Can Xanax Be Used For Depression

What Are The Main Differences Between Lexapro Vs Xanax

Lexapro is an FDA-approved medication that is also available as a generic. The generic name for Lexapro isescitalopram. It works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin so that there is an increased level in the brain. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter responsible for mood and well being. Lexapro is usually taken once daily and may take a few weeks to reach maximum therapeutic potential.

Xanax is a brand name medication that is FDA approved to treat anxiety andpanic disorders. The generic name for Xanax isalprazolam. It works by increasing the effects of GABA, an inhibitory molecule that can calm nerve activity in the brain. Xanax is usually taken 3 to 4 times per day for anxiety or panic attacks.

Best Medications For Treating Depression

Depression is a serious and common mental illness that may cause one to think have negative thoughts about themselves, how they feel, and how they act. If left untreated, it can prompt you to lose interest in activities and decrease your ability to function properly. Thankfully, there are various categories of antidepressants available to help combat depression.

Many individuals may have to try out different medications until they find the one that works best for them. Some common categories of antidepressants include:

• Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
• Tricyclic Antidepressant

SSRI antidepressants tend to be the most common and best medications for improving depression. Below are some of the best specific medications within the different categories of antidepressants.

Xanax Makes Me Depressed

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In this blog post, we will try to answer the question Can Xanax make me depressed?. In addition, we will also look at other aspects such as Can Xanax treat depression, a case study on Xanax and depression, signs of depression and what is Xanax, its uses, side effects, and interactions.

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Dont Come To An Abrupt Stop

It is critical to taper, which means to gradually reduce dosage, when stopping Xanax. Abruptly stopping Xanax can lead to potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, including depression, vomiting, headaches, mood swings, tremors, and seizures. If you want to stop taking Xanax, you should consult a medical professional to gradually and safely lower the dosage and mitigate withdrawal symptoms. FDA labels recommend reducing dosage by no more than 0.5mg per day to avoid painful or dangerous symptoms of withdrawal.

Can Stopping Xanax Treatment Cause A Hangover

It might. Stopping Xanax treatment can sometimes cause withdrawal symptoms* as the effects of the medication wear off. This can cause symptoms similar to those you might have with an alcohol hangover. For example, you may have a headache, nausea, or vomiting. You may also feel anxious or irritable.

Youre more likely to have withdrawal symptoms after stopping Xanax treatment if youve been taking the drug for a long time or at a high dose. However, these symptoms can also affect anyone who stops taking Xanax.

To help reduce your risk of withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose when you stop taking Xanax. If you have hangover-like symptoms when stopping Xanax treatment, talk with your doctor. They can recommend ways to help ease the symptoms.

* Xanax has a boxed warning about the risk of dependence and withdrawal. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To read more about this, see Xanax dependence and withdrawal below.

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Can Xanax Cause Depression

Unfortunately, some prescribing physicians may be perpetuating the cycle of abuse when it comes to benzodiazepines like Xanax.

While it is known that these drugs are safest when used for no longer than six weeks, many doctors continue to allow patients multiple refills for far longer periods of time. The Bend Bulletin notes 1.9 million prescriptions were filled for Oregon residents in 2013, and 45 percent of them refilled their medication at least three months in a row.

Often, symptoms of anxiety can lead to depressive symptoms, too, and Xanax may be prescribed to treat the original symptoms. Depression and anxiety are cited as primary reasons for drug abuse among 63 percent of older adults, per the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. While many may begin using these medications in a prescribed fashion to treat their symptoms, those same symptoms may resolve over time but the individuals remain medicated. When they attempt to come off the drug and familiar symptoms return, they assume they still need them, but sometimes, its merely that the drug itself, and dependence on it, causes feelings of depression and anxiety to manifest during withdrawal.

Xanax Abuse And Depression

There is a strong relationship between anxiety and depression, and if prescribed Xanax for your anxiety, you may be wondering and worrying, can Xanax make your depression worse?. Suppose a person takes Xanax for their anxiety and displays depressive symptoms. In that case, it can be difficult to ascertain whether this represents a depressive reaction to the anxiety or interaction due to medications. Therefore, when it comes to answering the question, is depression a side effect of Xanax? there is no definitive way to know if it is Xanax worsening depression or not.

This is because one of the long-term side effects associated with the use of benzos like Xanax is the development of depressive-like symptoms. Potential signs of Xanax abuse and depression include:

• Poor motor coordination

• Neurocognitive disorders
• History of head injuries

When abusing central nervous system depressants like Xanax, you may lose your ability to control your emotions and begin to partake in certain behaviors. Depression can be a side effect of Xanax because individuals who abuse the drug will often display severe depressive symptoms, such as decreased mood, crying, and sadness.

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Xanax For Anxiety: Is It A Good Long

Xanax is the brand name for a fast-acting benzodiazepine medication, alprazolam. This medication is prescribed for short-term treatment of generalized anxiety, panic disorders, anxiety associated with depression, and social anxiety disorder. Rarely, it is used to treat insomnia or seizures, but among benzodiazepine medications, Xanax is not the most efficient at this. Even more rarely, alprazolam can be prescribed to treat more intense and immediate symptoms of depression. However, it is important to remember that benzodiazepines, especially Xanax, work rapidly, so they are prescribed to treat the intense and sudden symptoms associated with panic or related conditions they are no longer seen as a long-term treatment.

There are many reasons that Xanax and other benzodiazepines are not considered appropriate long-term treatment for most conditions. Most people rapidly develop a tolerance to the drugs they can cause euphoria so may lead to compulsive or addictive behaviors and they can take time to detox from. People who abuse Xanax may doctor shop, steal prescriptions from friends or family, or get multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors. This increases the risk of addiction to Xanax, which can lead to long-term health problems.

How Should Xanax Be Taken

Take Xanax exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much Xanax to take and when to take it.If you take too much Xanax, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Xanax is a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems , coma and death.

Xanax can make you sleepy or dizzy, and can slow your thinking and motor skills.

Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how Xanax affects you.

Do not drink alcohol or take other drugs that may make you sleepy or dizzy while taking Xanax without first talking to your healthcare provider. When taken with alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness or dizziness, Xanax may make your sleepiness or dizziness much worse.

Do not take more Xanax than prescribed.

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Adverse Reactions Of Xanax

The most serious side effect of depression caused by Xanax is suicide. Drug-related attempts at suicide appear to be on the rise as a whole. From 2005-2011, the number of people treated in emergency rooms as a result of these attempts rose by 51 percent, per the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Among overdose deaths stemming from prescription painkiller abuse, benzodiazepines are a contributing factor in 30 percent of cases, PBS reports.

The likelihood of adverse mood reactions like depression occurring is significantly increased when Xanax is abused in conjunction with other substances. The most common cocktail is benzos and opioids, but alcohol abuse alongside Xanax is also very dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes 2010 data from 13 states showed alcohol was a contributing factor in 27.2 percent of emergency department visits involving benzos and 21.4 percent of overdose deaths involving drugs like Xanax.

Alcohol use presents enough of a risk that even moderate amounts are not advised, even when taking Xanax as prescribed. People who crush and snort Xanax rather than ingesting it orally are at greater risk of overdose, too.

Likewise, there may be reason to believe the risk of depression increases over the years of an individuals life. Suicide occurs more than twice as often among people aged 80-84 than in the general population, WebMD notes.

Xanax Addiction Can Happen To Anyone

Regardless of who you are and what your background is, its possible to become physically and psychologically dependent on Xanax. Xanax has such a high risk of misuse and addiction because of its fast-acting and potent nature, giving users an immediate sensation within minutes of taking it.

Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that makes Xanax, warns that psychological dependence is a risk with all benzos and may be greater for higher daily dosages and longer treatment durations .

If you or a loved one is struggling with Xanax misuse or addiction, seek help from professionals at DreamLife Recovery to safely address the issue and start recovering. .

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Xanax And Birth Control

Whether Xanax is safe to take during pregnancy may depend on how far along the pregnancy is. If youre sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while youre taking Xanax.

For more information about taking Xanax during pregnancy, see the Xanax and pregnancy section above.

Coverage And Cost Comparison Of Lexapro Vs Xanax

Lexapro can be purchased with a prescription and is covered by many Medicare and insurance plans. A 30-day supply of Lexapro tablets can cost around $400. Buying generic escitalopram with a SingleCare discount card can save you money and bring the cost down to $9-$37 depending on which pharmacy you use.

If youre looking to purchase Xanax from your local pharmacy, most Medicare insurance plans will cover the generic version of it. The average retail price is $400 but you can purchase a 60 count bottle of 0.5 mg alprazolam generic tablets for around $9-$21.

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What Are The Best Medications For Treating Anxiety And Depression

Every year, 18.1% of the United States adult population suffers from anxiety disorders, and 6.7% struggle with depression. Taking certain medications can be key to bettering the mental health of these individuals. Overall, benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, are best for treating anxiety disorders, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors antidepressants, like Celexa, are best for combatting depression.

The out-of-pocket cost for prescriptions can be expensive however, you can access up to 80% off on over 1,000 unique prescriptions for just $45 per month with Mira. Additionally, you can receive access to urgent care visits and lab testings at this low cost. .

Xanax Addiction Can Develop In A Few Weeks

Its possible to develop a physical dependence on Xanax in as little as one month of daily prescribed use.

Short-term clinical trials of Xanax conducted for FDA approval found that some patients could not stop taking the medication because of the withdrawal symptoms, meaning they had developed a physical dependence on the drug. In fact, the FDA-approved label for Xanax XR states, Withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, have been reported after only brief therapy with alprazolam at doses within the recommended range for the treatment of anxiety.

This means that within weeks of starting to take Xanax, people become physically dependent on the drug and cannot come off of it without suffering withdrawal symptoms.

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Can Xanax Help Depression

Xanax is a medication that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

Xanax, which is the brand name for the generic drug alprazolam, isnt usually used to treat depression because there are several newer and safer medications available.

Occasionally, however, it may be prescribed by a doctor as an off-label treatment for depression. As far back as the 1990s, Xanax has been shown in clinical studies to help treat major depressive disorder when prescribed in double the dosage used for anxiety relief for a short period of time.

Despite this, the use of Xanax in depression is controversial. This is because Xanax is considered highly addictive when used at higher doses or for a long period of time .

Xanax has even been shown to cause depression in some people due to its sedative properties and to make depression worse in people who are already depressed.

Criteria For Considering Studies For This Review

Types of studies

We selected doubleblind randomised controlled trials . Doubleblind indicates that both provider and participant are unaware of the exact nature of the intervention or control. We did not apply any language restriction and we included both published and unpublished trials.

Types of participants

Trial participants were adults , both male and female.

Diagnosis

The primary diagnosis for trial participants was major depression according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria Diagnostic and Statistical Manual or DSM IV ) a depressive episode according to the International Classification of Diseases or if the clinician considered the patient to be depressed and eligible for antidepressant treatment.

Setting

Studies were included if they were conducted in an outpatient or primary care setting. However, studies conducted in mixed inpatient and outpatient settings were included in the review.

Exclusion criteria

We excluded patients with a primary diagnosis of another major psychiatric condition, such as anxiety disorder, or important medical problems.

We excluded studies limited to inpatient populations, as the severity of their depressive symptoms is likely to be considerably higher . Hubain 1990

Types of interventions

Intervention

Control conditions

Alprazolam had to be compared with placebo, conventional antidepressants or both.

Types of outcome measures

Primary outcomes

Secondary outcomes

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What To Do In Case Of Overdose

If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Disclaimer:Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

Xanax Tablet Colors: White Peach Blue And White

The color and shape of Xanax tablets vary by strength:

• 0.25 mg: white, oval
• 1 mg: blue, oval
• 2 mg: white, rectangle with rounded corners

Xanax also comes as a long-acting form called Xanax XR . Xanax XR tablets come in the following strengths, colors, and shapes:

• 0.5 mg: white, pentagon

To learn more about dosages of Xanax XR, talk with your doctor.

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Agreements And Disagreements With Other Studies Or Reviews

There are no related nonCochrane systematic reviews, however we did identify three literature reviews . In Birkenhager 1995 alprazolam was found to be effective in mild to moderate depression, but inferior to TCAs in patients with endogenous or melancholic depression. It may not cause amelioration of core symptoms. In Jonas 1993 alprazolam demonstrated efficacy for depression, equal in efficacy to comparison agents. Medical events were reported infrequently or not at all for alprazolam and the comparator drugs there were no marked differences between drug classes. In Srisurapanont 1997, the antidepressant effect of alprazolam was comparable to that of lowdose TCAs, but the lack of longterm treatment studies makes the issue of alprazolam’s benefits and disadvantages still undetermined. The results of these three reviews are therefore consistent with our findings here.

How Should Prozac Be Taken

Take Prozac exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Prozac until it is the right dose for you.

Prozac may be taken with or without food.

If you miss a dose of Prozac, take the missed dose as soon as you remember.If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your nextdose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Prozac at the same time.

If you take too much Prozac, call your healthcare provider or poison controlcenter right away, or get emergency treatment.

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