You suspect your loved one is addicted to Xanax. Now what? How can you be sure and how can you help them if they are addicted? Learn what signs of addiction to look for, how to speak to your loved one about Xanax addiction and what steps you can take to provide the support they need.
| Key Facts |
|---|
| To determine if your loved one is abusing Xanax, you can watch for specific physical and behavioral warning signs of addiction. |
| Using appropriate communication strategies is key when speaking to someone about Xanax abuse. |
| It may be appropriate to stage an intervention, with the involvement of an intervention specialist to assist you. |
| Establishing boundaries and avoiding enabling behaviors are crucial for helping someone addicted to Xanax. |
| Getting support for yourself is just as important as encouraging your loved one to get the support they need. |
The first step for families dealing with a loved one’s substance abuse is to acknowledge the problem. Admitting your family member’s abuse can be difficult, but the next steps are impossible before this initial acknowledgement occurs.
How Do I Tell If My Son/Daughter Is on Xanax?
Several physical and behavioral red flags can indicate Xanax abuse. Behavioral changes to look for include declining academic or work performance, sudden isolation and a shift in social circles.
Physically, someone who is abusing Xanax typically exhibits extreme drowsiness, slurred speech and lack of coordination. High doses can also cause memory blackouts.
Finding Hidden Pills and Paraphernalia
If your son or daughter is abusing Xanax, there will likely be evidence of this drug use. Signs of Xanax abuse include unprescribed pill bottles, unmarked baggies and crushed pills.
As you keep an eye out for these signs, it’s important to maintain the delicate balance of investigating suspicions while avoiding unnecessary violations of trust. Keep their safety as the top priority, making their well-being your motivation for any investigation, rather than resorting to unwarranted “snooping.”
How you approach the initial conversation can set the tone for all interactions about your loved one’s Xanax use. It can also affect their willingness to seek help.
Approaching the Conversation with Empathy
It is crucial to speak from a place of love and concern rather than anger, judgment, or accusation. To emphasize empathy over judgment, use “I” statements. For example, “I feel worried when…” This allows you to express emotions and avoid putting your loved one on the defensive.
Timing the Conversation
Don’t try to bring up the topic when your loved one is currently under the influence of Xanax or experiencing withdrawal. Instead, choose a time when you can have a calm and uninterrupted discussion.
Find a private and neutral setting for the conversation, where you’ll both feel comfortable and can talk freely.
If initial one-on-one conversations fail to break through a loved one’s denial of Xanax addiction, it may be time to stage an intervention.
Planning Intervention Strategies
A formal intervention usually follows seven steps.
1. Develop a plan. Often, it is best to work with a trained professional to develop an intervention plan. This person can help guide the process, keep emotions in check and mediate the discussion effectively.
2. Gather information. Research Xanax addiction, its causes and treatment options.
3. Create the intervention team. Determine who will be part of the intervention. The team should include close, supportive family members. It may also be helpful to have non-family members there, such as the professional interventionist.
4. Decide on outcomes. What will each person on the team do if your loved one refuses to get addiction treatment?
5.Write down what you’ll say. Each person on the team should plan ahead (and write down) what they will say during the intervention.
6. Hold the intervention. Each person on the team shares what they have planned to say, which should include what they will do if the person doesn’t accept treatment. Offer an option for treatment and ask your loved one to accept it on the spot.
7. Follow up. Provide support to help your loved one stay in treatment and maintain recovery long-term.
Helping someone who is experiencing addiction requires more than simply supporting that individual. You must also safeguard the family unit’s mental and financial health.
Establishing healthy boundaries is key. Examples of boundaries to establish with someone who is addicted to Xanax include:
Refuse to give them money.
Don’t bail them out of legal trouble.
Don’t allow drug use in the house.
As you set these boundaries, explain to your loved one that they are meant to protect the family’s well-being and encourage them to get treatment, not to arbitrarily punish them.
There is a difference between being supportive and enabling active addiction. Common examples of enabling behavior include:
Making excuses for their absences or mistakes
Paying their bills
Ignoring the problem to avoid conflict
Addiction is not a simple problem with a simple solution. It is a medical condition requiring comprehensive, professional intervention.
When a person who is addicted to Xanax stops taking the drug, their body will experience withdrawal. Xanax withdrawal can cause serious medical complications, which makes supervised detox crucial. This medical care will prevent life-threatening complications.
Once the detox process is complete, the next step is to transition to an inpatient or outpatient program. This treatment will address the psychological aspects of addiction through various therapeutic methods.
Addiction affects far more than the individual. It is a family disease. Loved ones and caregivers desperately need their own support systems to avoid burnout.
Community support groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon provide shared experiences, healthy coping mechanisms and emotional strength for parents and partners.
Quitting Xanax cold turkey is not recommended due to the severe health dangers of sudden withdrawal from benzodiazepines. Risks include potentially fatal seizures. When quitting Xanax, it is important to taper under the care of a physician.
Withdrawal symptoms typically begin within the first 24 hours after the last use of Xanax and can begin as quickly as six hours after the last dose. The length of the withdrawal period can vary by individual, but acute symptoms usually peak by the second day and start to improve by the fifth day. Some symptoms may continue for up to a month.
Some people may experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), a condition in which withdrawal symptoms persist or reappear after initial acute withdrawal is over. PAWS may last for several months.
Hold firm to the boundaries you have established, without yielding to guilt. Continue to seek personal support for yourself through therapy or groups like Nar-Anon, while you wait for your loved one to reach a point where they are ready for help.
