Xanax is a highly addictive drug because of its calming effects and quick response in the body. It is also a highly prescribed drug, which gives it high abuse potential. Xanax is used to treat panic attacks, anxiety, and sometimes insomnia. Its effects can last up to six hours, which is why it works pretty well for anyone struggling with sleep or restlessness.
Addiction is not something many people anticipate because most of it starts with a short prescription and advances to regular use of the drug. Taking any drug without a prescription is dangerous and could have serious consequences. How do you tell when a loved one is addicted to Xanax?
Symptoms and Signs of Xanax or Other Xanax Street Names Addiction
It is not easy to spot a Xanax addict because of its tolerability, but some various signs and symptoms could guide you on that. These signs are divided into three categories. There are the physical signs, the behavioral signs, and the psychological signs.
If you notice a couple of them in a loved one, they could be battling a Xanax addiction. You cannot tell whether they have been abusing the drug because Xanax street names sound like common everyday words. For example, the 2 mg pill could go by any of these names: bars, sticks, ladders, and even planks. It takes keen observation to notice a Xanax addiction.
1. The Psychological Signs
Prolonged use of Xanax eventually leads to addiction, which could affect some neurological functions like memory, concentration, and moods. You will find that someone who is not easily irritable gets easily annoyed. Mood changes could happen both ways. They could either have a lot of enthusiasm or lack thereof.
When you notice these significant changes in behavior, observe keenly and pay attention to mentions of other Xanax street names like Zans, Xannies, Xanbars, or even yellow boys. It is essential to familiarize yourself with other Xanax street names because a drug addict will know how to use them to disguise.
Other common psychological changes in a Xanax addict are memory loss and confusion. Such a person may also find it hard to perform a lengthy focus task. The prolonged use of Xanax will make someone have trouble remembering things and cause sudden mood changes.
2. The Behavioral Signs
You can observe a loved one’s behavior to know whether they are abusing Xanax or not. The behavior changes include lying and stealing. As with any other type of drug abuse, the persistent urge for more will make someone a liar and a thief. They will lie to get money for the drug or steal it when not given.
Other behaviors to observe are slurred speech, blackouts, and even short-term amnesia. The last two happen in severe cases where the addict has been at it too long. When that happens, that is a call for immediate intervention. Behavioral signs result from the psychological effects that drugs have on the individual. Therefore, once it affects them psychologically, you will see changes in their behavior.
You can gauge the behavior change based on how they were before they started using Xanax. If they were quiet and then suddenly overly talkative, that is one sign that something has changed. The talkative ones will become quieter and moody, which is a significant behavior change.
3. The Physical Signs
Physical signs of Xanax are usually the easiest to notice. The symptoms will kick in when a person starts taking more than the recommended dose. These symptoms include nausea, constipation, lack of coordination, and headaches.
When someone is constantly complaining of light-headedness and drowsiness, it could be Xanax abuse that is causing all that trouble. You may not pinpoint the drug abuse at first because Xanax has various street names, depending on how the pill looks. The 0.5 mg pill is popularly known as peaches because of its color, while the 1 mg pill goes by the name footballs or blue footballs because of the shape.
Some other common physical signs of Xanax abuse are:
- Dry mouth
- Low sex drive
- Increased salivation
- Slurred speech
Look out for any of the above signs if you suspect someone is abusing Xanax. Before identifying the psychological signs, you will have seen the physical ones. The earlier you spot them, the faster the person can get the help they need.
Conclusion
There are so many Xanax street names such that a loved one could be abusing the drug, and you do not know because you have never heard them mention it. Therefore, it is essential to be keen on other indicators of Xanax abuse, like behavior change and the physical changes we talked about here. It is important to note that, like with alcohol, these signs may not be easy to identify. You need to have a keen interest in someone to notice that something has changed.