• 💊 OTHER DRUGS 💊 Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Notable Threads 1 Notable Threads 2
    Dangerous Combos Addiction Support
    Emergency Services Benzo Guide v.1
    Addiction Stories Scary Case Studies
    Biology, Pharmacology & Drugs 101
  • Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Benzos How fast to be addicted?

N

Not Again

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
311
If I was to take .5 mg xanax each night to help sleep how long would this go on till I was addicted?

I know everybody is different, but just lets say in general.
 
I think there's a big difference between addiction and physical dependence. Apparently, you can take some benzos for up to a month, sometimes longer, before you develop a physical addiction. This of course can happen sooner if you're abusing the drug by taking large doses. A mental dependence ie addiction can happen far sooner; it all depends on your personality. Having past substance dependency issues will def play a big role here.

Just play it safe: don't take these things every night for long periods; cycle your use if you can, you want to avoid tolerance as well as dependence, after all.

You're obviously taking xanex for therapeutic reasons ie to sleep... have you looked into other solutions for your needs? There are far less addictive sleep aids you can use; using benzos is very risky: it's a highly addictive drug group,
and the withdrawals can be horrific.
 
For me, it only took about 2 weeks of that same dose about an hour before bed...

It also wasn't that hard to quit if you keep the dose low and period of use low. Just don't expect to feel 100% for a few days or a week.
 
It all comes down to your personal control; I'm the type of person who will eat these things like jellybeans (I've had 8mg etizolam so far, and my eyes are blurry as hell), so this drug group is extremely high risk for me, that's why it's very important I cycle my use.

A word of warning: one effect I've noticed when using them for even a couple nights in a row, is that for a few nights afterwards I experience reduced sleep quality; a type of "rebound" effect. This may not be true for everyone, but it's something to keep in mind.

One drug I've found to be an excellent sleep-aid is mirtazipine, for me it's every bit as effective as any benzo, although strictly speaking it's an anti-depressant.

Edit: we don't get xanex here; I really don't know how it stacks up against other benzos re strength, sedation, etc.
 
Last edited:
For benzos I think the rule of thumb is 2-3 weeks when prescribed by a doctor. continued use beyond that time leads to a risk of physical dependence (read: addiction).

at 0.5mg of alprazolam, xanax, it is a rather low dose, so even if you do become dependent on it, it should not be too hard to detox/taper off that dose. of course everyone's experience may vary.

There are many medications out there which do not build a physical tolerance which can help you sleep - however in my experience, they have usually been antidepressant based, and the half life made me very drowsy the next day and affected my mood negatively. however you may find one which is good for you.

bear in mind that addiction is only part physical and in my opinion mostly mental. be careful no matter what you use for a sleep aid.
 
dopemegently said:
Edit: we don't get xanex here; I really don't know how it stacks up against other benzos re strength, sedation, etc.
Click to expand...

I've heard that .5 mg xanax= 5 mg valium..

However have used both I think that xanax is stronger than that. Xanax will just put you to sleep where as valium is a nice chill thing.
 
It all depends on the person and your definition of addiction. If you are talking about pyshical depedence it can take 1-2 weeks. Your dose is so low, i can garentee that if you keep it up you will end up increasing your dose pretty fast. I started taking 2mg of xanax daily and it quickly led to me taking around 3-4 bars a day and any other benzos I could get my hands on. The WD isn't fun and I eneded up having to taper down to quit. Xanax is fun but tbh it's not my favorite benzo. I think its popularity has to due with the brand name Xanax, it just sounds good. If i were you i would try other things to fall asleep, unless you are like me and are truly crippled by anxiety they aren't worth your time to abuse. I can promise you it just goes downhill from this point. Its one of the few classes of drugs I wish i never tried. Anyway no benzos compare to temazepam and klonopin.
 
It does sound good lol ^^if I'm not mistaken, is valium a brand name for diazepam? I've used that a fair bit myself. I've just done 2 days on high doses of etiz, and the strange thing is I really don't enjoy them on their own at all. It's mixing them with phenibut that get's me; I find it euphoric as hell- you're getting the full gaba a and gaba b experience that way. I have to be very careful here (I have a highly addictive personality).

Edit: some other cool names: welbutrin, antabuse, qualude (no idea what they are, love the name)
 
I don't have fun with benzos. They make me tired and I like to do things. They are against my programing. However, I am tense and have anxiety and need them to fall asleep. I took 2 days off a couple days ago and I was ok.

I'm only going to keep using them as I taper from opiates and make a jump to sub to continue the taper. It sounds odd , but the stress I'm under with theis and my life and all around it has me wound up really tight and a quarter of the bar does enough to slow it down. I really can't see how you could have fun on benzos unless sleeping is fun. I hope I keep that train of thought also. I have enough problems with my DOC.

Than ks for the response.

Just one question... When you were taking 3-4 bars did you do anything? Or did it keep you in bed?
 
dopemegently said:
It does sound good lol ^^if I'm not mistaken, is valium a brand name for diazepam? I've used that a fair bit myself. I've just done 2 days on high doses of etiz, and the strange thing is I really don't enjoy them on their own at all. It's mixing them with phenibut that get's me; I find it euphoric as hell- you're getting the full gaba a and gaba b experience that way. I have to be very careful here (I have a highly addictive personality).

Edit: some other cool names: welbutrin, antabuse, qualude (no idea what they are, love the name)
Click to expand...

Yup diazepam= Valium
 
I also can take 10 mg of valium and get really relaxed but that xanax seems to knock me outtttt!!!!!!! One time I took half the bar 1 mg and I woke up on a boat with no pants on my way to cuba. lolo, thats a joke but that stuff is pretty strong.
 
^
Methaqualone‎, it is a very strong sedative similar to a barbiturate. It is no longer used because it was very addictive and had high abuse rates some decades ago
 
Then I'm in risky territory. I've been taking them off and on for two weeks in recreational doses (rc benzos).
The ironic thing is I don't even enjoy them that much. I'm stopping cold tomorrow, to see how I feel. These benzos are insidious fuckers, I'll give them that...

Edit: Benny, I've cleared some room; I'm not sure if failed pm are re sent auto. U may need to re-send it manualy.
 
Last edited:
I know 0.5mg alprazolam is a low dose, but stopping any benzo cold turkey is not a good idea. a tapered dosage schedule is safer.
 
@DMG, you'll be fine, if a little uncomfortable. There's little to no risk of acute withdrawal in that timeframe. People tend to assume the dangers of benzodiazepines are the acute withdrawals and the fitting, when really it's about the psycho-social problems the dependence itself causes, such as the rebound anxiety and the insomnia mentioned above. They really are evil if you use them habitually. The way they alter your behaviour so radically without the vaguest hint of your noticing is just frightening. They should really only be used in extraordinary circumstances.
 
I think it's quite individiual and it depends on for what exactly you are taking them for. My addiction developed within years, I was on and off benzos for many years, I had no problem quitting. But at one point, when my anxiety disorder got so bad, I haven't able to quit. I've been taking now for over a year on daily basis. My poison is clonazepam.

I have to warn you, Xanax is a cruel mistress to be addicted to, it has really short half-life. For sleeping issues I would try something else. I don't know if you have troubles falling asleep or maintaining your sleeping time. If it's the second option, I would get longer-acting benzo.
 
M34t F'3r said:
@DMG, you'll be fine, if a little uncomfortable. There's little to no risk of acute withdrawal in that timeframe. People tend to assume the dangers of benzodiazepines are the acute withdrawals and the fitting, when really it's about the psycho-social problems the dependence itself causes, such as the rebound anxiety and the insomnia mentioned above. They really are evil if you use them habitually. The way they alter your behaviour so radically without the vaguest hint of your noticing is just frightening. They should really only be used in extraordinary circumstances.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reassurance, it was just what I needed. In detox, I was on heavy doses on librium for a week and I felt okay, though still weird from my booze wds. It's true when you say it can kind of creep up on you. So, If I feel anxious, I think my phenibut will help and my suboxone, and I have amitryptaline. Kava would have been ideal except for the fact they made it illegal...! (Making me highly doubtful kratom will remain so. I will get myself some valerian today just to be safe. I want to stop these cold except for the fact I stupidly ordered 100mg of etiz powded...but impulse control is something I badly need to learn after all these years.

Anyway, thanks again; I did find your post very helpful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top