In 2020, almost 150,000 adolescents in Arizona aged 3-17 reported feelings of depression or anxiety. With benzodiazepines being one of the most widely utilized medications to help those with anxiety, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’ve become well-known enough to be mentioned in the media. From the casual mention in YouTube videos to songs even being named after them, things like Xanax have become almost popular. The danger of this, however, is when teens and young adults alike are unaware of what this drug does when taken against medical advice.
Approximately 6% of adolescents aged 14-17 from Arizona reported misusing prescription sedatives like Xanax in the year 2022. Here at Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we believe in providing easy-to-access, educational information regarding substance use in all of its forms. Today we’re going to be looking specifically at Xanax Bars, what they are, how they’re used, and how they can impact the body.
What are Xanax Bars?
So, what exactly are Xanax bars? Are they the same as normal Xanax?
Xanax bars are the unofficial, or “street name”, for an uncut pill of Xanax. It is a tablet that’s perforated in three spots, dividing it into 4 sections. Normally, each of these sections is equal to about .5mg of Xanax, so one bar in total is worth 2mg. While a milligram is a tiny measurement, when it comes to medication it can be fairly impactful. To give you some perspective, the average prescription of Xanax normally calls for .25mg - .5mg as the dosage.
The Dangers of Xanax Bars - How They Impact Your Body
Xanax is a benzodiazepine, also referred to as “benzos.” Benzos are a depressant primarily used to help those with anxiety disorders, panic attacks, sleep disorders, seizures, and sometimes to help assist in curbing the effects of alcohol withdrawal.
When you take a depressant, it slows down the body and the messaging system within it. This can help calm people who are experiencing panic attacks, help calm the body in order to sleep, or slow the reaction causing a seizure in order to reduce or stop one. When taken in excess, it can slow down the body too much. There are also other side effects that can pop up from misuse or long-term misuse.
Some of the long-term side effects of taking Xanax include:
- Memory loss
- Increased anxiety and depression
- Impaired thinking and concentration
- Drowsiness and lethargy
- Irritability and aggression
- Paranoia
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Difficulty sleeping, including disturbing dreams
One of the other major dangers of taking things like Xanax bars is overdose. The average prescription of Xanax is 4mg per day for a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Since one Xanax bar is 2mg, it’s not difficult to reach and surpass the daily suggested limit. Not only that but since the average dosage is .5/mg at a time, this only increases the chances of overdose with misuse.
If you or a loved one starts experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be experiencing a Xanax overdose:
- Jitteriness
- Mood swings
- Aggression
- Shallow breathing
- Increased drowsiness
- Unconsciousness
How Does Your Brain React When You Take Xanax Bars?
When dealing with depressants and “slowing down the messages in the body,” we’re referring specifically to the central nervous system. These types of medications are known as CNS depressants, which stands for “central nervous system” depressants. In the case of a prescription, you will take a specific dose in order to feel the desired effect. For example, in the case of a panic attack, you might take Xanax to help reduce your symptoms for quick relief.
When you take CNS depressants, like Xanax bars, outside of medical advice, you can start to feel additional side effects. Here are just a few of the common side effects of taking benzos like Xanax.
- Confusion
- Increased drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Impaired coordination
- Reduced stress or anxiety
- Slurred speech
- Loss of appetite
The Withdrawal Effects Caused by Xanax Bars and Other Benzos
One of the biggest concerns of Xanax misuse is withdrawal. Even those who take benzos like Xanax as prescribed can experience withdrawal when stopping the medication. This is why oftentimes doctors only prescribe it as needed, or they do their best to help patients taper off of the medication instead of quitting it cold turkey.
When the body becomes used to a substance or medication altering how it behaves, or assisting it with things, it can adjust to this added helping hand. When you stop putting that substance into your body, your body can react to its absence, causing withdrawal. In most cases, withdrawal comes with cravings for the substance that had been regularly consumed, which highly contributes to substance use disorders.
So what does Xanax withdrawal look like?
Xanax is a short-acting benzodiazepine, which impacts how it not only is felt within your body but how long or severe your withdrawal is. Short-acting refers to how quickly a medication is felt and then expelled from the body. As you might guess, short-acting means that it’s felt more quickly than a long-acting benzodiazepine would. Because of this quick nature of being felt and then leaving, the chances of withdrawal actually increase due to your body having less time to adjust to the absence of the substance.
The side effects that come from Xanax withdrawal can begin as little as several hours after your last dose. The worst symptoms tend to occur within the first 3 days, though symptoms as a whole can last up to 18 days after your last dose. The most common time for someone to relapse during withdrawal is the first three days, in order to alleviate the symptoms they’re experiencing.
Getting Treatment for Xanax and Other Benzodiazepines
When it comes to your journey of recovery from Xanax and other forms of benzo addiction, one of the best places to start is detox. Xanax detox treatment can help you work through withdrawal and some of its symptoms in a safe manner.
Here at Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we offer every step of the process from detox to outpatient. We can help you work through your recovery journey and reach your healing goals. If you have any questions about our treatment programs, recovery from Xanax, or anything else, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (866) 377-4761.
Is Your Loved One Suffering From Xanax Use Disorder? Give Us A Call Today!
FAQs About Xanax Bars
What are Xanax bars?
Xanax bars are a 2mg tablet form of Xanax with perforations for four sections, splitting it into .5mg doses.
What are the benefits of taking a Xanax bar?
You should not take a Xanax bar unless prescribed. It is a higher dosage than most prescriptions call for.
What are the street names of Xanax bars?
Xanax, white girls, xans, and even Xanax bars are all street names.