Xanax side effects anger

Xanax and Anger Outbursts: 3 Vital Facts

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By WebMD Connect to Care Staff, Lan Pham

Misuse of Xanax (alprazolam) can lead to anger outbursts. Here’s why.

Xanax, a type of benzodiazepine, can be prescribed by a doctor to treat anxiety and panic disorders. One possible side effect of this medication is unpredictable mood swings–including outbursts of anger–which may become more extreme when combined with other substances. Read on for three key facts about Xanax and its influence on decision-making, judgments, and emotions.

1. Anger outbursts can be a side effect of Xanax misuse.

It may be surprising to learn a medication taken to help people feel calmer can also lead to anger outbursts.  According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, Xanax interferes with the brain’s ability to function properly, in a manner similar to alcohol. Long-term use and misuse of Xanax have been linked with aggression, irritability, rage attacks, and violence. Those who take Xanax with other substances (especially alcohol), have a history of impulsivity, and/or have anxiety disorders are more likely to experience anger as a side effect. 

“As with any addictive substance, once addiction takes hold of the patient, it can lead to erratic behavior, mood swings, and emotional outbursts, including outbursts of anger,” Dr. David Culpepper, MD, Clinical Director of LifeMD, tells WebMD Connect to Care.  

Although Xanax anger outbursts are somewhat uncommon, the Journal of Clinical Medicine article indicates that when they do occur, they tend to be extreme. Xanax can influence people’s judgment, which can subsequently result in destructive behavior as their anger becomes uncontrollable. This may cause harm to:

• Interpersonal friendships and relationships (arguing, yelling)
• Physical well-being (physically fighting others, driving while under the influence)
• Caretaking relationships with children (neglect may occur)
• Legal status (being charged with unlawful behavior)

2. Xanax is known to have a strong potential for misuse. 

American Addiction Centers reports that Xanax is considered one of the most addictive benzodiazepine medications on the market. Its effects on the brain are both potent and fast-acting, which increases its risk for abuse. Those who take doses of 4mg a day for longer than 12 weeks are at a higher risk for addiction–but anyone who misuses the medication puts themselves at risk for developing a substance use disorder. 

“Xanax is a highly addictive substance that should be used only as prescribed,” says Culpepper, “and even then it should be used with caution.   Even when taken only as indicated by a physician, this powerful anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication) can be habit-forming.”

In fact, a 2018 review article published by the Journal of Addiction Medicine reports that many addiction specialists regard Xanax as highly addictive, while many primary care physicians continue to prescribe it for longer periods than recommended. It’s therefore always a good idea to discuss the drug carefully with your doctors and do your research. 

3. Mixing Xanax with other substances may increase the risk of anger outbursts.

American Addiction Centers reports that combining Xanax with alcohol can increase the risk of experiencing cognitive deficits. Because Xanax and alcohol enhance each other’s effects, those who are taking both of them can experience significant reductions in their cognitive functioning–which can potentially result in hostile or aggressive behavior. Additionally, mixing alcohol and Xanax increases the risk of developing the following:

• Acute conditions such as psychosis, suicidal tendencies, or seizures
• Mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, or psychotic disorders–when the combined substance misuse is long-term
• Issues with personal relationships and meeting life goals
• Organ or brain damage resulting from overdose

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SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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• SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

  Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

• Suggested Resources

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  It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
  Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

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  For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

Last Updated: 08/30/2022

Xanax is a lethal sedative for teenagers

Drug addiction is a disease that can overtake any person. Unfortunately, addictions don't take long to develop. Yes, and highly addictive drugs may seem at first glance, safe drugs. Xanax is such a drug. The drug, designed to help in the fight against insomnia, is easy to buy in pharmacies. Xanax is a medicine that has hidden possibilities. Often it is he who is chosen by drug addicts in pursuit of an inexpensive and affordable buzz.

Even if Xanax is prescribed by a doctor and bought with a prescription, you should not forget that the treatment can cause serious consequences. The strongest sedative quickly causes addiction and should be taken under the strict supervision of a doctor and only in the doses indicated by a specialist. Exceeding the dosage or increasing the number of doses can become addictive.

Xanax is a form of benzodiazepine that helps with anxiety and insomnia. The drug slows down the nervous system, helps relieve anxiety, a sense of threat. The person calms down, his life rhythm is getting better. But only if you follow all the rules and recommendations for taking the medicine.

In addition to dealing with anxiety, Xanax helps to cope with alcohol addiction. When refusing alcohol, a person experiences feelings of anxiety, panic attacks and other problems, the solution of which is the drug prescribed by the doctor. For medical purposes, Xanax is also used in the treatment of seizures. This is really one of the most effective and effective psychoactive substances, for which drug addicts choose it.

Xanax as a drug can radically change a person's life. Even the slightest overdose causes addiction, and with the systematic use of the drug without the supervision of a specialist, the consequences can be fatal.

Xanax: how the drug works

Treatment with Xanax rarely leads to addiction if done correctly. But the development of drug addiction due to medical care happens infrequently. Much more often, drug addicts deliberately begin to take pills of the drug.

The human brain is a receptacle for a huge number of gamma receptors (neurons). They are responsible for anxiety, restlessness, a sense of danger and other symptoms, which are eliminated with the help of Xanax. With severe anxiety, the activity of neurons increases excessively, and the drug helps to “extinguish” it. Xanax acts very quickly - anxiety and panic disappear almost immediately after taking the pill. But addiction develops quickly. Under the supervision of a doctor, the drug is quickly canceled, replacing it with other methods of treatment. With drug addiction, withdrawal does not occur.

Reviews for Xanax vary. For some patients, this medicine helps to cope with the disease. In other people, it causes serious health problems and addiction, which can be felt even between doses prescribed by a doctor.

Xanax is a drug, and if taken the way drug addicts take it, anyone can become addicted. As a result, there is a feeling of euphoria, lightness, mental activity becomes dull, the body relaxes, mood improves. A long period of Xanax use leads to dementia, mental disorders, poor coordination. With each new dose of the drug, the condition will worsen, the doses of the drug will increase, the risks to life will increase. If you have been prescribed Xanax for treatment, keep the tablets out of the reach of children and strangers. Carefully monitor your condition and be sure to visit your doctor regularly.

How to understand that a person needs help

Xanax is the effect of calmness and carelessness. But it also has a lot of side effects. Symptoms of dependence on Xanax are easy enough to recognize:

• rapid onset of fatigue, severe fatigue;
• a person is confused in his thoughts, judgments;
• the addict's speech is confused, slurred;
• severe headaches appear;
• increases sensitivity to noise;
• tremor of hands and whole body develops;
• mood changes abruptly;
• insomnia develops;
• emotions disappear;
• increased sweating;
• may experience numbness of the extremities, vomiting, nausea;
• weight changes dramatically.

Dependence on Xanax also has external manifestations. The skin may turn red and develop a rash. The face swells, becomes puffy, swelling may occur in other parts of the body, including the throat, tongue. Speech in this case becomes difficult, the voice changes.

Taking Xanax also affects the state of the gastrointestinal tract. Drug addicts experience stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation. Cardiac activity is disturbed, as a result of which an aggravated feeling of cold appears, a person shakes, freezes even in the heat. Over time, the feeling of euphoria is replaced by increased anxiety, suicidal thoughts, fears appear. This condition cannot last long - a person either goes to a specialized clinic for treatment, or dies.

The active substance of Xanax is alprazolam. The consequences of taking it can only be eliminated by specialists, so dealing with the problem on your own is not an option.

Xanax is a powerful drug, but what effect should be expected from its correct use? When treated with Xanax, the patient may experience a feeling of lethargy, slight fatigue, but such manifestations do not entail serious consequences. Report any changes in your condition to your doctor immediately! After the abolition of Xanax, anxiety, panic attacks can develop, a person can harm himself and others. Therefore, the drug is not canceled just like that - a replacement is selected for it, the intake of which is also strictly controlled by a specialist. Cancellation of the drug takes place in stages.

Xanax instructions for use: indications, contraindications, side effects - description of Xanax tab. 500 mcg: 30 pcs. (1427)

💊 Ingredients of Xanax ® ✅ Use of Xanax ® Keep for yourself Search for analogues ⚠️ The state registration of this drug has been canceled Description of the active ingredients of the preparation Xanax ® (Xanax ® ) The scientific information provided is general and cannot be used to make decisions. decisions about the use of a particular drug. Update date: 2020.11.07 Marketing authorization holder: PHARMACIA, NV/SA (Belgium) ATX code: N05BA12 (Alprazolam) Active substance: alprazolam (alprazolam) Rec.INN WHO registered Dosage form Xanax ® Tab. 500 mcg: 30 pcs. reg. No.: P N013211/01-2001 from 20.07.01 - Cancellation of the State. registration Release form, packaging and composition Xanax ® Tablets 1 tab. alprazolam 500 mcg 10 pcs. - cellular contour packings (3) - packs of cardboard. Clinical and pharmacological group: Anxiolytic (tranquilizer) Pharmacotherapeutic group: Anxiolytic agent (tranquilizer) Pharmacological action Anxiolytic agent (tranquilizer), triazolo-benzodiazepine derivative. It has an anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, central muscle relaxant effect. The mechanism of action is to enhance the inhibitory effect of endogenous GABA in the CNS by increasing the sensitivity of GABA receptors to the mediator as a result of stimulation of benzodiazepine receptors located in the allosteric center of postsynaptic GABA receptors of the ascending activating reticular formation of the brainstem and intercalary neurons of the lateral horns of the spinal cord; reduces the excitability of the subcortical structures of the brain (limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus), inhibits polysynaptic spinal reflexes. Pronounced anxiolytic activity (reduction of emotional stress, weakening of anxiety, fear, restlessness) is combined with a moderately pronounced hypnotic effect; shortens the period of falling asleep, increases the duration of sleep, reduces the number of night awakenings. The mechanism of hypnotic action is to inhibit the cells of the reticular formation of the brain stem. Reduces the impact of emotional, vegetative and motor stimuli that disrupt the mechanism of falling asleep. Pharmacokinetics After oral administration, alprazolam is rapidly and completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. C max in plasma is achieved within 1-2 hours. Plasma protein binding is 80%. Metabolized in the liver. T 1/2 averages 12-15 hours. Alprazolam and its metabolites are excreted mainly by the kidneys. Indications of the active substances of the drug Xanax ® Anxiety, neurosis, accompanied by a sense of anxiety, danger, restlessness, tension, worsening sleep, irritability, and somatic disorders; mixed anxiety-depressive states; neurotic reactive-depressive states, accompanied by a decrease in mood, loss of interest in the environment, anxiety, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, somatic disorders; anxiety states and neurotic depressions that have developed against the background of somatic diseases; panic disorder with and without phobia symptoms. Open list of ICD-10 codes F32 Depressive episode F33 Recurrent depressive disorder F40 Phobic anxiety disorders (including agoraphobia, social phobias) F41.0 Panic disorder [episodic paroxysmal anxiety] F41.2 Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder F45.3 Somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system F48.0 Neurasthenia F48.9 Neurotic disorder, unspecified F51. 2 Sleep and wake disorders of non-organic etiology Dosing regimen The route of administration and dosing regimen of a particular drug depends on its form of release and other factors. The optimal dosage regimen is determined by the doctor. Compliance of the dosage form of a particular drug with indications for use and dosing regimen should be strictly observed. Individual. It is recommended to use the minimum effective dose. The dose is adjusted during treatment, depending on the effect achieved and tolerability. If it is necessary to increase the dose, it should be increased gradually, first in the evening, and then in the daytime. The initial dose is 250-500 mcg 3 times / day, if necessary, a gradual increase to 4.5 mg / day is possible. For elderly or debilitated patients, the initial dose is 250 mcg 2-3 times / day, maintenance doses - 500-750 mcg / day, if necessary, taking into account tolerability, the dose can be increased. Cancel or reduce the dose of alprazolam should be carried out gradually, reducing the daily dose by no more than 500 micrograms every 3 days; sometimes even slower cancellation may be needed. Side effects From the side of the central nervous system: at the beginning of treatment (especially in elderly patients) drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, decreased ability to concentrate, ataxia, disorientation, unsteady gait, slowing mental and motor reactions; rarely - headache, euphoria, depression, tremor, memory loss, impaired coordination of movements, depressed mood, confusion, dystonic extrapyramidal reactions (uncontrolled movements, including the eyes), weakness, myasthenia gravis, dysarthria; in some cases, paradoxical reactions (aggressive outbursts, confusion, psychomotor agitation, fear, suicidal tendencies, muscle spasm, hallucinations, agitation, irritability, anxiety, insomnia). From the digestive system: possible dry mouth or salivation, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, impaired liver function, increased activity of liver transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, jaundice. On the part of the hematopoietic system: possible leukopenia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis (chills, hyperthermia, sore throat, excessive fatigue or weakness), anemia, thrombocytopenia. From the urinary system: Urinary incontinence, urinary retention, impaired renal function, decreased or increased libido, dysmenorrhea are possible. On the part of the endocrine system: possible changes in body weight, libido disorders, menstrual cycle disorders. From the side of the cardiovascular system: possible decrease in blood pressure, tachycardia. Allergic reactions: possible skin rash, itching. Contraindications for use Coma, shock, myasthenia gravis, angle-closure glaucoma (acute attack or predisposition), acute alcohol poisoning (with weakening of vital functions), opioid analgesics, hypnotics and psychotropic drugs, chronic obstructive airways disease with initial manifestations of respiratory insufficiency, acute respiratory failure, severe depression (suicidal tendencies may occur), pregnancy (especially the first trimester), lactation, children and adolescents under 18 years of age, hypersensitivity to benzodiazepines. Use during pregnancy and lactation Alprazolam has a toxic effect on the fetus and increases the risk of congenital malformations when used in the first trimester of pregnancy. Chronic use during pregnancy can lead to physical dependence with the development of withdrawal syndrome in the newborn. Reception in therapeutic doses in later stages of pregnancy can cause depression of the central nervous system of the newborn. Use immediately before or during labor may cause respiratory depression, decreased muscle tone, hypotension, hypothermia, and poor suckling (poor neonatal sucking syndrome) in the neonate. Benzodiazepines may be excreted in breast milk, which may make the newborn drowsy and make feeding difficult. experimental studies show that alprazolam and its metabolites are excreted in breast milk. Use in hepatic impairment Alprazolam should be used with caution in patients with hepatic impairment. Use in Impaired Renal Function Alprazolam should be used with caution in patients with impaired renal function. Use in children Contraindication: children and adolescents under 18 years of age. Use in elderly patients For elderly or debilitated patients, the initial dose is 250 mcg 2-3 times / day, maintenance doses - 500-750 mcg / day, if necessary, taking into account tolerability, the dose can be increased. Special instructions In endogenous depression, alprazolam can be used in combination with antidepressants. When using alprazolam in patients with depression, there have been cases of the development of hypomanic and manic states. Alprazolam should be used with caution in patients with hepatic and/or renal impairment. In patients who have not previously taken drugs that affect the central nervous system, alprazolam is effective at lower doses compared with patients who received antidepressants, anxiolytics or suffering from chronic alcoholism. With long-term use in high doses, the development of addiction and the formation of drug dependence is possible, especially in patients prone to drug abuse. With rapid dose reduction or abrupt withdrawal of alprazolam, a withdrawal syndrome occurs, the symptoms of which can range from mild dysphoria and insomnia to a severe syndrome with abdominal and skeletal muscle cramps, vomiting, increased sweating, tremors and convulsions. The withdrawal syndrome is more common in individuals who have received alprazolam for a long time (more than 8-12 weeks). Other tranquilizers should not be co-administered with alprazolam. The safety of alprazolam in children and adolescents under 18 years of age has not been established. Children, especially at a younger age, are very sensitive to the inhibitory effect of benzodiazepines on the central nervous system. Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment. Influence on the ability to drive vehicles and mechanisms During the period of treatment, one should refrain from engaging in potentially hazardous activities that require increased attention and speed of psychomotor reactions (driving vehicles or working with mechanisms). Drug interactions With the simultaneous use of psychotropic, anticonvulsants, drugs and ethanol, an increase in the inhibitory effect of alprazolam on the central nervous system is observed. With simultaneous use of blockers of histamine H 2 receptors reduce the clearance of alprazolam and increase the inhibitory effect of alprazolam on the central nervous system; macrolide antibiotics - reduce the clearance of alprazolam. With simultaneous use of hormonal contraceptives for oral administration increase T 1/2 alprazolam. With the simultaneous use of alprazolam with dextropropoxyphene, more pronounced CNS depression is observed than in combination with other benzodiazepines, tk. it is possible to increase the concentration of alprazolam in the blood plasma. Simultaneous intake of digoxin increases the risk of developing intoxication with cardiac glycosides. Alprazolam increases the plasma concentration of imipramine. 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