Xanax Withdrawal
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About this ebook
Xanax Withdrawal provides a road map for stopping Xanax. Xanax dependency is a common problem, and there is little practical information available on how to safely and comfortably stop taking it. A patient can unknowingly become dependent on Xanax, with dependency sometimes happening after as little as a week or two of regular use. Dr. Shipko addresses issues related to stopping Xanax; why to stop, when to stop, how to taper the drug and what to expect during withdrawal. A practicing psychiatrist for over 34 years, Dr. Shipko has had considerable experience with Xanax because of his subspecialty interest in panic disorder.
Stuart Shipko
I have been practicing psychiatry for over 40 years. My interest in panic disorder stems from my experience as an emergency room physician, where I saw a lot of panic attacks that simulated heart attacks and other physical conditions. In the late 90's I started a website called the Panic Disorders Institute where I, and a group of informed patients with panic disorder, shared information. This multiplied my understanding and knowledge of panic disorder. The information in Surviving Panic Disorder is the information that people are seeking when seen for an initial consultation. My interest in problems with stopping Xanax and my observation of the numerous side effects and withdrawal effects of the SSRI antidepressants prompted me to share my experiences in Xanax Withdrawal and Informed Consent for SSRI Antidepressants. Xanax withdrawal gives good general information about stopping the drug or other short term benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Klonopin. Anyone considering starting or stopping a SSRI should take the time to read the book on informed consent. Standing Still and Looking Back: a Memoir is a labor of love. All memoir is, to some extent, psychotherapy. With the start of the pandemic I found myself with time on my hands. Initially it started out as a pandemic diary, but as I wrote I began to reflect on my long career, particularly experiences that I had early in my career in faith healing. Unlike my other books it is not a self help book. I hope you find it a good read!
Read more from Stuart Shipko
Dr. Shipko's Informed Consent For SSRI Antidepressants Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Surviving Panic Disorder Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStanding Still and Looking Back: A Memoir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Xanax Withdrawal - Stuart Shipko
XANAX WITHDRAWAL
BY
STUART SHIPKO, M.D.
Published by Stuart Shipko at Smashwords
Copyright © 2012 Stuart Shipko, M.D.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Working With Xanax
Chapter 3 Xanax is Replaced by Antidepressants
Chapter 4 Reassessment
Chapter 5 The Results of Change
Chapter 6 The Ashton Manual
Chapter 7 Comments on Prolonged Withdrawal Syndromes
Chapter 8 Physician Supervision
Chapter 9 To Stop or Not to Stop
Chapter 10 What is the Best Time to Stop
Chapter 11 Withdrawal and Relapse
Chapter 13 Groundwork
Chapter 14 Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms
Chapter 15 General Approach to Tapering
Chapter 16 Making the initial Dosage Reductions
Chapter 17 Tapering from 1.5 to Zero
Chapter 18 Stopping Completely
Chapter 19 Post Script
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION
Jane, a 42-year-old secretary, was driving home from work when, out of the blue, she had a frightening panic attack. She was hyperventilating, felt unable to breathe and it seemed like she was looking out through a long tunnel. Her hands began to clench and she had chest pain. She pulled over to the side of the road and called an ambulance. By the time she got to the hospital, she already felt better. The doctor in the emergency room told her that she had had a panic attack. Prescribed Xanax 0.5 mg twice daily, Jane was advised to follow up with her family physician soon. A few days later Jane met with her family doctor, who advised her to take Xanax three times a day, and prescribed a month’s supply with two refills. After three months on Xanax with no further panic attacks, Jane decided not to refill the prescription. That night she was unable to sleep at all, with a severe headache and intense, unfocused worry about everything. Jane called her doctor the next day. The doctor explained to Jane that this happened because Jane had a chemical imbalance and that Jane needed the Xanax to treat the chemical imbalance. Jane took Xanax every day, exactly as prescribed for the next 7 years. One day, on a vacation out of state, her Xanax was stolen from her hotel room, and she was unable to find a local doctor willing to prescribe more for her. Because of the intensity of her physical and emotional withdrawal, she cut her vacation short and came home to get her Xanax refilled. It was at that point that Jane realized the intensity of her addiction to Xanax.
If you are reading this, you may have already made a decision to stop using Xanax. If you are on the fence about the decision to stop taking Xanax, my opinion is that, if possible, it is a good idea to stop taking Xanax. The regular use of Xanax long term will result in dependency on Xanax and gradually in long-term side effects of the drug, including anxiety. Furthermore, taking Xanax long term does not seem to provide protection from panic attacks. Xanax has been associated with memory loss and emotional instability. It is a medical gateway drug that typically leads to the prescription of additional psychiatric medications. One needs only to read the manufacturers label on Xanax to find out about the numerous and serious side effects of the drug. Information concerning the risk of brain damage remains inconclusive. New information also suggests the possibility of an increase in the risk of cancer. These risks, and others, are not worth it because Xanax is basically ineffective when used long term and over time it causes the very symptoms of anxiety that it is supposed to treat.
In Xanax Withdrawal I discuss how to approach stopping Xanax, issues about what to expect when stopping Xanax and suggestions on how to best taper and stop Xanax
I have had considerable experience with Xanax because of my subspecialty interest in panic disorder, particularly as it relates to the GI tract. My preference for using Xanax for panic disorder is described in my