my gf sleep in our new RV, she wanted a painkiller but what I found were called “planks” she disliked the effects and only likes nyquil. so far, I have taken it maybe 10 times in the past 4 months, 1/4 -1/2 of 2 mg, a few times a month. I found that when I take the Xanax within 30 minutes, I am instantly sleepy, and sleep so deep, and so hard, the next day, when I wake up, i am wonderfully recharged and feel like a millionaire. The effect isn’t a “high” so to speak, because I cant stay awake, but more like, a reboot, or restart. The deepest sleep since childhood, it is wonderful. Here’s the thing………..these after effects, (the next day) are so motivating and refreshing, over time I slowly cut back on drinking, and stopped altogether on 11/20, because taking ANY AMOUNT of the pill with routine alcohol exaggerated hangover symptoms giving me horrible cluster headaches and a general feeling of overall misery, my body wanted deep hard sleep over alcohol, it took a few times to figure it out, I could still function but, I didnt feel the “millionaire effect”. I give credit to knowing that these pills were in reach, to stave off the alcohol cravings and withdrawls. I ve lost weight, eat better, exercise, stopped smoking (3 weeks), have more energy, my bank account is testimony and proof to it all
I found out what Xanax “planks” were about a week ago and all about its addictive history, and how its changes the brain. I became very worried and went to the doctor and told him the truth. I told him to give me a prescription for it 1 or 2 pills a month so that I didn’t have to buy them on the street and chance abuse, and he said very firmly “no way!” and i have very firmly, respected his opinion, I have not taken anymore of the benzo Xanax drug since, I still have them but everyone and everything is against my using the drug, I am very disappointed. Something that helps, so very much, is so very bad. 🙁 And I was proud of myself too. I do not consider myself addicted to Xanax at this point, (I can sleep without it) but I will miss feeling like a million bucks in the morning when I take it.
I refuse to drink now given all my progress, I get angry easily, and sweaty all of a sudden and really crave booze for no reason at least once daily after work, it goes away after dinner and I can control it. I dont like that feeling without knowing Xanax is that bad and out of reach. I see where and why alcoholics fail at recovery now. I refuse to give up. Doc gave me trazodone 200 mg, but it does not hold a candle to, 1/4 of a Xanax. I will not allow trading addictions to happen.
Is Xanax once a week really that bad? How about daily? Monthly? What can I do about the alcohol withdrawls? Is there anything else less risky but effective? (For example adderall, or ibogaine?) I ‘ll take just about any good advise at this point. Thanks in advance.
Best answer:
Answer by Bork
Xanax once a day is extremely bad. Once a week is ok. Once or twice a month is perfectly fine. The risk is that you like them, they work, and you start taking more and more. Next thing you know you have to take them and are hopelessly hooked on them. Happens all the time.
Alcohol withdrawals fade in time, though it may take 4-6 months for the symptoms to peak and start to permanently fade. Some drugs, like xanax, can prolong the withdrawals. In the end, the best thing to do is to avoid all drugs, eat clean and healthy, exercise, and endure it. It gets better. Some drugs make things worse, others prolong the misery.
Trazodone made me horribly sick, and I only took 25mg. I can’t imagine what 200mg would have done to me.
Answer by Mathieu
Firstly Xanax is not an inherently bad drug. It can be safely prescribed to people to take on a daily, scheduled basis for years and (when it is prescribed for an appropriate medical indication) rarely do people become addicted. Studies of people taking Xanax multiple times daily for 2-3 years found that about 25% become physically dependent (addiction is psychological dependence. Physical dependence to a medication is often acceptable as long as the medication is beneficial and not causing significant side effects). These studies also found that the vast majority of people (all, but a few percent) taking Xanax daily for 2-3 years ended up lowering their dose, not because their doctor made them do it, but because they felt they did not need as much Xanax daily, or they started to use Xanax as needed.
Human and animal studies have shown that Xanax has a low potential for abuse. Part of the problem is that often people who become physically dependent to Xanax or other benzodiazepines are improperly considered to be addicts yet they are not. Furthermore nearly all benzodiazepine addicts are polysubstance abusers meaning they abuse and typically are addicted to multiple drugs. Most commonly opioid addicts (eg IV Heroin addicts) will also use benzodiazepines to augment the effects of opioids. However even in these cases benzodiazepines are not the primary drug of abuse. It is actually rather uncommon to find a person truly addicted to Xanax or any benzodiazepine alone.
I will also say that most of the information online about Xanax, unless you are very aware if you are using a reliable source (and you managed to find several reliable sources), is either wrong, filled with half-truths, based on personal opinion or experience rather than facts, and typically people don’t go online to write about a positive experience with a medication however people do often write about their negative experiences frequently. For a drug (Xanax) that is prescribed about fifty million times a year in The US alone (making it more frequently prescribed than the 2nd, 3rd, and depending on the particular number you see, even the 4th most prescribed benzodiazepines combined. And as one of the most prescribed drugs in The US of course there are some people that become addicted, but it is not common.
Although in your case it sounds like you may have had a problem with alcohol abuse, so Xanax might not be a good option. Also Xanax is not approved for insomnia and over time it causes problems to sleep architecture, leading the a drastic reduction or even the elimination of delta wave sleep (aka deep sleep) the most important part of the sleep cycle. So you might sleep long enough with Xanax, but sleep quality will get worse. There is a reason is it not approved for insomnia. Your situation is very odd, and it is hard to say what the best course of action is. I would advise you see a psychiatrist, perhaps even two if you end up feeling you need a second option. In one way it sounded like you were doing well enough with Xanax it could be worth you taking it (and for panic disorder the maximum daily dose of Xanax is 10 mg/day, and there are people taking that amount, divided over doses.) as long as you were closely monitored. Although the conventional idea would not to have you on Xanax and there would be no point for you to take it once a week or month, that would just give you a couple good days.