Xanax Withdrawal: Timeline, Symptoms, and Recovery

Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine prescribed for anxiety and panic disorder. It is a controlled substance that has a high risk for abuse or addiction. Therefore, if you stop taking the medication, it can lead to withdrawal symptoms. If you have used Xanax or any type of benzodiazepine for a long time or at high doses, withdrawals can be difficult. 

A person addicted to Xanax will experience severe benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. You will need medical professional assistance during the detox and withdrawals.

Withdrawal management and timeline will vary depending on several factors. Finding the right treatment program for you can make a difference through recovery.

Signs of Xanax Addiction or Abuse

Xanax is a highly addictive benzodiazepine. It can be useful if it is taken as prescribed. However, anyone who uses Xanax will be at risk of psychological or physical dependency. Since it acts on the central nervous system and can affect the brain’s reward system, these types of drugs will cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. 

Prolonged Xanax use should be monitored properly. A person will form an addiction despite taking it as prescribed. A tolerance will develop and will need higher doses the longer they take benzodiazepines. Once dependence on Xanax emerges, withdrawal symptoms should be anticipated since they can be fatal. 

Xanax Withdrawal Timeline

Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine. Its effects can be felt within 30 minutes and will last for about 6 hours. It has a high potency and short half-life, resulting in longer and more intense withdrawal symptoms than other benzodiazepines. Different factors can influence your withdrawal timeline. 

Factors affecting withdrawals include:

• Dosage of drug and Duration of use:  The longer you’ve been taking Xanax, the higher your tolerance becomes. People take higher dosages because of this, making them more dependent on the drug. Withdrawals also become more difficult.  
• Individual physiology: Like with any drug, how a person’s body reacts to Xanax will vary. Age, weight, metabolism, and genetic makeup can influence how you absorb and eliminate Xanax in your body.  
• Medical history: Past illnesses may cause complications with Xanax. If you have had heart, kidney, or liver problems, some withdrawal symptoms can be more severe. 
• Current Health Conditions: If you have co-occurring health conditions, it may cause interactions, especially if you are prescribed medications while taking Xanax. Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep issues, or PTSD can also worsen and prolong withdrawals. 
• Other substances used: If you have alcoholism or substance use disorder, it can also worsen and prolong experiencing Xanax withdrawal symptoms.
• Treatment: Xanax withdrawal symptoms can occur for a longer period if you do not undergo proper treatment. Tapering off of Xanax or going under proper medical detox can ease withdrawal symptoms. 

Early Phase of Withdrawal 

Xanax withdrawal can begin within 6 to 12 hours after your last dose. You can experience Xanax withdrawals if you miss a dose or misuse it with other substances. This initial phase of withdrawal and detox of Xanax starts when the body reacts to the absence of the drug in your body.

Acute Phase of Withdrawal 

Acute withdrawal symptoms will peak on the second day of cessation. The acute benzodiazepine withdrawal phase generally lasts up to 4 days from your last dose.

This phase is critical since acute symptoms are severe and will need medical supervision to manage any risks associated with Xanax withdrawals. The body starts to adjust to functioning on its own without depending on the effects of Xanax.

Protracted Phase of Withdrawal

Eventually, your symptoms may gradually improve over 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the severity and physiology of the individual. The protracted phase of withdrawal generally lasts for 10 to 14 days after cessation from Xanax.

Symptoms may persist, but the severity decreases, depending on the management of withdrawals. The body continues to adapt to the absence of Xanax, where some symptoms can improve while other symptoms persist. 

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

Some patients may experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) that persists or reemerges even after recovering from withdrawal symptoms.

During PAWS, symptoms will continue beyond the average withdrawal period. This happens when a patient experiencing withdrawal has other psychological conditions influencing the withdrawal from Xanax.

These symptoms can last for weeks or months following withdrawals from a drug.

Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms

Xanax is considered to have high misuse liability and severe withdrawals. Symptoms like seizures show physical dependence on Xanax.

Furthermore, psychological symptoms like cognitive impairment may still be present in the first six months after cessation. The withdrawal symptoms of Xanax are regarded to be more severe than other benzodiazepines, even when it is tapered.

It has unique rebound anxiety and complications with panic disorders causing somatic symptoms.

Some studies show that Xanax causes more frequent and severe sleep disturbances, with several reports of delirium and psychosis.    

Withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepine can be divided into three main groups:

• Anxiety and anxiety-related symptoms – Anxiety, panic attacks, muscle spasms, tremors, sleep disturbance, visual disturbance, hyperventilation, anorexia, sweating, and dysphoria
• Perceptual distortions – Hypersensitivity, abnormal bodily sensations, and depersonalization
• Major events – Seizures, psychosis, hallucinations, delusions, and delirium  

Research shows that between 10-25% of chronic users may suffer protracted withdrawal symptoms that can last up to 12 months or longer. Psychological and physical symptoms are common in both acute and protracted withdrawal.  

PAWS is a condition when a person experiences additional symptoms apart from the usual withdrawal symptoms from Xanax. PAWS is a cluster of psychological and mood-related symptoms, which is a major contributing factor to relapse. 

Common PAWS include:

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Poor memory and concentration
• Drug cravings

Recovering from Addiction to Xanax

In substance abuse treatments, most individuals who have an addiction to Xanax have a history of alcohol or opiate use. The risk and several properties of Xanax cause severe withdrawal symptoms. This is why detox and withdrawal is a difficult yet critical step in recovery. 

Xanax Detox

Medical detox from Xanax and other benzodiazepines is the first step in managing addiction. Medical supervision is important to manage physical symptoms associated with Xanax withdrawal. Detoxing can span from 5 to 7 days, minimizing discomfort caused by being physically dependent on Xanax.  

A Xanax detox program will provide you with comprehensive support to ensure your safety and health. Drug detoxing includes medical and psychological care tailored to your needs. Therefore, it is not recommended for a person to detox independently.

Xanax Withdrawal Treatment

When withdrawing from Xanax, medical supervision and guidance should be involved to ease withdrawal symptoms and prevent life-threatening complications.  

If you are prescribed a benzodiazepine like Xanax, discontinuation of treatment will still be guided by a medical professional. It is a short-acting benzodiazepine; abruptly stopping Xanax can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.

Your doctor will ask you to reduce your dosage gradually. A suggested method is to reduce daily dosage to not more than 0.5 mg every three days. 

However, dosage reduction may be slower for some patients. For long-term chronic use of Xanax, your doctor may ask you to switch to a longer-acting benzodiazepine like clonazepam or diazepam. Flumazenil is also found to be an effective drug intervention for withdrawals.

Gradual tapering of the dose will help alleviate severe withdrawal symptoms and prevent life-threatening complications. Continuous monitoring, psychological support, and administration of medications to ease symptoms of Xanax withdrawal, especially seizures.

Supplements or off-label medications to treat symptoms of withdrawal may be given. More importantly, therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are vital in supporting long-term recovery. For some individuals, group therapy or individual counseling can make a huge difference.

Treatment will vary per individual, so making assessments and choosing the right program are vital steps in making recovery successful.

Xanax Addiction Treatment Programs

There are different treatment plans you can choose from when recovering. A treatment center will offer different levels of addiction treatment. At Luxe Recovery, we provide inpatient and outpatient treatment depending on the severity of withdrawal symptoms or addiction.  

Since Xanax is prescribed for anxiety and panic disorder, if you have a coexisting mental health issue, Luxe Recovery also offers dual diagnosis treatment.

We treat patients who simultaneously experience a mental health disorder and substance use disorder. This helps support long-term recovery and prevent relapse.