Signs of Xanax Abuse

Xanax

The top sign of Xanax abuse is also the most obvious. When people take the drug openly, at a pace that isn’t compatible with the prescription doctors have provided, the person is likely addicted. However, many people who abuse Xanax work hard to hide their habits from the people who love them, and as a result, they may never take their drugs out in the open. There are other signs and symptoms families can watch for, however, in order to spot an addiction unfolding in someone in the household.

Issues of Time and Money

Xanax is a popular drug of abuse, and while it’s designed to be provided by doctors and pharmacists, drug dealers can quickly obtain the pills and sell them on the open market. In Connecticut, 2mg tablets of Xanax sell for about $5 apiece, according to the Department of Consumer Protection in that state, and users might be required to take many of these pills at once, each and every day, in order to keep their addiction fed.1

People with an addiction like this often are dealing, not surprisingly, with a serious financial problem. They might be forced to drain their retirement and savings accounts to pay for drugs, and they might ask for loans from family members and friends, and then find it impossible to pay those loans back.

Users might also be forced to visit cooperative doctors, such as a pain medicine physician in New York who has been accused of prescribing medications like this to anyone who visits the office, regardless of need.2 Doctors like this can be difficult to come by, as they face serious legal consequences for writing fraudulent prescriptions, and that might mean addicted people must spend a significant amount of time both researching doctors and traveling to distant medical offices.

Dealing with the constant need to raise funds and find drugs can mean that the person has little time left for the following:

  • Work
  • Family interactions
  • Hobbies
  • Social engagement with friends
  • Education
  • Volunteering

Lack of interest in the above activities is an indicator of addiction to drugs like Xanax and should be a warning sign to look deeper into your loved one’s life.

Changes in Demeanor With Xanax

Since Xanax has been associated with sedation and a form of mental fogging, families might be able to spot an addiction issue by paying attention to the way in which the person seems to feel. Someone who is always complaining of fatigue or who seems to need an unusual amount of sleep could be abusing the drug. Conversely, the drug can sometimes spark feelings of nervousness, anxiety or even rage in people with an abuse problem, which might mean that someone who has always seemed kind and placid might suddenly be prone to physical or verbal attacks. These are serious symptoms, to be sure, but they could indicate that a Xanax abuse problem is unfolding.

I love where my life is today, and I love how I feel at peace with myself every day. This will last and continue as long as I stay sober and surround myself with the right people.”— Ryan N., HeroesInRecovery

There is hope for those fighting Xanax addiction. If you suspect that someone you love is abusing Xanax and you don’t know what to do about it, please contact us at The Oaks at La Paloma. We can help you to complete pre-enrollment paperwork, so the person you love can enter our treatment program and start getting better right now. Please call our 24-hour, toll-free helpline now, and our admissions coordinators can tell you more.


1Alprazolam.” Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. 2013. Web. Accessed 3 August 2017.

2 McKinley, J.C. “At Trial, Queens Doctor Is Accused of Recklessly Prescribing Drugs.” New York Times. 2014. Web. Accessed 3 August 2017.