The variety of drugs available on the black market is impressive: from something that immerses you into the world of psychotic dreams (and hospital) right after one dose to drugs that pretend to be quite innocent only to turn out to be a future mental illness in disguise, they are diverse.
On both sides of the pond, the number of benzodiazepine users is rising. Originally a drug designed to fight anxiety, it is now abused by a significant share of the society, with five to ten percent of users being dependent on the substance. Death rates suggest the situation needs urgent response; otherwise benzo use may get out of control.
Lethal combination
In the US, the share of benzo users makes up around 5% or even more. Overdosing the drug can be fatal, but when it is combined with opioids, the risk of death skyrockets. This is due to its ability to affect the nervous system by means of neurotransmitter suppression. As a result, your heart does not work properly, and your breathing is impaired.
Some US and UK users of benzodiazepines use it after a party where they took something more potent, and benzo drugs are said to make the process of coming down “softer”. As with other popular drugs, the society group most often affected by benzo addiction is young people, mostly teenagers and those young adults who are up to 35 years old. Many of them do not have a job.
One of the reasons why benzo drugs are so popular is that they are cheap: the black market boasts large supplies of the substance available at a price affordable to anyone, including the young and the unemployed.
Xanax danger
One of the most popular forms of benzodiazepines available is Xanax – pills, or “bars”, as they are usually called, that contain four doses. Despite certain fluctuations in the black market, it is not difficult to get the drug, and many fall victim to it, failing to stop taking them.
Some take Xanax to reduce anxiety and cannot help chewing another bar when they feel the effect. Others just want to try another drug. All of them end up having problems, both physical and mental, as both the addiction itself and withdrawal symptoms are terrible.
Once you have taken one dose, your body becomes less sensitive to it, and next time you will need more. This pattern is true of many substances, and benzos are no exception.
Xanax is now rarely used as a medication due to its side effects and the high risk of addiction. People decide to take it when they hear stories that fuel their interest: the Internet contributes to Xanax addiction spread a great deal. First, most abusers find dealers via the web; second, those who have yet to land in hospital or a facility for those with mental illnesses tell stories about how good benzos are as a recreational drug. Allured by the seeming easiness, affordability and fun effects, they plunge into another drug-induced nightmare.
Should I take Xanax to alleviate my symptoms?
As seen from what is written above, the answer is definitely no. There are other drugs that are safer and more effective (though they can cause addiction too), and finding an alternative is not that difficult if you consult a psychotherapist or a neurologist.
If you happen to find a person lying somewhere and having difficulty breathing, don’t hesitate to call an ambulance. With more people becoming addicts, it is recommended to carry naloxone with you to help those with opioid overdosing. As more people are combining benzos and opioids, which often leads to serious complications and even death, it is a good idea to have such first aid kits with you to be able to help someone in need.
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