What Is Alprazolam And Should I Use It?
by
site editor Marlene S. Hodge, last update: 5/11/2012 1:27:40 PM.
sleep, xanax
Alprazolam, marketed under the name Xanax, is the latest in a long line of drugs called benzodiazepines which has failed to cure anxiety and insomnia without a long list of harsh side effects. While Alprazolam is generally used for the treatment of anxiety disorders, it is widely used for insomnia because the vast majority of cases of insomnia are caused by anxiety. Benzodiazepines first became available in the 1970s, and since then multiple variations of the formula have been developed to limit the adverse effects of their use, with limited success.
Other than Valium, Alprazolam is the most well known of benzodiazepines, and is used by thousands upon thousands of people in the United States alone. Some of the side effects are things that apply to many drugs, such as use of Alprazolam by pregnant women can cause birth defects in the unborn child and that Alprazolam should not be given to anyone with a history of drug abuse. However the problems with Alprazolam go much deeper than that.
Alprazolam has a whole host of different drugs which it interacts with negatively, the list of which contains nearly one thousand other drugs and substances. For many people, taking Alprazolam is not an option because of a separate medical condition they use other medications for. Alprazolam affects people differently; in some it causes severe depression, in others it causes hyperactivity and hallucinations. Some of the other side effects include twitches and tremors, difficulty concentrating, blurred vision, slurred speech, nausea and total loss of sex drive. It is not recommended that you operate machinery or even drive until you know how Alprazolam will affect you.
For all of these reasons many people are searching for alternatives to Alprazolam, but in the pharmaceutical world there are very few which will be any better in terms of negative effects. Ambien is a drug which can help with insomnia but has its own list of frightening side effects (which I will discuss in a later article). The lack of pharmaceutical alternatives has prompted many people to begin searching for an effective insomnia treatment in natural herbs and supplements. There are many different natural herbs which can produce a calming effect, putting the mind at ease and in a state conducive to good sleep. Many supplements also contain ingredients which act as muscle relaxants so that cramps and pains don't wake you when you finally do get to sleep. Some of the herbs are used clinically in many places and offer great help in the treatment of insomnia. Natural supplements rarely have any side effects, and in the rare instances they occur they are always very mild. Natural supplements also do not leave you with a groggy, hung over feeling in the morning. Alprazolam should only be considered in the most severe cases of insomnia, and natural remedies should always be tried first.