What Is Xanax?

Xanax (alprazolam) is a short-acting benzodiazepine prescribed primarily for anxiety and panic disorders. It is one of the most-prescribed medications in the United States. Related benzodiazepines — Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) — share the same mechanism of action and the same dependence profile. All of these medications work by enhancing the activity of GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which produces calming and sedating effects.

Benzodiazepine use disorder is a real and serious medical condition. Physical dependence develops with daily use, often within weeks to months, even at prescribed therapeutic doses. Many patients first encounter benzodiazepines through a legitimate prescription for anxiety or insomnia and find, months or years later, that they can’t stop without experiencing severe withdrawal. This is not a moral failing — it’s pharmacology.

Coming off benzodiazepines requires a medically supervised taper. Abrupt discontinuation is dangerous and can cause seizures, delirium, and other serious complications. Effective treatment is available, and most patients can complete a taper on an outpatient basis with proper medical supervision.

The Tennessee Picture

Benzodiazepines don’t dominate Tennessee overdose statistics the way fentanyl and stimulants do, but they remain a significant polysubstance risk factor.

  • Benzodiazepines are regularly detected in Tennessee overdose deaths, typically alongside opioids or alcohol rather than as the sole cause.
  • Tennessee recorded 3,648 total overdose deaths in 2023, with 78% involving illicit opioids. When benzodiazepines are mixed with opioids or alcohol, overdose risk rises sharply because all three depress breathing.
  • Tennessee’s overdose death rate in 2023 was 57% higher than the national rate, the fourth-highest in the United States.

If you’re taking benzodiazepines and also using opioids, alcohol, or other sedatives, the polysubstance risk is the clinical concern most likely to matter for your safety. Medically supervised treatment addresses both the dependence and the mixing risk together.

Sources: Tennessee SUDORS Report 2025 (Tennessee Department of Health, June 2025); Tennessee Overdose Response Coordination Office Annual Report 2023/24 (TDH, May 2025).

Signs of Benzodiazepine Use Disorder

Benzodiazepine use disorder is a medical condition diagnosed using DSM-5 criteria for sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder. Common signs include:

  • Tolerance. Needing more medication to achieve the same calming or sleep-inducing effect.
  • Dose escalation. Taking more than prescribed, running out of prescriptions early, or adding other benzodiazepines.
  • Withdrawal symptoms when doses are delayed: rebound anxiety, insomnia, tremor, sweating, and sometimes — in severe cases — seizures.
  • Unsuccessful attempts to stop. Trying to cut down but returning to use because of rebound anxiety or insomnia.
  • Preoccupation. Thinking about the next dose or anxiety about medication supply.
  • Continued use despite consequences. Health, cognitive, or relationship problems tied to use that don’t lead to stopping.
  • Cognitive symptoms. Memory issues, difficulty concentrating, or emotional flattening from long-term benzodiazepine exposure.
  • Combining with other depressants. Using benzodiazepines with alcohol or opioids (an especially dangerous combination that sharply increases overdose risk).

If several of these apply — or if you’ve been on benzodiazepines long-term and are finding it hard to stop — a professional evaluation can help clarify what is happening and what options exist.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: Timeline and Symptoms

Benzodiazepine withdrawal is one of the few substance withdrawals that can be medically dangerous or even life-threatening. Patients who have been on benzodiazepines daily for extended periods should never stop abruptly on their own — a medically supervised taper is the safe approach.

A general timeline for untreated benzodiazepine withdrawal looks like this:

  • First 24 to 72 hours (for short-acting benzodiazepines like Xanax) or 2 to 7 days (for long-acting benzodiazepines like Klonopin or Valium). Onset of early withdrawal: rebound anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, tremor, and increased heart rate.
  • Peak acute withdrawal (days 3 to 7 for short-acting, days 7 to 14 for long-acting). Most severe period: intense anxiety, insomnia, tremors, sweating, and — in patients with severe dependence — risk of seizures and delirium.
  • Post-acute withdrawal (weeks to months). Persistent anxiety, sleep disruption, cognitive slowing, and sensory sensitivity. This can last weeks to months, particularly in patients coming off long-term therapeutic use.

A properly designed taper avoids the peak withdrawal phase entirely by reducing the dose gradually enough that the body can adjust. Most outpatient tapers take weeks to months, and the pace is adjusted based on how you respond at each step.

How We Treat Benzodiazepine Use Disorder

At Restoration Recovery, benzodiazepine use disorder is treated with a combination of medically supervised tapering and psychosocial support. Unlike opioids or alcohol, there is no FDA-approved MAT for benzodiazepines. The foundation of effective care is a carefully managed taper — gradually reducing the dose over weeks or months so your body can adjust safely — combined with counseling and support. Treatment components include:

  • Clinician-managed taper. Our providers can prescribe and monitor benzodiazepine tapers. Taper timelines vary based on your starting dose, the specific medication (Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, etc.), and how your body responds at each step. Long-acting benzodiazepines like Valium or Klonopin are often used during tapers because they produce more stable blood levels than short-acting options like Xanax.
  • Individual counseling with licensed therapists experienced in substance use disorder. Benzodiazepine use disorder frequently co-occurs with anxiety, and counseling helps build non-pharmacological coping strategies.
  • Certified peer support from specialists who have lived experience with recovery themselves.
  • Intensive outpatient programming (IOP) for patients who benefit from a more structured treatment schedule — delivered in a group format by design.
  • Integrated care for co-occurring anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health conditions that often accompany benzodiazepine dependence.

Restoration Recovery is an outpatient clinic. We do not provide medical detox or residential care. Most benzodiazepine tapers can be completed on an outpatient basis with regular clinic follow-up. For patients with very high doses, long histories of use, or a prior complicated withdrawal, we coordinate with regional detox partners for a higher level of care before starting an outpatient taper.

Do not stop benzodiazepines abruptly on your own. Sudden discontinuation can cause seizures and other serious complications. A medically supervised taper is the safest way to come off benzodiazepines, even if you’ve been taking them exactly as prescribed.

What to Expect at Your First Appointment

Your first visit typically lasts 60 to 120 minutes and follows a four-step clinical flow:

  1. Intake. You’ll complete paperwork and a clinical intake, including a DSM-5 assessment for sedative use disorder covering criteria and severity, plus a thorough review of your current benzodiazepine use (dose, frequency, duration) and any other substances or medications involved.
  2. Counseling. You’ll meet with a counselor to discuss your substance use history, prior treatment, and personal recovery goals.
  3. Doctor evaluation. A medical provider reviews your intake and counselor notes, assesses your medical stability, and discusses the taper options. Benzodiazepine tapers must be medically supervised — abrupt discontinuation can cause seizures and other serious complications.
  4. Taper plan. If clinically appropriate, you’ll leave with an individualized taper schedule and your first taper prescription. Taper timelines are adjusted based on your starting dose, the specific medication, and how your body responds at each step. Your next follow-up is scheduled before you leave.

Bring a valid photo ID, your insurance card if applicable, and a list of any medications you currently take — especially your current benzodiazepine and any other prescriptions.

Why a Medically Supervised Taper Works

Medically supervised tapering is the gold standard for treating benzodiazepine use disorder. Clinical guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Psychiatric Association recommend gradual dose reduction over weeks to months, with the exact pace individualized to the patient.

Effective benzodiazepine treatment combines:

  • Slow, individualized taper. Dose reductions are typically 5 to 10 percent every 1 to 2 weeks, adjusted based on symptom response. Faster tapers increase the risk of seizures and protracted withdrawal; slower tapers are better tolerated.
  • Crossover to a longer-acting benzodiazepine. Patients tapering from short-acting benzodiazepines like Xanax are often switched to an equivalent dose of a longer-acting medication (typically diazepam or clonazepam) first — this stabilizes blood levels and makes the taper smoother.
  • Counseling for co-occurring anxiety. Benzodiazepine use disorder often begins with legitimate anxiety treatment that escalates over time. Effective taper outcomes depend on building non-pharmacological anxiety-management skills during and after the taper.
  • Ongoing monitoring. Regular clinic follow-up catches withdrawal complications early and allows the taper pace to be adjusted.

Coming off benzodiazepines takes time — often months for patients on long-term therapeutic doses — but it is realistic, and patients who complete medically supervised tapers report significant improvements in cognition, mood, and quality of life.

Why Restoration Recovery

Choosing where to start treatment matters. Restoration Recovery brings together the clinical depth, the practical access, and the kind of care that keeps patients in treatment long enough to get well.

  • Chattanooga’s longest-running outpatient addiction treatment clinic. Our providers have decades of clinical experience treating opioid and substance use disorders in Southeast Tennessee.
  • CARF accredited. The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities is the gold standard for outpatient addiction care — our accreditation is reviewed on an ongoing basis, not a one-time stamp.
  • Four clinic locations across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, with telehealth follow-up available for established patients.
  • Most major insurance accepted — TennCare, Georgia Medicaid, commercial plans, Medicare, and supplemental Medicare. Our patient services team verifies your benefits before your first visit so there are no surprises.
  • Same-day appointments in most cases. You don’t have to wait weeks to start.
  • One integrated team. Medical providers, counselors, certified peer support specialists, and psychiatric care under one roof — not parallel referral tracks that leave you coordinating your own care.
  • Licensed in both states. Licensed in Tennessee and Georgia, HIPAA compliant, 42 CFR Part 2 compliant — your treatment is confidential from the first phone call.

Insurance and Access

Restoration Recovery accepts most major insurance plans, including TennCare, Georgia Medicaid, a broad range of commercial plans, and Medicare (plus supplemental Medicare plans). Our patient services team can verify your benefits before your first appointment so you know exactly what to expect in terms of cost.

If you do not have insurance, contact us anyway. We can help you explore options and will walk you through self-pay pricing. For a full list of accepted carriers and details on the verification process, visit our insurance page.

Four Clinic Locations

We operate four outpatient clinics across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. All locations offer Xanax and other benzodiazepine treatment with same-day appointments in most cases:

  • Chattanooga, TN — 6141 Shallowford Rd, Suite 100, Chattanooga, TN 37421
  • Cleveland, TN — Serving Bradley County and surrounding areas
  • Soddy-Daisy, TN — Serving Hamilton County north and the Sequatchie Valley
  • Ringgold, GA — Serving Catoosa County and Northwest Georgia

Telehealth follow-up visits are available for established patients who have completed their initial in-person evaluation. For directions, hours, and contact information, visit our locations page.

Take the Next Step

Xanax dependence is survivable, and treatment works. You don’t have to figure this out alone — and you don’t need to have all the answers before you call. You don’t need to be clean before your first appointment. Our team will walk you through the process from your first phone call to your first visit and every follow-up after that.

Same-day appointments are available in most cases. Contact us today to schedule your evaluation, or call 423-498-2000 to speak with our team directly.