how does xanax damage the brain

When Xanax is used for longer periods of timeor abused irresponsiblythe brain begins to function improperly without it. As such, benzodiazepines are typically prescribed for conditions that are related to anxiety and the inability of the nervous system to calm its electrical signals such as: The speed and effectiveness of Xanax have made it the single most prescribed psychiatric medication in the U.S., according to Medical News Today. PBS. Xanax addiction can develop quickly even in people who are only taking Xanax as prescribed, which can lead to devastating mental health issues as well as physical health issues and even brain damage. Within the past five years, case-controlled studies have concluded that benzodiazepine medication such as Xanax is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimers disease and an increased risk of dementia. However, repeated use of Xanax can result in dependence, which can lead to withdrawal symptoms that can be extremely unpleasant. Once Xanax is ingested, GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter located in the brain and throughout the central nervous system (CNS), becomes artificially inflated, calming nerve impulses responsible for regulating anxiety and panic. Some of these long-term damaging effects that alcohol can have on your brain and central nervous system include: Pain in the lower and upper extremities (often in the feet) Varied degrees of tingling and numbness throughout the extremities. Possible damage to the personality - forgetfulness, nervousness, no fear of danger, restlessness, talkativeness. Temazepam works by bounding to the plasma proteins in the blood. Oxygen is needed for the brain to make use of glucose, its major energy source. How long does it take to get brain damage from lack of oxygen? That's less surprising, perhaps, when one hears that Professor Lader declared, in a 1999 interview on BBC Radio 4, "It is more difficult to withdraw people from benzodiazepines than it is from heroin. (November 18, 2010) Retrieved from from, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/side-effects/201011/brain-damage-benzodiazepines, British Medical Journal. These include brain zaps and shocks, head shocks, electrical shocks, brain shivers, and brain fog. Although warning that his preliminary findings needed more research, Lader pointed out that the work he had done suggested that the brains of regular benzodiazepine takers were damaged and shrunken when compared to the brains of people who had not taken benzodiazepines. He is the author of Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness. However, the effects of Xanax and the speed at which it works make it commonly abused. Concern about the adverse effects of this group of drugs dates to the 1970s when vast numbers of people began taking them for stress and anxiety. Most Common Benzodiazepine Prescriptions. (844) 326-4514 Abusing Xanax long-term can harm your memory. Long-term effects of the drug on the central nervous system have not been adequately studied. But I take very little, and not on a regular basis. 14.11.2022 - Although the coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 does not infect nerve cells, it can cause damage to the nervous system. This will address the psychological issues behind the Xanax abuse, such as helping them to relearn how to control stress without benzodiazepines. Permanent brain damage due to an opiate overdose is a very real, life-altering consequence . ", Still, a sharp uptick in reported problems from Xanax and other benzos in several countries finally obliged the American Psychiatric Association Task Force in 1990 to produce a table listing withdrawal symptoms from the drugs in three separate categories: "Very Frequent, Common but Less Frequent, and Uncommon." With SSRIs represented in the 1980s and 90s as well-tolerated and nonaddictive, as distinct from the extensive, well-documented side effects of benzodiazepines, the resurgence of prescriptions for benzos in the early 2000s is not only striking but a serious concern. This neurotransmitter is responsible for regulating nervous excitation and transmissions to the brain among other tasks; this, in turn, settles nervous activity, helps a person stay calm, and aids them in controlling their moods and behavior. Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock. Hamilton, NJ 08619. Abruptly stopping consumption suddenly causes the brain to overshoot. Therapeutic doses adults .25mg-1mg daily Sedatives make the neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) work overtime. The short-term effects of Xanax on the brain may include: The long-term effects of Xanax are highly variable and depend upon numerous factors including overall health, age, gender, weight, the duration and severity of dosage, the presence of co-occurring mental health disorders, polysubstance abuse, and many others. Chronic . The key is to remain calm and to always work with your teenager from a position of love and support. This is the mechanism behind any form of drug addiction, and in a teenage brain, the effect is even more pronounced. This slows the brain down, helping you feel calmer and more relaxed. This is why many teenager exhibit impulsive and risky behavior; they may know its not good for them, but the part of their brain that can exercise judgment is still under construction. From Australia to Nepal and Britain to the United States, benzos are recognized as fueling powerful cravings among drug addicts. | While there is still plenty of research being done on the actual side effects of benzos, the results show that there is an overwhelming amount of serious impact on the brain when used in excess. (844) 326-4514 I would prefer to chat online Some of the Short-Term Side Effects of Benzos Include the Following: An excessive feeling of drowsiness Feeling of confusion Xanax works by slowing down brain activity, which causes a calm and relaxed state for the body and mind. If you want to get off of benzos, including Xanax, you should never stop using it abruptly or cold turkey, as this can bring on terrible side effects. Get Immediate Treatment Help. Because of this complex interaction, several negative side effects begin to occur. This is seen in parts of the brain on autopsy. Retrieved December 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6147796, (August 2017). However, remember that the withdrawing should occur in a slow and patient process, rather than quitting cold turkey. After prolonged use in high doses, there is a potential for extreme effects on the brain, including: Some of the effects on the brain can occur during withdrawal. "Computed Axial Brain Tomography in Long-Term Benzodiazepine Users." Xanax is profitable on the black market and widely diverted, frequently serving as a gateway drug to other hard-core substances like fentanyl or heroin. . When this happens, people show withdrawal symptoms, such as high . This can involve developing coping strategies and changing negative thought patterns. Retrieved December 2018 from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/07/18/these-pills-could-be-next-us-drug-epidemic-public-health-officials-say, (2002). In effect, the medication goes in and out of the body fairly quickly. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that influence how you feel. Even in the late teen years, the prefrontal cortex the region responsible for decision-making, judgment, and impulse and emotional control is still being stitched together. In most cases, professional detox in a medical facility is an optimal way to get off benzos, as the specialists will help with the step by step process and offer different medications to help with the withdrawal. Xanax is a Schedule IV benzodiazepinea popular controlled substance used to treat anxiety and prevent seizures. Expectations and goals should be realistic, such as considering that your teenager might outright deny that theyve been abusing Xanax, or that they dont have to listen to you because youve also used Xanax. To understand the effect of Xanax on the developing brain, it is necessary to look at what Xanax is and how it operates. Xanax is a benzodiazepine that works by inhibiting the signals in the brain that may lead to anxiety. I was on Xanax before switching to Clonazepam, which is virtually the same thing and have been on it for over a year and a half now, but I noticed no serious side effects from being on the Xanax for about 3 months with taking .5mg daily with maybe doubling up on harder days. Cramping, aching, weakness, and spasms in the muscles. The effects of Xanax on the brain are mixed but generally speaking, it's not known to cause any form of memory loss. An addiction psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine warned that among teenage patients he sees, benzodiazepines are surpassing opioids as the leading prescription drug of abuse. Posted November 18, 2010 At a hospital or treatment center, staff can issue anti-anxiety and anticonvulsant medications (often other benzodiazepines that are more long-acting than Xanax) to ease the symptoms of agitation and insomnia until your childs body is no longer desperate for Xanax. Psychological Medicine 14 (1984): 203-06. That's one reason they're so difficult to quit taking. It just seems that the dependency is so ingrained and the withdrawal symptoms you get are so intolerable that people have many problems coming off. In an average month I use 3 mg to 3.5 mg. (I never take more than .50 mg. at any time.) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Xanax emergency room visits have increased approximately 175 percent in the past 7 years. Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness. Xanax Dependence Taking Xanax offers immediate relief from anxiety and produces calming effects on the brain and body. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Xanax is now only recommended to be used daily for no more than four to six weeks. The other aspect is that with heroin, usually, the withdrawal is over within a week or so. 3500 Quakerbridge Road Neuroscience Letters. Christopher Lane, Ph.D., has won a Prescrire Prize for Medical Writing and is a Professor Emeritus of medical humanities at Northwestern University. In addition, it can cause dangerous rebound . . New Research Reinforces Suspected Grim Future for Benzodiazepine Users. Marks, with 10 other colleagues from comparable research institutes in France, Germany, England, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and the States, drew yet more attention to "serious adverse effects" of the drug that only "become apparent later," he assertedlong after most clinical trials had wrapped up. ", When I interviewed Marks in November 2005 for my book, Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness, on the creation of social phobia/anxiety disorder and the way that Paxil was marketed as its best pharmaceutical remedy, he told me about a Boston-based conference that Upjohn also had funded on Panic Disorder. Commonly the effects of Xanax make people who are feeling anxiety calm down and feel "normal". Not only can it cause brain damage over a period of time, but there are also many short-term side effects that can harm your body as well. Heres what we reveal when we speak, whether we mean to or not. How to Organize Your Child's Medication Treatment, Presidential Candidates, the Election, and Drug Policy, Safer Tapering to End Antidepressant Treatment, Review: 'The Rise and Fall of the Age of Psychopharmacology', Post-Roe, 3 Effective Alternatives to Medical Abortion, Trees Lower Medication Sales for Heart and Mood Disorders, Performance Enhancing Drugs in Everyday Life. In an average month I use 3 mg to 3.5 mg. (I never take more than .50 mg. at any time.) . Xanax is only recommended for short-term useno more than six weeks, but prescriptions for Xanax are increasing at an alarming rate, with increases nearly doubling within the past five years according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). Retrieved December 2018 from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263490.php, (March 2010). Depression and suicidal ideation (SI) are also an unwelcome byproduct of Xanax addiction. By using this Site you agree to the following, By using this Site you agree to the following, The Best IOL for 2022 RXSight Light Adjusted Lens, Will refractive surgery such as LASIK keep me out of glasses all my life. This leads to increased gamma-aminobutyric acid - a calming chemical - in the body. Retrieved December 2018 from https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-xanax-last, (August 2018). Our conversations are sprinkled with slips, pauses, lies, and clues to our inner world. In Britain, a country with a population now barely exceeding 61 million, a staggering 32 million prescriptions for the drugs were written in the early 1980s. They might experience regular panic or anxiety attacks, and they cannot manage their responses accordingly. For about a year I have been taking Xanax to treat anxiety and panic attacks caused by adrenal fatigue. About half of the patients' scans had positive cortical scores' as compared with only a quarter of controls. Its better to be safe than sorry, so if youre in that category, please reach out for recovery help as soon as possible. There are, however, other side effects that are relatively benign. Many others have started to illicitly use Xanax recreationally to self-medicate and enjoy the rush of tranquility and peace that comes from the GABA neurotransmitter boost. Two years later in Britain, Malcolm Lader, an expert on benzos at London's Institute of Psychiatry, called them "the opium of the masses" because of Britain's very high prescribing rates, a pattern that correlates with Europe and the U.S. Because of its potent effect on GABA receptors in the brain, Xanax helps minimize seizure potential. Some of the other effects of Xanax use on the brain include: Lowered inhibitions. Restoril targets the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain. When you take Xanax or another benzodiazepine, the drug attaches to GABA receptors in your brain. 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