Can low amounts of xanax be taken safely long-term for chronic anxiety panic phobic-avoidances, etc?

Everyone responds differently. I’ve been on Xanax for abt 23 yrs for ptsd and gad. Had bad reactions to antidepressants so I don’t even want to go there. Every doctor seems to be pushing Prozac and that’s not an option for me. I am prescribed 4mg Xanax a day by a wonderful doctor. Some days I don’t even need it if I’m not stressed or busy with something I enjoy. I always take it at bedtime. I take 1 mg, sleep for abt 3-4 hrs, then take 1/2 to get back to sleep. Really bad days I take the full 4 mg prescribed.

Good question I was put on xanax 18 years ago for sleeping .25 and was happy taken it without any problems at all. now all of a sudden Dr don't want to prescribe it any more wants me to wean of it over a 2 week period. I would be happy to stay on it for the rest of my life if I could get a Dr to prescribe it to me. I will not buy it with out a prescription. I am in the Cincinnati Ohio area and the worst thing you cannot get people to understand that you need this medicine to live a normal life. Is anyone else in the area that can give me some advice

I have suffered anxiety and depression most of my life, I was also diagnosed adhd as a kid, but never medicated for that till my early 30s with methylphenidate for about a year. I hated it. thc was better! but for the past couple years I take .25 mg of alprazolam in the morning on my way to work. I am prescribed 20 .5’s and I break then in half and the 20 last me about 40 days. I occasionally take a second half if I have a really bad day, or feel a panic attack coming on.. most days I barely notice it at all, but I always have a better day with it than without it.. I would say avoid excessive alcohol use and stay in touch with your doctor and have a good pro to talk with for emotional stability.. I hate the idea of being dependent on it.. but life is too short to be miserable.. better living with chemistry! good luck all.

I have dealt with depression/anxiety now 3 times in my life. The first two times I started using .5mg xanax a couple times a day. Switched over to 100mg Trazodone ( yeah I know it's old but works for me ) and used xanax off and on for a couple weeks until the Trazodone was in full effect.

THIS now third time which came on about 3 weeks ago I have once again been doing the same except I find I need the xanax once every couple of days still to "take the edge off." Still only .25 to .5 mg when I take it. Waiting for the Trazodone to come up to full speed once again.

I don't know how I would make it through without XANAX even at such a low dose as I work to get my SSRI up to full potential.

I have not tried Xanax, but I have used clonazepam for years at a low dose- .5-1mg 3to 4 times per week for mild anxiety/insomnia. I started when I had panic attacks after cancer surgery. I’ve had no side effects. Helps turn off my brain and I sleep well.

I have struggled with anxiety and treatment resistant depression for more years than most of you have lived, and STILL struggle. Xanax works great on anxiety, but after 2 or 3 days it makes me VERY depressed. Can anyone relate ? I found help with Effexor for several years, but developed tartive dyskinesia, a very serious side effect and had to discontinue. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I am extremely sensitive to medication. I break a .5 mg Xanax in fourths and feel relief usually. Thanks for any responses!

It worked wonders for me.I'd tried many different meds for depression, which is what my gp at the time insisted I had. I disagreed and found another gp.finally I was listened to.1mg xanax a day treatment began at rnd 20.I'm now 40. Long term use didnt do me any harm. Bout a yr or so ago here in Australia, many of us were cut off and told the authority was no longer okayed. For me that news was life changing, devastating.

I've been taking 0.5mg to 1.0mg of Xanax every night for over 20 years to fight insomnia and I FEEL FINE. But just google this quote: "benzodiazepines exposure increased the overall cancer risk up to 21%, specifically for brain 98%, colorectal 25%, lung 10%, esophagus 59%, prostate 36%, bladder 39%, liver 18%, pancreas 41% and other cancers 27%", you will see a whole bunch of articles saying the same thing.

If you are a Xanax long-term user, please share with us how you do. You got cancer or something like these articles said? I read a few comments of people here who are using it for a very long time too. I hope the study was wrong and we will be ok.

The main point is that everybody is different. I have been taking 4 MG of Xanax for over 25 years, other people I have met take just 1 MG and they are knocked out for 12 hours. To me they are no more exciting than taking a vitamin pill. It really boils down to working closely. with your psychiatrist.

I would be careful with the xanax for sure and be aware that you will develop a tolerance to it over time. My fiance takes klonopin and has been on it for ten years. The reason he is on it is because he was prescribed xanax for anxiety and after taking it for a year he missed a few doses and it have him a seizure, so he now takes 6 mg of klonopin daily to prevent seizures and his tolerance is so high they do nothing for anxiety but keep him from having seizures. I have panic disorder and take xanax as needed, but for long term anxiety klonopin is much better, longer acting, and safer. But as with all benzos if you are on them for longer than 3 months daily never miss doses for longer than a day or two or ypu are at high risk for seizures. Also note that all drug rehab centers will tell you that the only life threatening substances to get off of our alcohol and benzos. So my suggestion is just be careful, if you notice yourself taking more maybe switch to klonopin. I hope this helps.

The problem with benzodiazepines is that one builds up tolerance to them and in time without even realing it one needs a higher dose, and benzos are very addicting. I have been on almost all benzos and if you can avoid them I recommend you do.
But speaking from my experience as long as you keep a low dose you should not have a big problem, but remmember we all build up tolerance to medications... try to keep the xanax at a minimum , it can be done.

All the best,