Why do people snort xanax

Xanax is the brand name for the benzodiazepine called alprazolam, which is prescribed to people with anxiety and panic disorders and sometimes to people with insomnia and seizures. When taken as prescribed, Xanax is a safe and often effective medication for its designated purposes. However, because it does have a potential for abuse and addiction, many people have taken to crushing and snorting Xanax to get high. But can you snort Xanax? What happens if you do?

Why Do People Snort Xanax?

Xanax is prescribed by doctors to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Because of its high risk of addiction, however, it is usually used as a short-term form of treatment. Prescriptions usually only last 2 to 6 weeks, although dependency can develop within a couple of weeks.

Physical dependence on a drug refers to the brain’s and body’s increased tolerance to the substance and its effects. Dependence can occur with both prescription and illicit drugs and doesn’t necessarily mean the person is addicted to the substance. Even so, it’s advised that people who become physically dependent on drugs seek out medical detox to avoid severe withdrawals and continual drug use, which could lead to addiction.

Many people use Xanax recreationally because of the sedation and relaxation it produces in high doses. Xanax abuse occurs when the drug is taken more often, too long, or at a higher dose than prescribed or when it’s used without a prescription. People may try different methods of drug abuse to experience more intense side effects, with one of these methods being snorting or inhalation.

People crush and snort Xanax pills so they can experience a stronger or more intense high. Using drugs in ways they aren’t meant to be administered, such as snorting or even injecting them, changes how quickly side effects kick in and how much of the blood enters the bloodstream at once. The result may therefore be a more potent high than if they were to take the drug in high doses as they’re meant to be taken.

What Happens If You Snort Xanax?

Benzos, like alprazolam, work by interacting with the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits neural communication in the central nervous system. Xanax comes in two formulations - immediate-release and extended-release. While immediate-release Xanax kicks in fast and lasts around 4 to 6 hours, extended-release Xanax takes longer to kick in and lasts about 12 to 14 hours.

Crushing and snorting Xanax pills allows more of the drug to hit the bloodstream and make it into the brain than it would if it were taken orally as it’s meant to be taken. As a result, side effects like sedation and drowsiness are heightened and occur more rapidly.

With that said, the short-term effects of snorting Xanax are essentially the same as taking the drug orally. Though the effects may kick in more quickly when pills are crushed, and some of the extended-release coatings on the pills are removed during crushing, the duration of effects is more or less the same as normal abuse of the pill.

Common side effects of snorting Xanax include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Difficulty remembering
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Decreased saliva production
  • Loss of balance
  • Lightheadedness
  • Change in sex drive
  • Slurred speech
  • Hallucinations
  • Blurred vision
  • Blacking out
  • Aggression
  • Depression
  • Impulsive behavior
  • Psychotic experiences

The strongest side effects of Xanax may peak more quickly and intensely when pills are crushed and snorted. What happens when you snort Xanax also depends on the formulation of the drug that’s being used as well as how long the person has been taking the drug.

Snorting Xanax can also increase your risk of overdose because it allows more of the drug to hit your system all at once. This doesn’t give the body the chance to process it properly, increasing the likelihood of toxicity. Repeated abuse of alprazolam will also reduce the efficacy of the drug because the body develops a tolerance to it, which encourages increased use.

Help for Xanax Abuse

Comparing snorting vs. oral Xanax abuse, both forms of recreational use can lead to dependence and addiction. Because of the way the drug impacts GABA in the brain, long-term Xanax abuse can easily lead to an addiction that can be difficult to overcome without professional support.

If you or someone you care about falls into this category, our Stuart, FL rehab can help. We offer benzo detox and addiction treatment that address the withdrawal symptoms of drugs like Xanax, as well as the underlying psychological struggles that often come with addiction.

We believe that addressing withdrawals with the help of a medical team can not only make clients more comfortable during recovery but also decreases the risk of relapse and improves their chances of achieving long-term sobriety. We also incorporate psychotherapy in our Florida addiction treatment programs to ensure that patients are receiving the support they need to heal mentally as well.

For more information about our addiction therapy programs and services and how we can make sobriety possible for you or a loved one, call Banyan Treatment Center Stuart today at 888-280-4763.

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What Are the Long-Term Effects of Xanax?

Doctors prescribe the benzodiazepine Xanax in dosages determined according to individual needs. However, this is usually taken orally as a standard or extended-release pill or an orally disintegrating tablet. Snorting Xanax is a harmful misuse of the drug and can cause long term negative side-effects.

Why Do People Snort Xanax?

Xanax, often prescribed for anxiety and stress, raises a compound in the brain called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). This reduces stress, creating a feeling of comfort. When taken as prescribed, the drug’s effects are felt for several hours as it metabolizes in the system.

Snorting Xanax, though, is a way to get the substance directly into the bloodstream for a more rapid effect. Taken in this way, the drug becomes highly addictive, prompting users to require more of this controlled substance beyond the amount legally prescribed by medical professionals.

Snorting Xanax can have significant medical side effects, including making individuals more vulnerable to a fatal overdose, especially when mixed with alcohol. 

The Snorting Myth

Xanax is not a water-soluble pill, unlike some other controlled and illegal substances, therefore it does not transport as effectively through the nasal passages to the brain as we might imagine. Pharmaceutical studies have demonstrated that snorting is not a faster route than oral treatment in reducing anxiety.

However, the misconception persists, and snorting Xanax, and other benzodiazepines remains a preferred method of transport into the body among some users. The bottom line is that when we crush and snort Xanax or any pill that should be taken orally, we are misusing the drug.

Long-Term Effects of Snorting Xanax

By themselves, long-term prescription medications of any kind, taken as directed, can create negative side-effects, and even organ damage over time. Misusing and abusing medication has the potential to speed up these long term side effects into the short to mid-term, leaving damage that will require treatment or mitigation in addition to any addiction recovery you may need to address.

Nasal insufflation or snorting can damage our nasal cavity, sinuses, and respiratory tract over a relatively short period. As COVID-19 has demonstrated over the last twelve months, our respiratory tract is vulnerable to infection and even chronic, irreversible failure when compromised.

Inflammation Danger

It is worth considering that our body produces inflammation as a way to combat or prevent infection. Inflammation can therefore be a good thing in some situations. However, once our body starts deploying tons of white infection-fighting blood cells over to problem area A, it leaves us vulnerable to an attack at problem area B. While this might not be a big deal when we are healthy, it can be a major problem when we’re sick.

When our body fights to prevent or attack an infection, our cells eventually run low on fuel. Unless we either stop the thing causing the issue or load up on healthy food, our cells, specifically the mitochondria, split off until the cell eventually dies. Dead cells lurking near the healthy cells slow those down, too, creating further inflammation. In turn, the inflammation causes disease. 

Long Term Damage

The inactive ingredients in Xanax, like cornstarch, can irritate the delicate tissue of the nose. This irritation may increase the risk of the respiratory tract and nasal blockages leading to infection and lung damage.

Damaged lungs can include a type of fibrosis or hardening of lung tissue resulting in reduced oxygen absorption capacity. This fibrosis will continue until treated, resulting in brain damage or dementia, in severe cases, due to lowered oxygen levels to the brain.

Addiction and Recovery

Due to its high strength, Xanax must be taken only as directed under medical supervision, when it’s prescribed. Withdrawing from Xanax addiction due to its potential for seizures and panic attacks should be undertaken in a professional detoxification program under medical supervision.

Depending on the length of dependence, withdrawal symptoms might include:

  • Difficulty focusing
  • Nausea
  • Hand tremors
  • Increased strain and nervousness
  • Irritability
  • Panic strikes
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Sweating
  • Seizures

Detox is only the first step in restoration. A professional treatment program at an experienced inpatient facility that includes targeted support counseling will help you reach your long term recovery goals.

 Often prescribed to treat generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), Xanax is the number one psychiatric medication prescribed in the United States. When used long term, it is highly addictive. Users often crush and snort this prescription medication because they believe it will deploy anxiety-relieving benefits faster. No evidence supports this theory, however. What it does do is create inflammatory health problems when crushed. Surrounded by the sublime landscape of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, the Detox Center of Colorado offers a solution-based transitional residence program aimed at accountability and recovery. Against a backdrop of clean, mountain air, we support your substance abuse or mental health recovery by a range of treatment and aftercare options. Call the Detox Center of Colorado at (303) 952-5035.