How Long Does Xanax Stay In Your System?
- May 25, 2022
- Prosperity Haven
- Addiction Treatment
Xanax is the brand name for Alprazolam, a drug that is prescribed to treat anxiety, panic attacks, or different kinds of panic disorders. While it is strictly meant for anxiety, it is sometimes prescribed to help people who suffer from insomnia and other sleep-related issues, as well as minor depression. However, it is not designed to treat insomnia or depression. In addition to prescriptions for unrelated issues, Xanax is a drug that is frequently abused.
Like many drugs that treat anxiety, people can build up a tolerance to Xanax over time. This causes them to take higher and higher dosages to get to the desired effect. While Xanax overdose is not common, it is far more common if the drug is mixed with alcohol or illicit drugs like Fentanyl. In fact, the combination of Xanax with other drugs proves fatal to thousands of people every year.
While Xanax is a legal drug, it requires a prescription. Therefore, if you need to take a drug test and take Xanax without a prescription, you could find yourself in serious trouble. Additionally, Xanax is a highly addictive drug, so even if you are putting yourself at legal risk by taking it, you may find it hard to quit on your own. Fortunately, the experts at Prosperity Haven are ready and willing to help anyone suffering from an addiction to Xanax.
However, you probably still have a lot of questions about how Xanax works in the human body. For example, how long does Xanax last in your system? How long does it stay in your pee? How long does it stay in your blood? How long does it stay in your hair? In today’s guide, we will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s look at some of the effects of Xanax and how long these effects are felt in the body.
How Long Are Effects Of Xanax Felt In Your Body?
When you first take Xanax orally (the most common intake method), you will start to feel the effects within about 15 to 20 minutes. These effects include:
- A greater sense of calm
- Reduction of anxiety or stress
- Sedation
- Shallow breathing
- Slowing of the central and peripheral nervous system
With higher amounts, you may also experience:
- Difficulty standing or walking
- Slurring of words or speech
- Sleepiness
- Mental sluggishness
- Memory loss
- Irritability or aggression
It is important to note that these effects can be stronger and have a faster onset time if the user crushes and snorts the pill. This is a common behavior in people addicted to Xanax. In addition to snorting, people can also smoke or inject Xanax, though these methods are far less common. Like snorting, smoking or injecting Xanax results in faster onset times and stronger effects. Any of these methods could result in onset times as short as 30 seconds.
Once taken, the effects of Xanax usually last for about 2 to 4 hours. People with severe anxiety or addiction to Xanax may want to take more pills every few hours, which will only fuel their addiction. This is why it is so important to manage Xanax use under the strict supervision of a medical professional.
Sadly, while many people believe that Xanax is safer than most other drugs, it can have many negative effects over the long term. Some of the most common effects of Xanax abuse include:
- Mental confusion
- Memory problems
- Permanent changes in brain structure and chemistry
- Increased risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia
For How Long Can Xanax Be Detected?
Xanax has a half-life of 11 hours, which means that most people will be able to eliminate the drug from their system in about a day’s time. However, just because your body has gotten rid of the drug does not mean that it is undetectable. In fact, Xanax can still be detected for various periods of time based on the type of test, the amount of the last dosage, as well as your body’s tolerance to the drug.
In any case, here are some approximate timelines for detection based on the type of drug test given:
- Urine Test – Xanax does not stay in urine for very long. In fact, you can expect all traces of Xanax to be gone in urine tests after approximately 48 hours have passed. With higher dosages, Xanax could be detectable for almost 3 days.
- Blood Test – Xanax stays in the bloodstream for a little while longer. Blood tests can generally detect Xanax up to 5 days after the last usage. For this reason, many drug testing clinics prefer blood tests over urine tests when checking for Xanax and similar Benzodiazepines. However, with lower dosages, Xanax can leave the blood relatively quickly, which means that the exact timeline is relatively unpredictable.
- Saliva Test – Like blood tests, saliva tests are somewhat hard to predict when it comes to Xanax. That said, the average saliva test will still pick up traces of Xanax 48-72 hours after the last usage.
- Hair Test – A hair test is by far the most effective method for detecting recent Xanax usage. By testing a single hair, laboratories can tell if you have used Xanax anytime within the last 1-3 months (depending on the dosage).
Factors Which Affect How Long Xanax Lasts In Your System
As previously mentioned, determining exactly how long Xanax will stay in the body depends on a variety of factors. Naturally, the two most important factors are the last time that you took the drug and the dosage. However, other factors can affect how long it takes Xanax to leave your system, including:
- Age
- Weight
- Ethnicity or Race
- Metabolism
- Liver health and function
- Kidney health and function
- Your tolerance to the drug (how long you have taken Xanax)
- The presence of other medications in your body
As you can see, it is impossible to predict exactly how long Xanax will stay in your system. However, for most people, the timelines provided in the previous section are applicable. Just remember that everyone processes Xanax a little bit differently, so the half-life and detectability will vary from person to person.
How To Get Help For A Xanax Addiction
If you or someone you love is struggling with a Xanax addiction, the first step is recognizing that there is a problem. If you can recognize that you are addicted to the drug before it has had time to do lasting damage to your mind and body, you can get help without experiencing many of the negative long-term effects. Unfortunately, many people do not want to admit that they are abusing drugs. Moreover, the calming and sedating effects can be addicting, especially for people with chronic anxiety issues.
Fortunately, there is hope. By reaching out to the experts at Prosperity Haven in Ohio, you can get the medical and therapeutic assistance you need to kick your Xanax habit for good. This way, you can live a happier, healthier, and more stable life going forward.
Are you, your child, friend, coworker, parent, or spouse struggling with their Xanax addiction? Are you looking for Xanax addiction treatment options that target each patient’s specific needs? Finally, are you in need of a comprehensive drug rehab center that provides a wide range of effective solutions? If so, feel free to contact the experts at Prosperity Haven to learn more about getting treatment for Xanax addiction.
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