Xanax is the most well-known form of the sedative medication called alprazolam. Year in and year out, it earns a place on the list of America’s most widely used prescription substances. Unfortunately, it also commonly ranks among the country’s most misused or abused medications. If you abuse Xanax, you may ultimately become addicted to it. As a result, you may need the specialized help provided by a Xanax addiction treatment program. In any given person, certain signs and symptoms may point to a pattern of medication abuse.
Common Signs of Xanax Abuse – Not Following Your Doctor’s Instructions
If you or someone you know is abusing Xanax, other people may be able to tell what’s happening. How? Anyone who abuses the medication may give off noticeable signs of their actions. One big tip-off is not using it as prescribed by a doctor. This sign of Xanax abuse can take several different forms, including:
- Using Xanax for purely recreational purposes
- Taking larger doses of the medication than intended
- Consuming more doses per day than intended
- Seeking Xanax prescriptions from multiple doctors
- Snorting Xanax or doing other things to intensify its drug effects
If you take Xanax without a prescription, you’re also misusing or abusing it. That’s true if you use medication prescribed to someone else. It’s also true if you buy the medication from someone else.
Other Signs That Xanax Abuse Is Occurring
You may also notice other visible signs that point toward the presence of Xanax abuse. Specific issues you may notice include:
- Unexplained drowsiness
- A confused or disoriented mental state
- Rapid mood changes
- Unusual outbursts of irritability or annoyance
- Loss of regular body coordination
- A declining appetite
- Slurred speech
- Muscle tremors
A person abusing the medication may also have trouble thinking clearly or remembering things.
Symptoms of Xanax Abuse – Internal Effects
Not all indicators of Xanax abuse are visible to other people. Instead, they’re only obvious to the person misusing the medication. Internal indicators like these are classified as symptoms rather than signs. Potential symptoms of Xanax abuse include:
- Headaches
- Changes in your normal vision
- Constipation
Symptoms and signs of Xanax abuse commonly occur together.
Signs of Xanax Addiction
Repeated abuse of Xanax can change how your brain works. One key change is the development of a physical need for more of the medication. In addition, you may develop an emotional need for Xanax. As a result of these physical and emotional changes, you may find yourself compulsively seeking out more of the medication. This compulsion is a defining characteristic of addiction.
What are some of the specific outward signs of Xanax addiction? The official criteria for this problem include:
- Giving up other activities so you have more time to abuse Xanax
- Spending much of your day obtaining Xanax, using it, and/or recovering from its effects
- Losing control over when you take Xanax and/or how much you take
- Keeping up a level of Xanax use that obviously damages your health
If you don’t receive your expected amount of the medication, you may also go into withdrawal.
Learn More About the Signs of Xanax Abuse and Addiction at Memphis Recovery
Want more information on the potential signs of Xanax misuse? Talk to the professionals at Memphis Recovery Centers. We can help you determine if you or someone you know is affected by this issue. We can also help you determine if you’re addicted to Xanax.
Memphis Recovery features specialized treatment for Xanax problems. This treatment will not only help you if you’re addicted to the medication. It can also help you recover from damaging, non-addicted Xanax abuse. To get started, call us today at 901-272-7751 or fill out our online contact form.
