Hello Nicole i understand your concern and appreciate your will to overcome the addiction. Xanax causes a decrease in anxiety through an increase in GABA (a neurotransmitter) in the brain. This increase in GABA calms and soothes an excited mind, and can be very pleasant. The best way to break an addiction to Xanax is through a medically monitored period of tapering down the dosage. This can take many months, but is safer and far less unpleasant than a cold turkey detox. The pace at which the dosage is reduced will depend on the length of the dependency, with longer dependencies requiring a slower reduction. One suggestion is to reduce the dosage by 0.25mg each every two weeks, but individual recommendations must come from a doctor familiar with your case and your medical history. The advantage of a very long and slow tapering down is that it allows your brain time to adjust to the decreasing dosages of medication, and to begin producing more GABA to compensate. The symptoms of withdrawal are caused by this GABA insufficiency, so allowing the brain to keep up with the tapering, alleviates the severity of the symptoms. By tapering very slowly, you avoid severe symptoms of withdrawal, and most users report minimal discomfort. It is important for you to stay Strong during the treatment for withdrawal. You can also consider joining some support groups that motivate you and help u achieve the best results Take Care Nicole!