long term xanax use

I agree about this concern. My Psychiatrist has lately brought up the worry that future providers of mine ( he’s older than I and has a heart issue). Although I am lucky he works in a large (private) practice either multiple Drs. I digress, I am 60, been on the same dose of XanaxER for 11 years (4mg a day in 2 doses). During that time (and I credit this med for most of my success) I quit an Alcohol problem cold Turkey 11yrs quit , full agonist opiates 14yrs and Suboxone 6yrs. Also quit a 40 year habit of chewing tobacco (dip) 2yrs now!
I have tried to taper the benzo, and it’s horrible to experience the panic and fight response that I get. (Fight meaning being productive as a HS Teacher while experiencing withdrawal.
Suboxone was the worst if you’re not familiar with, it’s a high affinity binding opiate with little (or for me no) feeling of being high.
Nicotine was the toughest mentally, but it took me 4 years to taper off of Suboxone. And it still was horrific. So much m freaked because many years ago the Drs. had me try every SSRI under the sun and Buspar. My depersonalization reaction to SSRIs was really bad and the memory slightly triggers panic. So yesI am concerned. I get the drift Drs are unwilling to risk combo/drug/alcohol reactions and write prior authorizations to Rx providers.

hi, I started taking xanax 1994 due to severe anxiety, hyperhidrosis.. etc. even after grad school i remained on high doses of 2mg bars up to 5x/day. I thought safe i was in my twenties and the "doctor" prescribed them and even told be to chew them i'd having severe panic attack. Flash forward to now and i am down to 1mg 3x/day. if i run low and do t have for a day or two it's extreme misery. at one time i was out for a week and couldn't sleep, sit still, and felt like this must be like for a heroin abuser to go through then i read benzo withdrawals can be worse and last from months to years. Now i'm 57 and my brain is so dependent on them. Very scary, with one of my biggest fears is running out of xanax. Have a psychiatrist who doesn't offer alternatives other than stopping. I've been through TMS, spravato, and numerous antidepressants and the only thing i can't live with is xanax. With what i have researched i don't believe my brain could ever heal . Also believe the constant depression and suicidal ideation has been a direct link to the use of xanax. Feel hopeless.

Do you suppose that the former addict Bobby Kennedy has something to do with it? He just is not happy unless he’s messing with your life.

@orthopt
Although I was on a much smaller dosage than you and only used Xanax for about 2 years for anxiety and insomnia, I started noticing the next day I would have depression and worse anxiety and finally realized it was rebound from the Xanax. Luckily, because I was on such a low dosage, I was able to stop cold turkey and felt so much better. It has taken me another 2 years and starting on Buspirone to be able to sleep well again and feel like my old self. I would not recommend going off cold turkey after so many years and you definitely need the support of your physician but I believe there are alternative medications that can help the transition. The body has an amazing capacity to heal and there is hope! My daughter in law was dependent on Xanax and had to go to a 30 day inpatient treatment facility and now takes Trazadone and Buspirone and it is working well for her. Let us know how we can help you and please know that you are not alone and that you need to keep advocating for your mental health even if that means finding another psychiatrist. My prayers are with you.

Doctors are too quick to RX drugs to help us sleep.
Yet, try to get true guidance from the same doctor when you're hooked to the sleeping drug/s he/she mindlessly prescribed.
PS: If you've successfully been weaned off your nightly 'fix' and today you're able to sleep a minimum of 7 hrs nightly, please share how it was done.
PS: My oldest brother was hooked, still is & is now "living" in a very expensive memory care setting--taking even more drugs so he can sleep (Is this really 'living'?)

@orthopt I learned of a British psychiatrist who had great success removing Xanax from clients who were on very high amounts of it. Her method was slowly replacing Xanax with Valium. I told my doctor and she agreed to do so. Valium has a longer effect and weaning of the Valium was not difficult, but then I was on 150 mg of Effexor, which prevented any serious mental pain. I am today off of all medications for anxiety, after 35 yrs. I credit daily meditations to start my day and learning to live in the present, which involves ignoring thoughts about yesterday or the future. I am more than my thoughts. I continue to live in the present moment, which involves being fully conscious or aware of the present moment. Attitude is important and listening to various YouTube spiritual teachers always helps. It also helps that I am retired and experience little stress. I can't imagine being a H.S. teacher while dealing with severe anxiety. I honor you and hope I can help somehow. Hang in there.