How Xanax Affects The Body: Physical and Mental Health Impact

Anxiety is a common problem faced worldwide. For that, Xanax is the most common and most prescribed medication by doctors. For anxiety, there are several other medications, but Xanax is prescribed because of its higher efficiency and faster effects. At the same time, it can affect your body too, in several ways. For this reason, it is prescribed for short-term use only. Also, understanding its effects on the body helps you be careful while using the medication. So, in this blog, we will learn in detail how Xanax affects the body and what you can do about it.

Understand Xanax & Its Effects On Physical & Psychological 

Overview Of Xanax 

Xanax is an FDA-approved prescribed medication that belongs to the benzodiazepine family, mainly used to treat anxiety. It is a CNS depressant and works inside the brain and the CNS. Because of its addiction potency, it is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance. 

Being a CNS depressant, Xanax works by affecting the brain and the CNS, which later affects the whole body. If it is used in the prescribed manner, it can affect the body positively, but any kind of misuse of this medication can severely affect your body. Sometimes, using it properly can also affect your body negatively due to body type, dosage, or frequency of use. 

How Xanax Affects The Body Physically

As a fast-acting benzodiazepine, the physical effects of Xanax are visible after 20 to 30 minutes of use. Also, it can last up to 5 to 6 hours. The effects can be normal and severe. Let’s see how Xanax affects the body physically. 

• Stomach issues: It slows the gastrointestinal motility, which later leads to constipation, bloating, and nausea.
• Problem in the eyes: You can notice dry eyes, blurred vision, or pupil dilation. Sometimes it can get severe and cause double vision.
• Liver issue: Xanax is broken down by the liver and has a chance of causing liver damage. This is a common problem with Xanax. For the detail view, you can follow up to the  “Is Xanax bad for the liver?” page.
• Heart problem: As Xanax slows the CNS and the brain, ultimately the heart rate and the blood pressure also reduce. 

Also, because of its faster effect and efficiency, Xanax can cause a feeling of dependence. This is a very common problem, but it can be severe very easily if proper care is not taken. It can happen because of the dosage. So, understanding Xanax dosage is important before using it to avoid such a problem.  

How Xanax Affects The Brain

Xanax is considered a CNS depressant. It works inside the brain by binding with GABA receptors and enhancing their performance, which gives a calm and relaxing sensation to the body. But can also affect the brain negatively at the same time. Some of the problems you can notice are listed below.

• Bad brain-body coordination
• Memory issues
• Euphoria
• Dementia
• Lowered alertness
• Drowsiness

Also, it has a higher chance of addiction. In Xanax addiction, the mind gets addicted to its effects. As we know, Xanax increases GABA’s performance inside the brain. So, the body gets acquainted with it, and the brain automatically produces less GABA than before. Which makes it hard to leave the medication. Also, addiction can harm your body mentally and physically, a lot like. Xanax is also compared with weed in terms of addiction. If you are facing addiction symptoms, then you can go for treatment of Xanax addiction by consulting your doctor. 

Withdrawal Symptoms

Xanax withdrawal starts after almost 24 hours of discontinuing. Also, it can last for a few days to a few weeks. The intensity of withdrawal depends mainly on body type and the frequency of use. Xanax withdrawal can affect your body both physically and mentally. Some of the withdrawal symptoms that you might notice are listed below.

• Rebound anxiety
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Increased sensitivity to sound, light, and touch
• Seizures
• Sleeping problem
• Loss of appetite
• Mood changes

So, after knowing about the effects, you might wonder, how long does Xanax stay in your system? Well, Xanax half life is about 11 to 12 hours. But the duration in the body for everyone is not the same. There are several factors on which it depends. 

Xanax Alternatives

There are several medications available as an alternative to Xanax, such as Hydroxyzine. If you know more information about Hydroxyzine, then follow the comparison of Hydroxyzine and Xanax. But in reality, every medication carries some risk. So always choose natural ways that can be supportive in treating anxiety if you use medication. There are various natural ways you can follow, but some of the most effective natural ways are listed below. 

• Maintaining a good sleep cycle
• Healthy diet
• Yoga and meditation
• Daily exercise
• Cognitive behavioral therapy

FAQs

Conclusion

In conclusion, we get to know that Xanax affects the body in various ways. For that, we can use some other prescription alternative or go for natural alternatives. Xanax can cause severe addiction, which is why it is prescribed for short-term use only. If you are addicted to Xanax, then consult a doctor and start treatment ASAP.