While the cause of her death is still unknown, TMZ reported Sunday that prescription drugs were found in the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel room where Houston was found. TMZ also reported that family members said that Houston had been taking the drug Xanax.
Xanax is a psychoactive drug used to treat anxiety and other pain disorders. It works by binding to receptors in the brain in order to slow down chemicals that may have become unbalanced. This ultimately relieves tension and eventually reduces symptoms that result from various anxiety disorders.
Xanax is a prescription drug, so unless these pills were obtained illegally, Houston must have had them prescribed by a physician. If that's the case, I'm sick and tired of these physicians not really understanding that folks who have had a drinking problem are extremely vulnerable to the side effects of mixing Xanax with alcohol. Alcohol incredibly increases the power and the central nervous system effects of many benzodiazepines, Xanax being one of them.
