How long do patients usually stay on xanax?

This is an onging treatment along with outsourcing to groups for help. Monitor yourself over the years and  hang on. You will make it. Just takes practice in re inventing oneself.

Xanax is for short term use.  That means 6 weeks or less by FDA guidelines.  But, ultimately, it's up to your doctor.

Xanax is a benzodiazepine - in short, it's additive.  Since it is habit forming, physicians can technically only prescribe it for 90 days or less and need to wean you off by then.  It should be used only in severe cases of anxiety or for special occasions, like a plane ride.  However, some physicians can talk up an illness to get an insurance company to pay for it or not be concerned with the longer prescription (aka they can make you sound sicker than you are so you can get it).

Yes short term indeed. One reason is because it can be very addicting and stopping from long term use can be fatal. I would use the xanax only as needed or otherwise as directed by your doctor.

For sleep, it's only used for 2-6 weeks. For anxiety, there's a mountain of clinical evidence showing that you can take it as long as you need. Decades in fact. Benzodiazepine addiction is NOT an issue unless the patient has a prior drug problem.

It's more typical to try benzos for short term relief, and then try an antidepressant medication, Celexa and Lexapro are extremely popular and effective for anxiety, however, antidepressants take several weeks to kick in. Of course, if they don't work, there's nothing at all wrong with using benzodiazepines as long as you need to.

i hope your md also prescribed something else w/ the xanax. the xanax is just temp to help w/ anxiety until something like lexapro or zoloft can kick into to your system to help deal. the xanax will make you very sleepy and should be used with great caution as it is addictive but can be like trying to drink alcohol then function. good luck and pls follow the doctors instructions to the last detail