Can Xanax Reduce Alcohol Withdrawal Severity?
When you drink too much alcohol over a lengthy amount of time, your body can start becoming dependent on it. Once your body expects alcohol, you may go through withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. As the substance leaves your body, these symptoms can become more severe. Whether you’re going through alcohol withdrawal on your own or with the help of healthcare providers, medications like Xanax may be able to relieve your symptoms.
What Is Alcohol Withdrawal?
Alcohol withdrawal is a serious issue that occurs after you become dependent on the substance. If you drink too much alcohol on a regular basis, you may start experiencing physical and mental side effects that indicate you should stop drinking as much. One of these side effects is withdrawal. You shouldn’t go through withdrawal if you only drink occasionally.
There are many causes of alcohol withdrawal. When you consume this substance, it creates a depressive effect within your body, which leads to your brain functions slowing down and your nerves being unable to send messages back and forth quickly. As you continue drinking, your central nervous system will become more acclimated to the substance being in your body, which is when withdrawal tends to start.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal?
Withdrawal from AUD can come with side effects that range from mild to serious. People who have drunk alcohol for a longer amount of time are more likely to experience severe symptoms. Keep in mind that alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically occur along a specific timeline.
For example, the mildest symptoms will take place as soon as six hours after you’ve had your last drink. These symptoms include:
- Shaky hands
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Vomiting
Between 12 and 48 hours after you’ve had your last drink, the symptoms might worsen. You could experience hallucinations and seizures. You might also hear or see things that aren’t there.
If your symptoms haven’t dissipated by the 48-hour mark, the next 24 hours could include serious side effects that extend to delusions and vivid hallucinations. Keep in mind that these side effects only impact 5% of the people who go through alcohol withdrawal. You should also be on the lookout for symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Confusion
- Racing heart
- Heavy sweating
- High blood pressure
Death is exceedingly rare but can happen. You may be able to effectively manage your symptoms by receiving supervision and medications during the withdrawal process.
What Is Xanax?
Xanax is the brand name of alprazolam, which is a fast-acting anxiety medication that calms the nervous system. It’s considered a benzodiazepine. This is a potent medication, which is why doctors provide strict prescriptions that their clients must abide by. Doses are typically low to ensure that a client doesn’t become dependent on the medication.
Using Xanax to Treat Alcohol Withdrawal
Like any benzodiazepine medication, Xanax is able to reduce the tremors and anxiety that occur during alcohol withdrawal by slowing the central nervous system. If you enter a treatment program that involves medical detoxification, you may receive small doses of Xanax. However, the potency of Xanax is one of the reasons why you shouldn’t try taking it or other benzodiazepines without having clear instructions about the dosage.
While Xanax can help reduce the symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal, there are some risks involved. For example, all benzodiazepines are highly addictive. Xanax can also be dangerous when you mix it with alcohol. If the drug is taken with alcohol, the risk of an overdose is much higher.
Keep in mind that Xanax doesn’t cure an alcohol use disorder. However, it’s capable of treating the symptoms that arise during alcohol withdrawal. Along with low doses, clients who receive a prescription for Xanax will only be able to use it for a brief period of time.
An additional risk that comes with taking Xanax for alcohol withdrawal is that it could cover a mental health condition that might be causing your symptoms, which could be anything from anxiety to depression. If you mask this condition with Xanax or a similar medication, it may be more challenging for you to get the treatment you need to address the cause of your symptoms.
How Benzodiazepines Help Mitigate Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Benzodiazepines are capable of treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms by effectively imitating how alcohol affects the brain. These substances interact with the same receptors, which makes it possible for benzodiazepines to prevent most withdrawal symptoms.
Benzodiazepines are typically long-acting medications, which means that they remain in the body for a lengthy amount of time. In this scenario, the medication won’t need to be taken as often. There’s also less of a chance that the effects of the medication will wear off quickly, which might lead to withdrawal symptoms returning. However, Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine. The half-life of this specific medication is around 11 hours.
Your doctor can assist you in identifying the proper dosage when you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms. The dose might start out higher before being tapered off. With the right medication, the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal usually dissipate within seven days.
Possible Interactions With Xanax
Just like any medication, there are numerous drugs and other substances that interact negatively with Xanax, which means that they shouldn’t be taken at the same time. For example, Xanax should never be taken with:
- Antivirals for hepatitis or HIV
- Grapefruit juice
- Sodium oxybate
- Medications used for fungal infections
You should also be hesitant about taking Xanax with the following medications and substances:
- Antihistamines that are used for allergies, colds, and coughs
- Medications used for depression or anxiety
- Alcohol
- Medications used to treat seizures
- Digoxin
- Cimetidine
- Female hormones in the form of patches, pills, or injections
- Muscle relaxants
- Anesthetics
- Narcotic medications
Regardless of the type of medication you’re taking, consider speaking with your doctor before taking Xanax to make sure you can continue using both drugs. You should also tell your doctor about any dietary supplements, herbs, or non-prescription drugs you take.
Potential Side Effects of Xanax
Because of how strong Xanax is, there are many potential side effects that you should look for when taking this medication. For example, you may suffer from an allergic reaction, which can result in everything from a skin rash and hives to swelling in your face.
It’s possible that taking this drug can cause thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Feelings of depression may occur as well. If you experience CNS depression, this symptom can lead to a shortness of breath, shallow breathing, and confusion. The most common side effects associated with Xanax include:
- Dizziness
- Changes to your sex drive
- Nausea
- Drowsiness
Treatments for an Alcohol Use Disorder
If you start having withdrawal symptoms after you stop drinking alcohol, you may have developed an alcohol use disorder (AUD). When people develop AUD, it’s difficult for them to stop drinking alcohol even when there are negative consequences for doing so. One option you can take if you start having withdrawal symptoms is to enter a treatment program. While there are many different types of treatment that can be administered, they can be separated into two categories, which include medications and talk therapy.
Talk therapy can involve group counseling, one-on-one sessions, and family therapy. The purpose of this treatment is to help clients identify why they consume alcohol and learn how to manage their symptoms. Non-addictive medications are regularly prescribed to make it easier for clients to avoid relapsing.
When you or someone you love agrees to receive treatment, there are four options to choose from, which include:
- Intensive outpatient
- Outpatient
- Residential
- Intensive inpatient
Outpatient treatment involves medical support and counseling. It’s commonly used by people who are experiencing a mild version of AUD. Intensive outpatient treatment is a comprehensive program that requires the client to spend more time in treatment.
If you enter residential treatment, you’ll stay in a facility 24/7 while receiving treatment. Intensive inpatient programs come with the same 24-hour services as residential programs. The main difference is that they also include medical detox.
Medical Detoxification
If you stop taking Xanax on your own, you may need to go to the hospital if the symptoms are serious. It’s possible, however, to detox outside of a hospital. For example, outpatient detox can occur at a home health agency or doctor’s office. During the withdrawal process, clients typically visit their doctor every couple of days for status updates. The primary reason that people choose outpatient detox is because they’re able to remain at home throughout the process.
Staff can also administer different types of medication during outpatient care, which is designed to mitigate the severity of the withdrawal symptoms. Along with benzodiazepines, clients can also receive buprenorphine or methadone. One possible issue with entering an outpatient program is that you won’t have access to 24/7 monitoring and support from trained medical staff.
Inpatient detox programs take place at residential facilities. Most of the people who receive detox at these facilities go on to obtain group and personal therapy until they’ve learned how to manage their disorders.
During an inpatient detox program, it’s common for clients to receive 24/7 monitoring. The most comprehensive level of monitoring and care is available at intensive inpatient facilities. Once a client completes an inpatient program for AUD, there are several types of treatment programs they can enter to continue their treatment, which include outpatient programs and group therapy meetings.
If you think that you’re suffering from AUD, consider your many treatment options. Whether you enter an inpatient or outpatient treatment program, you should learn how to manage your symptoms. If you or someone you know has AUD, you can discover more about this condition and the treatment options at your disposal by calling the Alcohol Awareness hotline at (885) 955-0771. When you reach this 24/7 hotline, the representative you speak with can connect you to free resources.