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Kassandra Horta-Tovar
Professor Ibarra
HLTH 1050-001
2 April 2016
Research Paper-Xanax (Alprazolam)
Xannies, Xanbars, Benzos, Planks, Bicycle parts, all street names for a drug called
Alprazolam better known as Xanax. It was a huge success when it came out in the late 60s.
Xanax was developed in the Upjohn Laboratories in Kalamazoo, Michigan. At first, it was
created to be a top-quality sleep aid and muscle relaxant. Until Dr. Sheehan started to be
involved with the development of the drug, that is when associates at the Upjohn Laboratories
saw its effectiveness on anxiety and panic disorders. When it came out, everyone wanted it and
many used it. Psychiatrists Pharmacists, Physicians, many were prescribing it to their patients
because they did not think there were any dangers to using it. But now, things have changed for
the most part. Eventually, it was discovered that the drug had some very negative effects. They
made it a schedule IV drug, and a controlled substance. Xanax is the 11th most prescribed drug
in the U.S. It is also one of the most widely abused drugs in people with and without
prescriptions because it is such a highly addictive drug. The name Xanax is used all over the
world to be prescribed, except in Latin-American countries where Alprazolam is prescribed as
tafil. The FDA approved alprazolam in October 1981
Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine it is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders such
as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD). Xanax can also be

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used to treat insomnia and PMS symptoms. The dosages of Xanax vary depending on the patient
and what they are being treated for. The most common amount Xanax dosages come in a 0.25mg
0.5mg 1.0mg 2.0mg. Xanax is usually taken orally and the dosage should be gradually reduced if
the patient is discontinuing therapy, in order to reduce the chance of withdrawal effects and
addiction.
Xanax is a central nervous depressant, which means that it slows down brain activity. It
works in the brain, by specifically increasing GABA activity in the brain. It binds itself to
specific sites on the GABA receptors in the brain. It curbs the excitability, and allows it to restore
its natural balance, and cause a calming effect. After it is ingested, 90% of the effects of Xanax
are felt within the first hour the full effects are achieved in 1.5 hours which is what causes Xanax
to be so addictive. Since it is a short-acting benzodiazepine, the effects wear off really fast, so
users take more to continue the effects. So after two to three weeks, physical dependence and
tolerance sets in so now, they must take more to avoid withdrawal.
If Xanax is taken as prescribed, the short-term effects of Xanax can be beneficial. It can
greatly reduce physical tension, restlessness, and feelings of uneasiness usually caused by
anxiety. When people are using Xanax, it may sound like they are intoxicated because their
speech is slurred. Some other negative short-term effects are trouble with cognitive skills which
means their ability to process information lowers. Difficulty producing words properly is another
negative short-term effect. Chronic use and abuse of Xanax may lead to cognitive deficits,
delirious states, depression, psychotic experiences, aggressive and impulsive behavior, and
memory impairment. Side effects of Xanax include drowsiness, constipation, fatigue, dizziness,
difficulty concentrating, unusual changes in mood, being forgetful, slurred speech. Some more

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severe side effects of Xanax include, constipation, skin rashes, memory problems, confusion,
hallucinations, and yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Withdrawal effects of Xanax are the opposite of what the drug is supposed to treat,
including insomnia, muscle tension, digestive upset, depression, increased anxiety, tremors,
seizures, nausea and vomiting, suicidal thoughts and behavior. One of my five articles I read for
my five articles review was about a woman named Jenna who was very sick, including a very
dry throat, no appetite, just no moving at all. One day after not hearing from her after a couple of
days, her mother came into her house one day with her lying on the ground shaking. She quickly
took her to the hospital. They asked her if she had taken any medications and she responded that
she had only been taking Xanax but she had run out of her medication two days before. That is
when she realized that she had been going through withdrawal symptoms and that is why she
was not feeling well, she couldn't even go to work. The article explains how Jenna had gotten her
first Xanax prescription eight years earlier. Since then, her doctor had slowly increased her
prescription once that dosage was not helping anymore. She became dependent on Xanax. The
higher the dosage of this drug and the more frequently it is taken, the faster you will become
dependent and eventually addicted to this drug. One doctor said that he would only prescribe a
couple pills for some patients that are afraid of flying because of the high risk of Xanax being
abused. It makes it easier for the doctors and it lowers risk of dependency more than if they gave
them an actual daily prescription because now days in this culture people think they are not
supposed to tolerate any discomfort. Also, when this drug is taken with anything else, pain killers
or other drugs, the results can be deadly.
An overdose of Xanax occurs when someone takes more than the prescribed dose when it
is taken at a rapid schedule, or if someone stops and then restarts the use of the drug. Signs of

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Xanax overdose may include blurred vision, slurred speech, weakness, respiratory depression,
and coma. If this occurs, and the patient survives the overdose, they would have to go get
treatment for their Xanax addiction.
Someone that is addicted to Xanax and other benzodiazepines should not attempt to stop
taking the drug on their own, it is highly dangerous. Addicted patients usually go through a
medically supervised detoxification. Their dosage should be gradually tapered. The staff helps
you cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Inpatient and outpatient counseling may help them.
This includes having you address the reasons for the use of Xanax, spending time with family
and group or individual therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on modifying the
patients thinking, behaviors, and skills to help cope with life stressors.
Kids that are in their teens are at a very high risk of abusing Xanax. According to the
National Institute on Drug Abuse, Xanax has been increasingly used, mostly without a
prescription, by younger people seeking a high. Teens tend to take huge amounts of Xanax at
once, completely disregarding the normal dosing rates for their weight, thinking that taking 3-4
pills will be the best way for them to get the best high possible. Something surprising I found
while doing my research, was that a 21 year old male was taking 10-14 Xanax pills a day. What I
got from that was that even teens that dont overdose are still in danger; they might develop
addictions to the substances they ingest.
Teens are not the only people that can be affected by the dangers that lie with using
Xanax. The risks of taking Xanax may also affect pregnant women and their unborn children.
Xanax should not be used unless there are no safer alternatives, especially during the first
trimester of the pregnancy. If the mother does decide to continue taking Xanax there is a risk that

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the child may be born with withdrawal effects, among many other risks to the fetus, which can
include deformities. Mothers should not breastfeed if they are using Xanax because the drug can
be excreted into the breast milk.
There is still another age group that should not take Xanax because there are medical
risks for the use of Xanax with the elderly. The rate of elimination for elderly patients is
significantly slowed down, which can result in a risk of dangerously high buildup after several
doses. If a benzodiazepine continues to build up in an elderly patient, it can produce a form of
drug-induced dementia. It can even be symptoms of onset Alzheimer's disease if they don't know
the patient's medical history.
A high trend occurring among Xanax abusers is snorting Xanax. When you change the
way a drug is ingested it changes the way it works in the body. Xanax was produced to be taken
orally, it was never meant to be snorted. It is dangerous to snort Xanax because it makes the
effects of Xanax to happen faster which creates a higher risk of physical dependency. It can also
destroy the tissue and lining inside of the nose. The negative side effects of Xanax can also be
increased if Xanax is snorted.
From my research and in my opinion, people who begin to use Xanax to treat their
problems are at a high risk of eventually abusing the drug. Even if they do follow the
prescription over time, the dosages will keep increase because they will develop a tolerance and
become physically dependent to Xanax. I believe that people how are thinking of taking a
medicine to treat their panic and anxiety disorders, should definitely look at the positives and
negatives to see if they think the positive effects weigh out the negatives over time.

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