Xanax (Alprazolam) is a medication used in treating anxiety and disorders like panic disorders and panic attacks. Sometimes the drug can be prescribed for depression and other severe conditions like premenstrual syndrome and agoraphobia.
It belongs to the benzodiazepines class and acts on the brain and nerves in order to produce some calming effects. It also slows down your nervous system and enhances the effects of your natural body chemicals.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using the drug.
Pros:
1. Treat depression: This drug can be prescribed for depression patients in order to help manage their conditions and reduce some of those bad feelings.
2. Calm down nerves: Xanax can be used as a short-term treatment for all your disorders and helps you to calm down your nerves. It reduces your anxiety.
3. Anti-anxiety: The drug has potent and therapeutic anti-anxiety effects on patients who have an anxiety condition. It helps in reducing tension, unease, and restlessness.
4. Reduce panic disorders: If you experience panic attacks and pain, you can take this drug to reduce some of these disorders.
The drug works quickly in the body giving you desiring effects within an hour.
5. Mental health disorders: Xanax is prescribed to people with mental health disorders like generalized anxiety and those with various types of phobia. It helps ease the condition and make the patients feel great.
6. Induce sleep: This benzodiazepine drug acts as a tranquilizer to induce sleep in patients feeling depressed and this makes them feel more relaxed when they wake up.
7. Relieve muscle spasms: If you have persistent muscle spasms, you can take Xanax to relieve the pain and reduce tension.
8. Prevent seizures: It helps in reducing mental disorders like changes in behaviors and feelings. Over-use of the drug may worsen your condition.
9. Chemotherapy-induced nausea: Together with other treatments, it can be used to reduce nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy.
10. Reduces agoraphobia: It helps you reduce anxiety associated with fear and feelings of helplessness.
Cons:
1. Withdrawal reactions: If it is used for a long time, it can cause withdrawal symptoms like seizures. If you want to stop using the drug, you need to consult your doctor and let them reduce your dosage gradually.
2. Addiction: Use of this drug may sometimes cause an addiction especially if you have substance use disorder like addiction to alcohol or other strong drugs.
3. Drug failure: If you have been taking this drug for a long time, your body adapts to it and it stops working for you.
4. Side effects: The drug may cause dizziness, increase saliva production or lead to low libido.
5. Mood changes: If you have mental or mood changes like having suicidal thoughts and hallucinations after taking the drug, let your doctor know right away. Other changes you may experience include mental loss, lack of coordination, trouble walking, and difficulty talking.
6. Allergic reaction: Although allergic reactions are very rare if you get an allergic reaction like itching, rash, swelling especially on your throat and face, you should get medical help right away.
7. Dizzy: Alprazolam drug may make you feel dizzy or drowsy. If you have been taking alcohol or marijuana, the drug makes you dizzier, therefore, avoid using machines or driving after taking the drug.
8. Lung and liver issues: If you have a medical condition like breathing difficulties, lungs, and liver issues, you should consult with the doctor before taking the drug since it can worsen your condition.
9. Drug interaction: When going for surgery, you should let your doctor know all the prescribed and non-prescribed drugs you have taken to avoid drug interaction.
10. Pregnant women: This drug is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The drug can have undesirable effects on a nursing infant.