It’s never a good idea to mix drugs. Alcohol itself is a drug even though many people don’t think so. While people shouldn’t mix any types of drugs, Xanax and alcohol rank among the worst. The reason is that they cause several adverse side effects.

What Is Xanax?

individual mixing Xanax and alcoholMost people know what alcohol is. It’s a drug that they can buy in nearly any store around the country. With that said, not everyone knows what Xanax is.

It’s a brand name for the prescription drug from Pfizer Inc., and the generic name for it is alprazolam. Doctors prescribe Xanax to people as an anti-anxiety medication. The drug itself falls under the category of benzodiazepine or benzo.

When people get a Xanax prescription, their doctors typically warn them against taking the drug with alcohol. Even on the prescription bottle itself, there’s a warning label not to take the drug with alcohol. However, why is it so dangerous to mix Xanax and alcohol?

What Are the Dangers of Mixing Xanax and Alcohol?

To start with, both of these drugs are depressants. They interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate freely with the rest of the body. This action hinders physical coordination and mental alertness.

Because of that, mixing these drugs can cause unwanted physical and mental side effects. Some examples include:

  • Severe dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Balance problems
  • Unconsciousness
  • Staggering

Mixing Xanax and alcohol can also cause memory loss. It’s common for people who take both of these drugs to black out for a period. Once they sober up, they typically have no idea what happened while they were under the influence of the drugs.

In fact, some people use these two substances to make date rape drugs. Then, they take advantage of willing or unknowing individuals because they likely won’t remember what happened.

It’s also worth noting that taking two depressants can cause respiratory and cardiovascular side effects. This makes it hard for people to breathe normally.

In some cases, it can even lead to respiratory failure and death. This result is common in people who overdose on these two drugs. Because of that, those who abuse this mixture need to seek help from a drug and alcohol rehab center.

Don’t Let Alcohol and Xanax Ruin Your Life

If you suffer from addiction to Xanax and alcohol, it’s essential that you get help right away. At Steps to Recovery, we help people just like you overcome addiction. Our goal is to take recovery one step at a time. Some of the addiction recovery services that we offer include:

Don’t wait to get help for Xanax and alcohol abuse. Let us give you the tools that you need to overcome it. Reach out to us today at 267.209.7312 for more information.