Commonly known as Xanax, alprazolam is a benzodiazepine that’s only available on private prescription in the UK.
If you or someone you know has been affected by alprazolam addiction, we can help you secure treatment. Simply get in touch with OK Rehab on 0800 326 5559 (UK) or 0330 333 8188 (international) to make an enquiry.
What is Alprazolam Addiction?
Addiction to alprazolam is similar to addiction to any benzodiazepine, in that it involves both physical and psychological symptoms (during drug use) and withdrawal symptoms (after drug use).
Withdrawal symptoms can be very intense, causing some people to keep taking alprazolam, and even increase their dose, in an attempt to escape these symptoms.
The problem is, the addiction persists whether withdrawal symptoms are present or not. People still experience dangerous addiction symptoms, and crucially, until they get sober, they’re attached to Xanax in a way that prevents them from living a full, healthy life.
Addiction doesn’t start out of nowhere. It’s what comes after misuse (using Xanax in a harmful way) and dependence (being physically reliant on Xanax).
That said, since alprazolam is such a powerful substance, addiction can develop incredibly quickly in some people. It can be a matter of weeks before someone’s completely addicted to the drug.
Where Can I Get Alprazolam Addiction Treatment?
Did you know you don’t even need to leave your home to get alprazolam addiction treatment?
We’re referring to home detoxing, and it’s not the most effective of the options, but it’s a sensible choice for certain people.
Staying at home to withdraw from alprazolam means you can enjoy a comforting setting, save time and money, rely on the support of family members, and keep your privacy as you go through such a challenging phase of life.
On the other end of the scale, we have the most effective type of addiction treatment, which requires you to leave your home for a full month, and that’s residential rehab.
At rehab, if you choose to complete a full treatment programme, you spend a month immersed in a pro-abstinence environment, learning to manage your addiction through therapy in groups and alone.
It all starts with a Xanax detox, which you complete ahead of the therapy programme.
Inpatient rehab works so well because it guarantees structure and predictability, which is what people need when they’re trapped in addiction. The relapse rates after inpatient rehab are the lowest of all treatment types.
Interestingly, despite its great success, inpatient alprazolam rehab still isn’t a one-size-fits-all option. It may be too intense for people with certain mental health conditions, or too expensive for others.
There’s an impressive range of treatment types, with different services supporting different needs. As well as private Xanax rehab and Xanax home detox, you can get treatment via:
- Outpatient private rehab
- Sober coaches
- Self-help groups, e.g., SMART Recovery
- Detox clinics
- Sober accommodation
- Community programmes
- Accountability partners
- Private addiction counselling or therapy
How Many Types of Addiction Treatment Do I Need?
From accountability partners to rehab, addiction treatments change lives. But none of them should be your only form of support.
Even if you spend 28 days at rehab, further support is needed if you want to pursue lifelong recovery.
At rehab centres, staff are trained to produce relevant relapse prevention plans for each patient.
These plans guarantee ongoing aftercare for one year after rehab, but they also put routines in place to ensure the patient is still receiving support when the aftercare expires.
For example, there may be self-help group referrals on there, which is something the patient can pursue without the involvement of the rehab facility.
If you don’t attend rehab, please carefully consider how much support each treatment type would provide, and which other forms of support you need alongside it. To unpack this, why not get in touch with an experienced advisor at OK Rehab? We’ll talk you through your options.
For now, let’s dive into a couple of examples to demonstrate why layered support is essential for long-term addiction recovery.
Example 1: Detox clinics
Detox clinics are incredible forms of treatment. They help individuals gradually withdraw from alprazolam to ensure a safe detox, which prevents withdrawal symptoms from developing into something patients cannot recover from.
So, how much support do detox clinics provide, and do you need other forms of support alongside alprazolam detox?
Detoxing is hugely supportive for our physical health, and it also has great benefits for our mental health. However, there’s nothing long-term about a detox. It’s a first-line method for achieving sobriety, but it doesn’t encourage patients to dig deep and think about the future of their recovery.
This means it’s highly recommended to view detoxing as the first step to recovery, and follow it up with ongoing psychological support, particularly therapy.
Example 2: Sober coaching
Sober coaching is a wonderful, healing treatment that allows patients to stay accountable, have someone to turn to, and continue to prioritise their recovery long after rehab.
It does provide long-term support, but it isn’t necessarily effective enough on its own. If someone attempted to get sober through the sole use of a sober coach (without going to rehab first), they wouldn’t have gained a solid foundation of recovery, and this would be a significant obstacle.
What’s more, even when rehab has been completed, no matter how supportive a sober coach is, they simply can’t replicate the specific benefits of self-help groups (and vice versa!)
What are the Goals of Alprazolam Addiction Treatment?
Looking at the goals of alprazolam addiction treatment helps us to see why layered support is so effective.
General goals include:
- Reducing physical dependence
- Safely managing withdrawal symptoms
- Addressing psychological addiction
- Treating underlying mental health issues
- Developing healthier coping mechanisms
- Preventing relapse
- Supporting long-term recovery
It’s a case of targeting both physical and psychological challenges.
Most treatment types only achieve some of these goals, and that’s the point. Group therapy doesn’t safely manage withdrawal symptoms, but it does address psychological addiction, prevent relapse, and introduce healthier coping mechanisms.
We don’t get everything we need from one treatment, but we can get our needs met by combining several.
What Happens During the Detox Stage of Alprazolam Rehab?
Patients go through an assessment before they start their alprazolam rehab.
When medical professionals have gained a solid understanding of the patient’s addiction, wellbeing, and anything else that could affect their detox, they can form an individualised detox plan.
Detoxing isn’t predictable, so plans can always change. However, the general outline stays the same, in terms of the tapering method that’s used and medications that can be safely prescribed.
Over the course of a Xanax detox, the majority of patients will experience withdrawal symptoms that tend to peak in severity and frequency for a few days, and fade after a couple of weeks.
Xanax withdrawal symptoms include:
- Cravings
- Weight loss
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Concentration problems
Throughout this experience, medical professionals are monitoring the symptoms carefully and stepping in when required to provide treatments.
They’ll also keep an eye on the patient’s emotional wellbeing, helping them to cope with the reality of detoxing.
What Happens During the Therapy Stage of Alprazolam Rehab?
After detoxing from alprazolam, patients can engage with therapy. They’ll follow a programme that features various types of therapy, as well as other mental health activities such as workshops.
Therapy takes up most of the time at rehab. Every day, patients sit in therapy sessions, talk about their addiction, express their feelings, and learn healthy ways to manage their desire to use alprazolam.
Pros and Cons Of Different Therapy Types
We’ve selected two different forms of therapy that are commonly found at rehab facilities, and we’re going to unpack the pros and cons of each one.
Keep in mind that these are general pros and cons, and each of us can respond very differently to the same type of therapy.
Our advice is to not rule out a type of therapy until you’ve tried it, as it may surprise you:
1: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT is an evidence-based therapy that teaches patients to recognise the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Pros
- Evidence-based
- Easily transferred to day-to-day life
- Adaptable
Cons
- Too logical for some personalities
- Requires large investment of time and effort
- Present-focused (may not address underlying causes of addiction)
2: Music therapy
Holistic therapists use music to help treat addiction, by encouraging patients to engage with music in meaningful ways to release their emotions.
Pros
- Motivating for people with a love of music
- Encourages self-expression
- Builds confidence
Cons
- Sensory overload for some patients
- Trauma triggered by certain music
- Expensive
Evidence-Based Vs Holistic Therapies
We’ve explored an evidence-based therapy (CBT) and a holistic therapy (music therapy), so, how do they compare?
Both have their place in addiction treatment.
Evidence-based therapies have been tried and tested rigorously. They’re proven to effectively treat addiction, although this doesn’t guarantee success for every patient.
They’re highly reliable as they’re supported by data and tested for safety.
Holistic therapies are focused on wellness. They look at the individual as a whole, and how they connect to the world around them.
A key benefit of holistic therapies is stress reduction. However, due to the lack of peer-reviewed evidence, relying solely on this type of therapy can be detrimental.
One study into music therapy for addiction found that when music therapy is used as an “add on” treatment, it can moderately reduce substance craving and increase motivation for treatment/change for people with SUDs receiving treatment in detoxification and short-term rehabilitation settings (1).
The lesson? Taking a comprehensive, layered approach to addiction therapy can be highly effective.
How Can OK Rehab Help?
We understand how draining addiction is (no, really, most of our team has been through it!)
It doesn’t have to last forever.
Please reach out to us today if you’re willing to explore treatment options in your area or further afield. Recovery may feel like a million miles away, but it’s accessible for everyone. You just have to take that first leap.
Please reach out to us on 0800 326 5559 (UK) or 0330 333 8188 (international) to take the leap.
FAQs
Below, we outline some frequently asked questions around the topic of alprazolam addiction treatment:
1. Will a one-off Xanax use lead to addiction?
A one-off dose of Xanax won’t necessarily lead to addiction, but it’s still important to always keep the risk of addiction in mind.
If you’ve obtained Xanax legitimately, for a valid medical reason, always follow your doctor’s guidelines for use, including how often you should take the drug, and how long you should take it for.
Taking Xanax when you don’t need it, taking too much, or engaging in any other form of misuse, is likely to lead to dependence or addiction. Even if you use Xanax just once when you don’t need it, its strength could surprise you, and you could end up wanting more.
2. I’ve been misusing alprazolam. Should I stop as soon as possible?
No, don’t stop using alprazolam suddenly. It can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
If you’ve been misusing the drug, please seek medical advice first, as you may need to taper off Xanax in order to withdraw safely.
3. Is lifelong recovery really possible?
Yes, you can recover from alprazolam addiction for life.
If you pursue long-term treatment, you can learn how to manage your triggers, stay emotionally regulated, and avoid alprazolam entirely.
Even though you will always need to have strategies in place to avoid returning to addiction, you can still achieve lifelong recovery, and learn what it means to thrive without relying on an addictive substance that only brings temporary comfort.
