When you start to take any prescription medication like Xanax, you always tell yourself that you will be safe. The whole world has come together to make a little cocoon for you. Those clever men and women you see in white coats on TV commercials who make the Xanax are always so careful. And even if they were to make a mistake, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States or the other regulatory authorities around the world would notice and refuse approval.
In the unlikely event that anything did slip through, all doctors supervise their patients with meticulous care, and would always detect and report any dangerous side effects.
Well, Xanax retains its approval so no major problems have been reported.
Anything that has been on the market for more than a few months must be safe?
Well, Xanax was released in 1981 and is still routinely prescribed around the world. That speaks for itself.
Naturally, you are right! You have to believe in all your government’s best plans to keep you safe otherwise you would never trust anything.
And yet, Xanax is a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. As one of the benzodiazepines, it can be habit-forming if you take it for too long or in too high a dosage.
Does this mean you cannot take Xanax safely?
Of course not! Xanax is a highly effective medication that can be taken safely so long as you follow the directions given by your doctor.
So what has set this particular rabbit running? Have you heard of a rapper called Beanie Siegel. He was christened Dwight Grant but lived on Siegel Street when he was young. Well, Beanie is all grown up now and in trouble. He seems to have been involved in various shooting incidents and fights — all par for the course if you want to build up “street cred” as a rapper. A jail term or two really boosts your record sales. Well, as if he needed more “cred”, he has just been returned to jail. This time, it is a probation violation. Beanie, you see, is addicted to Xanax and, because he is on probation, he is not allowed to take a controlled substance, even with a legitimate prescription. When he was called for a routine drug test, he handed over a false urine sample. That was a change from his usual routine. He had already tested positive for Xanax in his five previous tests in March.
So here is a successful recording artist who has all the resources of rehab clinics and private health insurance packets that would cover the cost of weaning him of Xanax. Yet, he remains an addict and increasingly in trouble with the courts who are unlikely to be very sympathetic. Jail is not the best place to go cold turkey but that is usually what happens to addicts when they are locked up.
The moral of this story. Well, it is really rather obvious. No matter how effective Xanax is in relieving your symptoms of anxiety and panic, it remains a benzodiazepine and you cannot blindly take risks with medications like this. You have to balance the potential benefits against the risks, and do whatever it takes to reduce those risks. The withdrawal symptoms from Xanax are at least as bad if not worse than the original symptoms you wanted to cure. Relapse is common. Let Beanie be a warning to you. If you have the slightest worry about your ability to control yourself — perhaps you have a “slight” drinking problem or already do quite a lot of recreational drugs — it is better not to start taking Xanax. Literally, you may not be able to stop.
Related Articles
Benzos and Me
By: Olga Moe | 25/06/2006 | Non-Fiction
Within two days of taking xanax, I was already worried about my stash running out for the weekend.
Women Beware of Doctors Over-Prescribing Drugs
By: Ann Marosy | 27/08/2008 | Medicine
I recall the wisdom of a friend who once said, "Educate the mother and you educate the family". He was speaking of higher values at the time, but those words ring ominously in my mind now. Was the Rolling Stones' 1960s hit "Mother's Little Helper" a warning we didn't heed?
Is Alprazolam Effective For Treating Anxiety Disorders?
By: Heather Colman | 28/08/2006 | Diseases and Conditions
Do you have sudden bouts of anger or nightmares? Are you a worrier? Do you feel out of control? Do you get so nervous that it causes dizziness? If you have any such symptoms then chances are you are suffering from anxiety disorders.
Who Killed Heath Ledger? The Real Truth Behind the Drugs
By: Ann Marosy | 05/09/2008 | Medicine
The City of New York's Report concluded that Heath Ledger's cause of death was the result of acute intoxication by the lethal combination of prescription drugs such as narcotic analgesics and sleeping aids. However, the medical community have ignored the real underlying prescription drug class that often leads to habitual drug dependency with dangerous lethal consequences.
The Main Characteristics of Xanax (alprazolam)
By: JasWalker | 22/10/2007 | Supplements and Vitamins
Xanax is a medication which belongs to the group of benzodiazepines used to treat depression and anxiety. Xanax has also other brand names such as: Xanor, Tafil, Niravam. Its generic name is Alprazolam. In 1982 FDA approved it as a good preparation to treat GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, and anxiety that is associated with state of depression. (It should not be confused with treatment of depression alone).
The Great Depression and Its Boons! Confused? Read This
By: Denzing Jones | 12/11/2007 | Health
Whenever there is talk about depression the first thought that comes to our mind is that there must be something related to the mental workings of a person. Though nobody is free of the curse of depression still we like to believe that we are not depressed of anything. We also sometimes think that people who are under some sort of depression are not mentally healthy. It medical sense it is true. Depression is a mental ailment. But then it does not signify madness.
The Newest Kid on the Block in the Field of Depression Cure!
By: Denzing Jones | 19/11/2007 | Mental Health
If ever there is a poll held to determine the most common disease that is widely spread in the human world, there are fair chances that depression would come out as a clear winner. The disease is so very omnipresent that now people don’t even regard it as a disease. Its presence is thought to be quite natural and it’s only when depression takes on huge proportions that it is recognized by people as a grave disease.
Anti Depressant Pills not an Answer to Major Depression Symptoms!
By: Denzing Jones | 21/12/2007 | Medicine
In the similar lines it has been discovered lately that in the patients with major depression the anti depressants are not that effective. That is any form of oral depression drug fails to cure the symptoms of major depression. For a better cure of major depression in people another form of cure has been taken note of and is preferred.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Mental Health Articles
Mental Health Problems
By: jeniferhobson | 16/10/2008
Most of us suffer from mental health problems, though in varying degrees. Although mental ill-health affects a lot of people, there is still no proper definition as to what mental health problems are and what methods are required to recover.
Tips to Recover From Your Mental Health
By: Sharon Samraj | 16/10/2008
Most of us suffer from mental health problems, though in varying degrees. Although mental ill-health affects so many people, there is still no proper definition as to what mental health problems are and what methods are needed to recover. It is reported that at least 1 in 10 young people and around 1 in 4 adults experience mental health problem at some time in their lives. Mental health can mean a wide range of symptoms and disorders - like depression, anxiety, self-harm, violent tendencies, sch
Why Don’t African-americans Go to Therapy?
By: Tonya Ladipo | 15/10/2008
There are many different ideas about why we don’t seek therapy. Some believe that it is only for wealthy, White people, others believe that you don’t go outside the family with your problems. Some of these thoughts keep us struggling more than we need to. Here are some of the more prevalent ones.
What is Speech Fear?
By: Joan Shine | 15/10/2008
People, on usual, hate the idea of generous an address. If you have ever been required to take a course in broadcast tongue at the high teach or school direct you have probably witnessed what potent forms of talking phobia can yield. Shakiness, stuttering, obvious sweating, hyperventilation and even
What is Social Phobia
By: Joan Shine | 15/10/2008
People with Social Anxiety or think that they might have this state must be opened about it and see a surgeon to be given appropriate healing before it's too behind.
What is Erythrophobia
By: Joan Shine | 15/10/2008
Individuals flush due to several reasons-they may be hot or irritated or also uncomfortable, or it could also be some other aspect that is the wits for the retiring. Nevertheless nobody of these reasons harness for individuals who experience undue retiring.
What is Agoraphobia
By: Joan Shine | 15/10/2008
Many of us have heard of mental disorders, and most of us think that only certain people become afflicted with these conditions. However this is only not the situation. Mental disorders embrace panic attacks, worry disorders and shared anxieties as well. These attacks can sort from mild discomfort to
What is a Phobia?
By: Joan Shine | 15/10/2008
Phobia comes from the Greek word for "fear". It is a strong, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities, or persons. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive, unreasonable desire to avoid the feared subject. When the fear is beyond one's control or if the fear is interfering with daily
More from John Scott
Fighting the Effects of the Demon Alcohol
By: John Scott | 14/06/2008 | Quit Smoking
Yet another surprising benefit in the pipeline from the use of acomplia.
What Can We Do About Pain?
By: John Scott | 24/05/2008 | Medicine
The articles notes that, in the centuries before modern science produced pain killers, people managed pain through a variety of techniques. While accepting that sometimes pain levels do demand chemical solutions, it argues that we should not be too quick to resort to pills for long-term pain management.
Warm Hands Can Make for a Healthy Heart
By: John Scott | 19/05/2008 | Sleep
The article looks at the extremes of just relying on medication as against "expensive" therapy time, and decides that biofeedback may be a middle ground for the treatment of insomnia.
Lose the Weights for Weight Loss
By: John Scott | 19/05/2008 | Weight Loss
The articles combines news from the most recent clinical trial of acomplia with advice on how best to exercise to produce optimum health outcomes.
What to Do About Neuropathic Pain?
By: John Scott | 14/05/2008 | Medicine
The article looks at the problem of neuropathic pain and how to treat it. Because the opioid drugs are generally less effective, ultram is the preferred drug because it is an atypical opioid.
Slow Release in Every Sense of the Words
By: John Scott | 08/05/2008 | Medicine
The article notes that Labopharm Inc. is closer to FDA approval for its once-daily version of ultram. It could be on the market by August 2008 which will bring the US market in line with the European markets which have had access to this format of ultram for some time.
Good News From Istanbul
By: John Scott | 08/05/2008 | Weight Loss
This article considers the results of the ADAGIO-LIPIDS study presented at Istanbul and concludes that it provides more encouraging evidence that, used wisely, acomplia is a highly effective treatment for those who are overweight and at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Instead of Counting Sheep, We Should be Counting Prescriptions
By: John Scott | 07/05/2008 | Sleep
The article wonders why insomnia seems to have become an epidemic. Millions of prescriptions a day are written around the world. Perhaps it is the 24/7 lifestyle or that we worry too much. Whatever it is, the world as a whole is suffering from lack of sleep.
Health 
