Chances are you know someone who’s taken (or taking) Xanax for a mental health disorder.
The prescription medication, the most common brand-name for the drug alprazolam, is a benzodiazepine frequently used to treat anxiety and panic disorders as well as depression-related anxiety.
Xanax, according to Drugs.com, is very effective at treating these disorders, yet also has high potential for abuse and addiction, especially when taken recreationally.
Despite the potential risks, many people enjoy the Xanax high. Here’s what using the drug to achieve this high is all about.
Recreational Use
The Drug Enforcement Administration labels it a Schedule IV Drug.
This classification means that it is a legal drug that has “a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence.”
People often take it recreationally, especially in recent years as rap culture has popularized the drug.
Despite the supposedly low risk of dependence, it’s best to tread lightly with Xanax as almost any drug can lead to abuse or addiction.
Because of its numerous medical benefits, it is easy to come by if you require it to treat an anxiety disorder. Yet the high rate of prescription has also allowed a black market to flourish.
In addition to those with legal prescriptions selling their Xanax, both doctor shopping and prescription forging are common.
Doctor shopping refers to finding a doctor that will write a Xanax prescription to nearly anyone while prescription forging refers to forging a Xanax prescription.
The ease of access of Xanax has contributed greatly to its recreational popularity in recent years.
What Does Xanax High Feel Like?
Erowid, the popular drug experience database, features numerous accounts of those seeking and achieving the Xanax high.
To sum things up, most users tend to experience a comfortable, cozy feeling instead of an intense, euphoric high. A pleasant drowsiness is also common.
Though you won’t want to do much other than lay in bed or zone out on the couch, doing so will be immensely enjoyable while under the effects of Xanax.
One Erowid user reports the beginning of the Xanax high as:
“Feeling very heavy, relaxed, and the familiar nose-numbing sensation. Feeling very ‘slow’ also.”
The same user then describes the high’s plateau as:
“I’m feeling very relaxed and mellow” and “music sounds better, it’s just pleasing and even more relaxing to listen to music you like.”
My Journey
Being cautious when experimenting with a new drug, I decided to take a small dosage of 1.5mg of Xanax.
Instead of grinding the pills into a powder to snort or put into a gel cap as many recommended, I swallowed them whole, washed down with water.
After about 30 minutes, I felt the high come on strong. I felt tired and drowsy without feeling like wanting to sleep. I felt like sitting down and not moving for a while – so that’s exactly what I did.
For the next hour or so, I sat on my couch feeling warm, content, and a little buzzed. I never felt wasted, just drowsy and pleasantly mellow.
I felt slightly buzzed for a few more hours before going to sleep for the night. I woke up in the morning feeling happy, rested, and clear headed.
Let’s Step Back. What the Heck is Xanax?
Xanax is a prescription medication designed to affect the chemicals in the brain related that cause anxiety.
The drug comes in several different forms. These include immediate-release tablets and extended-release tablets.
The half-life of Xanax is around 11 hours with the affects lasting for around 4 hours. For this reason, most of those prescribed it for an anxiety disorder are told to take their prescribed dosage several times per day.
Experience Report
Almost everyone that takes Xanax will notice an effect on how they feel and their levels of anxiety.
Those that use it as prescribed will experience a less noticeable effect than those that take higher doses recreationally for the high.
With that said, those that have experimented extensively with other drugs in the past, might need to take Xanax a few times to find the right dosage to achieve the desired high.
Many adventurous recreational users boost the Xanax high by combining a lose dosage with other drugs, most commonly alcohol, a bowl of weed, or MDMA.
What is Xanax Good for?
Xanax is great for treating certain anxiety and panic disorders. It can also help reduce feelings of fear.
Seek a prescription from a doctor if using Xanax to treat anxiety. The right dosage and type (immediate-release or extended-release) are essential to properly treat these mental conditions.
The main benefit of Xanax for those with anxiety is the calming effect it produces. It changes the way certain natural chemicals in the brain work to make you feel calmer.
Side Effects and Abuse
According to DrugAbuse.com, Xanax has many side effects including drowsiness, slurred speech, lack of coordination, and memory problems.
Taking the drug other than prescribed can also lead to increased anxiety the next day or, if abused, depression. Abusing Xanax can also lead to more serious consequences, mainly dependency and addiction.
Mixing Xanax with other drugs is also extremely dangerous. Fatalities are rare when the drug is taken alone, but skyrocket when its used with alcohol, cocaine, or other drugs.
Conclusion
There’s no denying that the Xanax high is mostly pleasant and comes with few negative side effects for the majority of people.
At the same time, there is always that potential for negative side effects as well as abuse or even addiction.
If you’re interested in using Xanax recreationally, be sure to do your research beforehand, take a safe dose, and don’t do it frequently enough to become dependent.
Also read our blog on How to Select the Best Multivitamin for Brain Function
