The problem with benzodiazepines is that tolerance to them raises relatively quickly, especially for short-acting ones like alprazolam (Xanax), and the risk for physical dependence even after a few months of regular use is very high. I find alprazolam to be particularly inconspicuous among benzodiazepines as it doesn't produce much sedation or amnesia at therapeutic doses, when you suffer from anxiety, all it does is make you feel like a normal person, you only realize how strongly it works on you when you've been taking it for some time regularly and then skip a dose.
Going through a benzodiazepine withdrawal is a no-joke, it is on par with the most horrible opioid withdrawals and with long-term use residual symptoms of withdrawal can linger for months or even years after quitting in extreme cases. For all the reasons mentioned benzodiazepines should only be prescribed for anxiety or insomnia when there is absolutely no alternative and at the lowest dose that works, then the treatment should be as short as possible with gradual dose reduction before stopping them. Have you come to this dose starting from a lower one first? I do hope your doctor is well informed about benzodiazepines, their mode of action, and how tapering off should be handled. Falling into a benzodiazepine addiction unknowingly combined with a doctor who is eager to prescribe as many pills as you ask and is completely unaware of the risks is a tragedy waiting to unfold. And there are still many doctors out there who freely prescribe benzos with no idea what they're doing.
