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Gabapentin For Anxiety: Is This Really The Less Addictive Xanax Substitute You’re Looking For?

Mar 24 2020
Categories:Drug Facts

With more than 40 million adults in the United States suffering from anxiety disorders, it is no wonder why drugs for the treatment of these conditions are highly in demand. Xanax, which is a brand name for alprazolam, is undeniably one of the most popular anti-anxiety drugs in the market. However, it is also known as one of the most misused drugs.

Many users often fake anxiety symptoms to get a Xanax prescription. This has made medical practitioners more vigilant in prescribing Xanax. To avoid giving the drugs to recreational users, doctors are prescribing drugs for anxiety disorders that are seen as less dangerous alternatives, one of which is gabapentin.

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Gabapentin: The catch-all drug

Gabapentin, also known as Neurontin, has been commonly prescribed as an off-label treatment for a variety of conditions. The term “off-label” means that it was not primarily intended for such uses. Gabapentin is primarily used as a treatment for epilepsy to control seizures, however, the anti-seizure drug has been widely used as a sort of a “catch-all” drug.

Some of the conditions it is prescribed for include hot flashes, nerve pain, pain after surgery, restless leg syndrome, alcohol and drug withdrawal, cannabis withdrawal, chronic pelvic or vaginal pain, headaches after a concussion, social phobia, and even itchy skin.

But what is quite interesting to note is how frequently gabapentin is being prescribed as an anti-anxiety drug even if there is very little evidence that the drug is indeed effective in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). There was a review in the American Journal of Psychiatry published in 1998 that suggests that gabapentin could potentially be used as a standalone treatment or as a supporting treatment for GAD, but until now, it has not been formally approved for treating anxiety disorders. Still, many doctors prescribe the drug as it is believed to have anxiety-reducing properties.

Some doctors believe that compared to other drugs, gabapentin has fewer side effects and fewer interactions with other drugs, making it relatively “safer”.  Many experts also believe that gabapentin has a lower potential for abuse compared to benzos like Xanax or Klonopin.

So, is gabapentin really the less addictive answer for anxiety?

AnxietyThere are different opinions regarding this matter. Some experts believe that the effects of gabapentin to treat anxiety are mild and it is better as an additive treatment, rather than a standalone. It is said that the effectiveness of the drug varies depending on the individual users and the severity of their anxiety. Some users say that the drug is immediately effective while some say that it takes about three weeks for it to take effect.

In a drug review website, some users are not convinced that gabapentin is a better anti-anxiety alternative. According to one user Renee, who reviewed the drug in January 2020, gabapentin did knock out her anxiety, meaning that it worked. However, she believes that the drug is not worth it because she experienced so many side effects while using the drug for one month including blurred vision, double vision, memory gaps, falling, diarrhea, hunger pangs, sleep irregularities and being numb. This account seems to debunk the claim that gabapentin’s side effects are much more manageable compared to other drugs.

Regarding claims that gabapentin has a low potential for abuse or addiction, one user named Josiah said that he went through a nightmare quitting gabapentin. He even added that he quit Xanax, alcohol, cocaine and a few other drugs in the past, and quitting those drugs was easier compared to quitting gabapentin. He said that he had never felt such anxiety and hopelessness while he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. When you experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit a drug, this is usually a sign that your body is already dependent or addicted to the drug.

Gabapentin Abuse: An increasing problem

A 2019 drug misuse report found that the use of non-prescribed gabapentin rose to 40% in just a year (2017 to 2018). This finding puts the drug’s misuse higher than that of benzos and opioids. Gabapentin is reportedly the most commonly used prescription drug in eleven states as well as in the top 3 drug groups in ten more states. Another research found that there was a 3,000% increase in people saying they used gabapentin to get high, from 2008 to 2012.

Why is gabapentin abuse becoming more widespread? As mentioned, gabapentin is a being used as a “catch-all” drug, meaning, you can get prescribed the drug for a variety of conditions. This makes the drug more available and easier to acquire compared to getting prescribed Xanax or opioids.

Gabapentin For AnxietyAside from being used as an anti-anxiety medication, gabapentin is becoming increasingly popular as a pain medication.  With the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States, you’re more likely now to get prescribed gabapentin instead of an opioid for pain issues. There is apparently growing evidence that users who have pre-existing substance abuse issues make up a large majority of people who are abusing gabapentin. It is important to keep in mind that even if doctors say that gabapentin has a lower potential for abuse or addiction, this doesn’t mean that you are safe from using the drug. Abusing gabapentin or any drug for that matter comes with harmful consequences.

Using gabapentin, particularly at the same time as using opioids, is associated with four times the risk of respiratory depression, which could lead to a drug overdose or death.

If you or a loved one is suffering from substance abuse, help is available.

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Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
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This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

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    Anaheim Lighthouse Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • anaheimlighthouse.com
    • July 2, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to