Can you Snort Xanax? Risks of Snorting Xanax

Can you Snort Xanax?

Xanax is a widely prescribed medication in the benzodiazepine family of drugs. While it is primarily used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks, some individuals may resort to snorting Xanax to experience a more rapid onset of effects.

Snorting Xanax involves crushing the pill into a fine powder and inhaling it through the nose. This method bypasses the digestive system and delivers the drug directly to the bloodstream through the nasal mucosa. As a result, the effects of snorting Xanax can be more intense and immediate than taking it orally.

However, snorted Xanax pills are not safe or recommended for medication use. Xanax snorting can cause significant harm to the body. Snorting Xanax can damage the nasal cavity and throat, leading to chronic inflammation, infections, and perforations.

Additionally, snorting Xanax can increase the risk of overdose, as the drug enters the blood more quickly and in higher concentrations than when taken orally. Xanax overdose can cause serious symptoms, including respiratory depression, coma, and even death.

What Happens if You Snort Xanax?

When Xanax is snorted, the drug enters the circulatory system through the nasal mucosa. This Allows the drug to reach the brain faster and at higher amounts than if taken orally. As a result, snorting Xanax may provide a more intense high and cause more damage than taking it orally.

Xanax works by binding to specific receptors in the brain that regulate the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate brain activity and promotes relaxation and calmness. Xanax enhances the effects of GABA, resulting in a decrease in anxiety and tension.

When Xanax is snorted, it can also cause a release of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This can result in feelings of euphoria and a sense of well-being.

In consequence, snorting Xanax can also have harmful effects on the body. When the drug is snorted, it can irritate and damage the nasal cavity and throat. This can lead to chronic inflammation, infections, and even perforations. Moreover, snorting Xanax can increase the risk of overdose.

Snorting Xanax effects

• Damage to the nasal cavity and throat: Snorting Xanax can cause irritation and damage to the nasal mucosa, leading to chronic inflammation, infections, and even perforations. It can also cause damage to the throat.
• Short-lived high: The high from snorting Xanax is usually short-lived, lasting only for a few hours.
• Addiction and dependence: Snorting Xanax can quickly lead to addiction and dependence, as individuals may require higher doses to achieve the same effects.
• Respiratory depression: Xanax can cause respiratory depression, which can be dangerous when snorting a Xanax.
• Coma and death: Xanax overdose can cause serious symptoms, including respiratory depression, coma, and even death.
• Interactions with other drugs: Snorting Xanax can also increase the risk of drug interactions, including alcohol and opioids, which can be particularly dangerous and even life-threatening.

Learn More:

• Xanax Dosages
• Xanax and Alcohol
• Xanax Side Effects
• Cocaine and Xanax
• Xanax Bars
• Xanax Addiction Treatment
• Xanax Detox
• Ativan vs Xanax
• Benzodiazepines List
• Benzo Addiction Treatment

55%

55 percent of nonmedical users acquired prescription painkillers (including Xanax) for free from a friend or relative

Source: NIDA

50%

 More than 50% of the nearly 176,000 emergency room visits for benzodiazepines in 2011 also involved alcohol or other drugs.

Source: SAMHSA

Other Ways People Take Xanax

While the most common and safe way to take Xanax is orally, some people may misuse the drug by taking it in other ways not recommended by healthcare professionals. These methods include:

• Crushing and snorting Xanax pills. This method involves crushing the Xanax tablets into a powder and snorting it through the nose. This method can lead to faster drug absorption but also increases the risk of addiction, overdose, and damage to the nasal passages.
• Dissolving and injecting Xanax. Some people may dissolve Xanax tablets in water and inject it into their bloodstream. This method is highly dangerous and can cause serious health problems, including infections, collapsed veins, and overdose.
• Smoking Xanax. As mentioned earlier, it is technically possible to smoke Xanax, but it is not a safe or recommended method of use. Damage to the lungs increases the risk of addiction, and overdose is what happens when you smoke Xanax.

Xanax Snort Addiction 

Some individuals who suffer from anxiety turn to Xanax for relief and support, but unfortunately, some become dependent on the drug. Those who have never abused drugs may start smoking Xanax to improve their symptoms. Some use it for an extended period, sometimes with a doctor’s approval, and are unaware of their addiction until it’s too late.

Withdrawal symptoms that mirror initial anxiety can occur if one attempts to reduce their dosage. Some users believe they cannot function without the drug, and these substance-induced symptoms may continue if drug abuse persists.

People may combine Xanax with other downers like alcohol or opiates to increase pleasurable feelings, leading to dangerous health consequences such as coma, respiratory arrest, or even death. Others use Xanax to control unwanted side effects of stimulant abuse, and this combination of uppers and downers can lead to heart problems like myocardial infarction.

Prolonged usage of Xanax can result in physical and psychological dependence. While some users initially found relief from everyday stressors, they must learn how to have a productive, enjoyable life without the drug. Many users take Xanax to feel normal and function daily, believing they cannot function without it. These individuals require drug rehab to overcome their addiction and embark on a new, sober life with sober living skills.

Signs of Xanax Addiction

The signs of Xanax addiction can present themselves as follows:

• Increased anxiety when not taking the medication.
• Going through withdrawals (more intense than that of quitting caffeine).
• The development of tolerance to Xanax over time.
• Inability to cut down on dosage despite knowledge of how dangerous an increase in dosage can be.
• Decreased performance at work or school.

The signs of Xanax addiction can be troubling and should not be ignored. These signs include experiencing increased anxiety when not taking the medication, going through intense withdrawal symptoms that can be worse than giving up caffeine, and developing tolerance to Xanax over time. People addicted to Xanax also find it difficult to reduce the dosage despite knowing the dangers of increasing it. This can lead to decreased performance at work or school and may eventually develop into a benzodiazepine use disorder, considered an addiction.

Xanax Medication-Assisted Treatments

In rehab, Medication-Assisted Treatments (MAT) are often used to address substance use and mental health disorders. This type of treatment combines medications and medical procedures with therapy to identify the root causes of addiction and develop strategies for behavior change. Substance use disorders often arise due to underlying emotional or psychological issues, and addressing these issues is key to achieving long-term recovery. Xanax addiction, for example, may be accompanied by using up to 20 or 30 pills per day, which can lead to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tremors when dosages are reduced or stopped.

Seeking help is crucial to managing these symptoms and preventing relapse. Learning more about how long Xanax stays in the system is important, but it is just the beginning. At We Level Up NJ treatment center, our specialists can provide information about dual diagnosis and detox programs designed to treat Xanax withdrawal and other co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.