How addictive is Xanax?
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Anonymous
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I’m on the edge of a mental breakdown, but I have a couple of projects I need to finish at work before I can take time off. To get me through, I have some 0.5 mg Xanax. The bottle says I can take one in 24 hours, so I plan to take one each morning before work in an attempt to appear sane. How long can I do this before I get addicted? I wish I could take some tonight and tomorrow morning! |
Anonymous
| You can take it for a few days and be fine. Just don’t get into the habit of doing it daily on the regular. |
Anonymous
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I am so sorry you are going through this. Everyone is different. I have emergency xanax, but it's just.25. I have had emergency xanax for many years and can go many months without take it and then if there is a family medical crisis or some other major life bomb hits, I might take it every night for a few nights to take the edge off and sleep, but I am really careful because I know someone who became addicted.
If you need it daily for more than a week, I am told it's best to be on an SSRI instead and just use for emergency. Unfortunately, it takes a while for those to kick in. I would develop a plan with your doctor ASAP that can get you through the projects, but also get you started on something non-addictive once projects over. Maybe you do an emergency televisit or talk to a NP there or something? Good luck! |
Anonymous
| I had no problem at all with Xanax. Then I had a horrific experience with Klonopin and will spend the rest of my life warning people away from benzos. Like PP said, you shouldn't use it daily for more than a week. Not worth the nightmare that can result. Withdrawal can be one of the worst experiences of your life. |
Anonymous
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If you take one in the morning it should last all day and it may well make you sleepy.
If you try to take one the next day, it will have a very diluted effect. If you take them once per week it is better than 3 days in a row. And there's a variety of strange side effects that may or may not turn up - excessive hunger the next day, a sense your joints are out of place (knees, elbows), earache, headache and inflammation. You might be better off taking half a .5 mg in the morning and the other have 6 hrs later |
Anonymous
| ^^ I don't find them remotely addictive |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't take this drug ever. very addicting -- OP, get on an SSRI. |
Anonymous
| I only use it when flying but I have never felt the need to take it beyond that, that said I don't have any addictive tendencies. It is a very heavily controlled substance so your doctor would only prescribe a few pills at a time anyhow, and your pharmacy will scan your DL/ID when you pick it up. So unless you're planning to buy it "off the street", your chance of getting your hands on a lot of it all at once would be challenging. Doable, but challenging. I wouldn't worry about it. |
Anonymous
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It's true that PCPs only permit a small amount. 10 x .25mg is what I get but only once every 6 months, for MRIs and flights.
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Anonymous
| Don’t use drugs. Get through this tough period on your own and you’ll be so much stronger on the other end. |
Anonymous
? Wow. I wonder how my sister got a rx for 3mg/day. |
Anonymous
| I have taken Xanax once and it made me cry all day. OP, if you're going to take it for work make sure you give it a dry run first so you know how you react. Everyone is different. |
Anonymous
AddiCTIVE. Not AddictING. |
Anonymous
Dosage is usually not greater than 4mg. |
Anonymous
SSRI's have a long ramp up period. If you read what OP said it sounds like they need something right now, that works immediately not 3 weeks from now. Not pushing xanax, just pointing out why an SSRI may not be the right answer for OP. There are many people myself included who can use Xanax only "as needed" which for me is only when I fly. So 2-3 times a year. |