want to be xanax free

[babybear333]

i've been taking xanax for 12 years prescribed. But i'm so immuned to them i have to take more, i'm only prescribed 4 (0.5mg) a day, and i have to take like 6-8 a day. i've tried going cold turkey and it about killed me for 3 weeks without xanax!!!! Now i'm running out of xanax every month and it's not good. I need alot of support or suggestions for me.

[erin626]

Have you discussed this with your doctor? I weened off of xanax back in september. While it wasn't pleasant it was doable. Talk to your doctor and start a plan to ween down. Honestly it was the best decision I've ever made. Now I only take .25 mg as needed instead of the 1.5mg I was taking daily. And when I take them as needed I take it maybe once or twice a week.

Xanax is terrible to take daily to manage anxiety.

[trdofbeingtrd]

Hava has given you an excellent meditation style. Along with that, there are herbs you can take to help calm and relax. Feel free to message me if you are interested in the recipies. Also, there will be people who can help you taper off the xanax if you want to quit taking it. You might want to post your post in the "addiction" and or "substance abuse" community. I am in no way saying that you are addicted or are abusing it, it's just that people who have knowledge of how to quit something in a healthy way are there. Some of them might be here too. Sorry I am not more help.

[hava]

The Yog Pranayam (breathing exercises) will  help you relax and also help with the anxiety. You will notice benefits in weeks, as a lower dose will work for you.You can think of withdrawal, after 3 months of pranayam.
Build up your timing gradually. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.

Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose. Duration upto 5 minutes.

Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Age over 15 years -Repeat this cycle for 10 to 20  minutes twice a day.
Age under 15 years -Repeat this cycle for 5 to 10  minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 12  times

Once you are better, continue the pranayam once a day.