Xanax questions

[MizDemeanor]

I am clean for just over 30 days from a 100 mg per day opiate addiction. Doing ok physically except still experiencing some memory loss/fuzziness about things that happened during those times, I'm starting to think they might just be "gone".
So, now that you know why I got started here (and I have to say it saved me from ruining my life, literally) I am starting to wonder about the xanax posts I see. While I know everything posted is experience and opinion, its making me wonder about if it's something I need to worry about.
I have general anxiety disorder, it runs in my family. It didnt really hit me until about 30 years old (10 years ago) My mother has is pretty badly and I remember I used to just say "why do you worry so much"? Now I know...lol
I have been taking xanax for anxiety for a few years. It doesnt make me "high" in the least, and I've never been confronted with the tolerance issues I got from opiates. (prolly becoz it doesnt get me high)
I have a montly script for 60 1 mg pills. My directions say take 1mg am and 1 mg pm as needed. I dont always take both doses but I usually take one at least a day. (When I had the lortab and percs I didnt care about taking the xanax, unless I got "wired" and needed to "relax". That wasnt often, mostly I just gobbled up the opiates and ignored the xanax.
Ive seen people state that its a bad med long term, and that its terrible w/d, etc. My questions are
1) If its used as prescribed can it still become addicting? If I dont take it and I feel anxious I can work up into a panic attack. Once I take it I feel "level" but Ive never experienced any kind of high, what kind of high do people get from it?
2) I skip days sometimes and Ive never had w/d. The only time Ive ever taken more than the 2 per day was during my w/d from percs/vics, and I only ever took one extra in a day
Compared to opiates I dont feel I have a problem with xanax. I can have a bottle and it lasts me til the next refill, I dont feel like I spend any time "thinking or obsessing" about it After the scare with almost going down a VERY wrong path with the opiates, and seeing these xanax posts, I was hoping I could put this out to people who have had problems to see if they would share what happened to them. I never want to get addicted to another pill in my life. I am only one month clean from opiates and I still have my bad days of wanting to call for pills, but I havent. I never want to be a slave to another pill ever!
Thanks in advance to any who respond.
Peace.

[worried878]

Is something to talk to your doc about...xanax is a benzo so you described it but if you do decide to come off do it with your docs supervsion as it is more dangerous than narc detox/seizures can occur...most beginners take .25 doses so 1 mg is a high dose   it really seems like you have that under control right now but u never know when something will bite you in the butt  I had valium for detox and still have more than half left....just not my drug of choice...try not to use them for sleep...look for an alternative sleep med if you can/melatonin works for many...I am a rule breaker and take .25 of ambien for sleep but have been for 10 years when needed without a problem with that drug in all this time...everyone is different...do not rely on the benzo for sleep for a prolonged period

[BornTwoRiff]

I was on 4 xanax about 10 years ago. It took me almost 2 years to get off them..Then only way I was able to stop at the last taper was to go on Klonopin which was a lot safer it seems and really took the place of xanax. I tapered off the Klonopin and only take 1 2mg at night to sleep..
Hope this helps.. xanax is a really hard drug to come off. Dr at the time told me it was more difficult than pts he sees on cocaine.
born2riff

[toxictome]

I took xanax (not prescribed) to help me sleep at night from too many vics..

I only took .25 or .50 at bedtime for 1 1/2 or 2 yrs. and i got  hooked...

You cannot stop these ct..you need to taper xanax!!! so be careful!!

[worried878]

get strong...then start tapering under a docs supervision on the xanax....u r doing great...keep posting

[MizDemeanor]

Thanks for all the responses. I am still wondering how opiates got such a hold on me, but the xanax never did. I have built tolerance through a few years, I did start on .5 mg pills and after at least a year moved up to 1 mg (although I mostly only take one of those a day) I guess because I do have anxiety disorder that maybe thats why the xanax doesnt make me "high"? Sort of like kids taking ritalin and it doesnt speed them up if they have ADD? So wierd how your body responds one way to one thing and one way to another.
Again, thanks for the responses, and I'd welcome any more points of view.
Peace.