Xanax Addiction Treatment
Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine that’s used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia. The generic name of the drug is alprazolam. Since Xanax is a benzodiazepine, it acts as a tranquilizer on the central nervous system and creates feelings of calm and sedation. The same mechanism that creates these sensations also produces euphoria, and this is part of the reason why Xanax is highly addictive.
As a fast-acting drug, Xanax users notice effects of the drug within an hour of taking it and the effects can last for up to six hours. Although Xanax dependence is most common when the drug is abused, it is also possible to become tolerant and even addicted to the substance when taking it exactly as it is prescribed, which is why many physicians only prescribe it for short-term periods.
Residential Inpatient vs. Outpatient Treatment
Recovery from Xanax requires treatment that heals both the mind and the body. Since every person is different, it is important to understand all of the options available for Xanax addiction treatment.
Residential Inpatient
Residential inpatient programs last between 30-90 days, and the client is required to live at the facility for the duration of the treatment. These facilities are sober environments where clients don’t have access to drugs and aren’t faced with temptations or triggers, which gives people who are struggling with addiction the best chance possible at getting sober. The program will begin with a medically supervised detox, during which time clients will be weaned off the drug gradually, as this will prevent some of the more dangerous symptoms of Xanax withdrawal. After detox, clients will receive a variety of therapies that are designed to help them understand their motivations, behaviors, triggers, and stresses; as well as provide relapse prevention training, effective coping skills, and support.
By the time clients leave a good inpatient treatment facility, they will have all the tools needed to live a sober life.
Outpatient Treatment
Once inpatient treatment is complete, clients will then move to an outpatient program to continue their treatment. Outpatient programs for Xanax abuse offer less structure and more freedom than their inpatient counterparts, which means clients can continue working and taking care of other responsibilities while getting help. Unlike inpatient programs, where clients live on-site at the facility for the duration of the treatment, during outpatient programs, clients live at home. Outpatient programs require a great deal of commitment and dedication because clients don’t have a sober and structured living environment to help facilitate the early days of recovery. This is why outpatient is the best second step after inpatient treatment.
There are a variety of outpatient programs available, including:
- Regular outpatient: Clients live at home and continue with their regular day-to-day lives, but come to the facility once or twice a week for therapy sessions
- Intensive outpatient: IOP is more structured and requires clients to come to the facility for multiple-hour sessions several times each week
- Daily check-in programs: This outpatient program requires clients to call or meet up with a counselor or recovery coach every day
Aside from the structure and intensity, most inpatient and outpatient programs offer many of the same therapy and program types, including family, individual, and group therapy, plus ongoing wellness and relapse prevention training.
Community-Based Treatment Options for Xanax
Most inpatient and outpatient Xanax abuse treatment programs will encourage clients to participate in community-based recovery programs as well, because these provide people with a strong support network of peers to rely on. Addiction is a disease that can be managed but not cured, and groups like 12-step programs and Narcotics Anonymous can provide the advice, support, and encouragement a person needs to maintain sobriety. Moreover, these groups are beneficial because they remind members that they aren’t alone, which is essential, because things like isolation and loneliness can be major triggers for people who abuse Xanax and other drugs.
Alternative/Holistic Treatment Methods for Xanax Addiction
Alternative therapies include methods like yoga, art therapy, and hypnotherapy, all of which can be used as part of a comprehensive program to help manage Xanax addiction. The major benefit of these therapies is that they allow clients to focus on whole-body wellness, including mental, physical, and spiritual health:
- Yoga and mindfulness therapy, for instance, help connect the mind and the physical body and help people get in touch with how their emotions affect their actions. Furthermore, yoga is a form of exercise, and it’s great for physical and mental health. Also, mindfulness and meditation are great forms of stress relief, which is ideal for helping people manage triggers
- Art therapy is another type of alternative treatment that can be effective for Xanax addiction. During art therapy, clients are encouraged to explore their creativity and to use art to help heal wounds suffered from trauma and addiction.
- Hypnotherapy is another approach, and this involves using relaxation techniques to get a client to a place where unconscious suggestions can be made that will help guide the path to recovery.
Get Help Today for Xanax Addiction
Xanax is a very effective drug that can help people manage anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia. However, this drug is also very potent and highly addictive, and the feelings of euphoria it produces can breed tolerance, dependence, and addiction. Once this happens, addiction treatment at a professional drug rehab center is the best way to ensure that a person can get sober and effectively manage the addiction in the future.
At Futures of Palm Beach, we understand that every person is unique, so we work to treat the underlying causes of addiction to create a foundation for lasting recovery and well-being. Call today to learn more about our treatment program, and the simple steps you can take to start on the road to recovery.
