You know mixing Xanax and alcohol is unsafe. You know substance abuse is unsafe. But do you know the extent of the danger? Using these two types of substances together leads to more than 7,000 deaths per year. If you suffer addiction to Xanax or alcohol, mainly if you use these substances together, you need help from an addiction treatment center Jacksonville FL, such as Beaches Recovery.
Historically, celebrity news features a long list of deaths of well-known people who mixed drugs and alcohol. Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Anna Nicole Smith, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Heath Ledger all died under these circumstances. But every day people die of these same causes each year, just as you will if you keep mixing Xanax and alcohol.
Why is the mixture of Xanax and alcohol so dangerous?
Even when taking Xanax under a doctor’s care and according to their instructions, having an alcoholic drink can kill you. The mixture causes a range of potential side effects, many of which prove fatal.
Xanax, a benzodiazepine central nervous system depressant, provides anxiety, panic disorder, and alcohol addiction symptom relief for many Americans. When sold as a generic drug, the benzo is alprazolam. If you take this drug or any prescription medication, talk to your doctor about the risks of drinking alcohol.
Benzos slow the activity of your central nervous system, which calms you. Alcohol acts similarly to another type of central nervous system depressant. The two substances together intensify the depressant effects on your central nervous system, including the signals of your brain, breathing, and other functions.
When you combine alcohol and Xanax, it over-sedates you. While the most severe outcome is death, you notice more intense symptoms of drinking or using your anti-anxiety medication. Your breathing slows and can stop. You experience cardiac problems and can lose consciousness.
If you drink and use Xanax at the same time, you first feel drowsy. Other symptoms include fatigue, clumsiness, weakness, and slurred speech.
Sadly, many people take this risk of combining their substances time and time again. If you or someone you love take Xanax and drink alcohol, or suffer addiction to alcohol, reach out to an alcohol addiction treatment center Jacksonville FL trusts.
Side Effects of Alcohol with Xanax
As the alcohol and Xanax enter your brain, this vital organ’s activity slows. Signals transmit more slowly than necessary to sustain your consciousness or even your life. Wehn used together these drugs compound each others’ effects and put you at extreme risk for death.
Side effects brought on by combining Xanax and alcohol include vertigo, fainting, drowsiness, slurred speech, slow pulse, impaired coordination, slow breathing, and memory loss. You also experience nausea, anxiety, irritability, and delirium. You can suffer seizures and death.
These side effects underscore the importance of not drinking alcohol when taking Xanax or any other benzo. Combining them in any way is potentially deadly, as that long list of celebrities dying from this type of mixture proves. Taking risks like these means you need help from a Xanax addiction treatment center Jacksonville FL.
Can I overdose on Xanax, alone?
Just taking Xanax by itself is dangerous. Never take more than your doctor prescribes, either in dose size or frequency. You must avoid taking it for too long, as well. Xanax is highly addictive when misused, even under a doctor’s care.
Many people overdose on Xanax in a given year. Signs of such an overdose include lost balance, poor coordination, confusion, breathing problems, and muscle weakness. You also notice the blurred vision. Some people faint from too much Xanax, while others slip into a coma and die.
Obviously, if you suspect you or someone you love has taken too much Xanax, call 911 immediately for help.
Benzo and Alcohol Addiction Require Specialized Treatment
Unfortunately, benzos and alcohol prove severe addictions to overcome. For these addictions, you need professional help in a quality addiction treatment center.
Ideally, treatment includes:
- Residential alcohol addiction treatment
- PHP, IOP and OP programs
- Individual and group therapy
- Family therapy
- Behavioral therapies
- Recreation, fitness, and nutrition
- Medically supervised detox
Never wait to get this help, as too many people die while debating whether they need treatment or can end their drug or alcohol use on their own. Call a quality treatment center today and ask how they can help you put your Xanax and alcohol abuse behind you, for the long life you deserve.