Can You Get High on Buspirone?

Buspirone, commonly marketed as Buspar, is a medication prescribed to manage anxiety. Many people wonder, does Buspar get you high like other drugs?  While buspirone helps calm the mind, it works differently than drugs that are often abused.

This guide explores how does buspirone make you feel, does buspirone get you high, and the risks of misusing this prescription drug. Understanding the facts about this medication is central to using it safely and avoiding harm. You will also discover how to get compassionate and effective addiction treatment if you have been misusing prescription medications like buspirone. 

What Is Buspirone (Buspar)? How It Works & Uses

Buspirone, sold under the brand name Buspar, is a medication mainly used to treat anxiety [1]. It belongs to a group of drugs called anxiolytics, which help people feel calmer and less stressed. Unlike benzodiazepines, buspirone doesn’t cause drowsiness or make people feel out of it. 

Buspirone works by affecting chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals help control your mood and how your brain handles stress. By balancing these chemicals, buspirone helps reduce worry, fear, and nervousness, making it easier to handle daily tasks without feeling overwhelmed. 

Doctors often prescribe buspirone for people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition where people feel anxious most days, even when there’s no apparent reason. It’s not meant to be used for short-term stress or occasional anxiety. It’s also sometimes used for other conditions, like depression, although that’s not its main purpose. 

Buspirone must be taken consistently to be effective. It doesn’t give instant relief, but it can help manage anxiety symptoms over time without causing dependence or withdrawal, making it a safer option for long-term use than other anxiety medications like benzos [2]. 

Can You Get High on Buspar?

There is no buspirone high. Buspar is designed to treat anxiety, and while it affects brain chemicals, it doesn’t create the intense euphoria or rush that people might experience with other drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines. 

Buspar doesn’t act on the brain’s pleasure or reward system like addictive substances do. Instead, it helps balance serotonin and dopamine levels to ease anxiety [3]. This makes it a low-risk drug for abuse. People who try to take buspirone to get high are often disappointed because it doesn’t give the feelings of pleasure or relaxation they expect. 

Buspar High

While buspirone doesn’t typically cause a high, taking more than the prescribed dose can lead to side effects that may feel like being “a high” to some people. However, these effects are not pleasant or desirable. Instead of euphoria, taking too much buspirone might cause dizziness, sleepiness, or a sense of extreme calm that some might mistake for a high. In most cases, these feelings are more uncomfortable than enjoyable. 

Symptoms

If someone takes a large amount of buspirone, they may experience a range of unpleasant symptoms. These can include: 

• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
• Drowsiness or excessive sleepiness
• Headaches
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Confusion or difficulty thinking
• Blurred vision
• Feeling faint or unsteady

In severe cases, a person might also experience serious problems like tremors or muscle stiffness, which can be alarming and require medical attention. Unlike drugs that cause a euphoric high, buspirone overdose symptoms are more about feeling unwell or overly sedated. 

Length

If someone takes too much buspirone, the uncomfortable effects might last anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. The length of time depends on the amount taken and the person’s body. Buspirone is designed to work slowly, so even the negative effects don’t hit immediately. Still, dizziness or extreme tiredness usually fades as the body processes the drug.

So, while buspirone isn’t a drug that gets people high in the traditional sense, taking it in ways other than prescribed can lead to uncomfortable and potentially harmful effects. Use buspirone only as directed to avoid these risks.

How Does Buspirone Make You Feel?

Buspirone is often prescribed to reduce anxiety, so its main effect is to help people feel calmer and more in control of their thoughts. When taken as directed, buspirone can make you feel less worried, less fearful, and more able to focus on daily tasks. Unlike some other anxiety medications, it doesn’t make you feel drowsy or disconnected from reality.

It’s designed to be subtle in its effects, slowly reducing anxiety over time rather than providing instant relief. You won’t feel an immediate sense of calm after taking it. Instead, buspirone builds up in your system over a couple of weeks, and then you’ll begin to notice your anxiety symptoms easing. Because of this, some people may initially feel like it’s not working, but you should keep taking it as prescribed to get the full benefits. 

Buspirone generally doesn’t produce any euphoric feelings. It works more like an antidepressant than a tranquilizer, meaning it helps regulate brain chemicals that control mood without affecting your energy or making you feel high. Some people might experience mild side effects, such as dizziness, headaches, or nausea when they first start taking the medication, which usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug. 

Overall, buspirone makes you feel more relaxed and less anxious but without the fogginess or sedation that can come with other anxiety medications. For people with chronic anxiety, this can be a huge relief, allowing them to go about their daily lives without the constant weight of worry. 

Buspar High vs. Xanax High

People often compare buspirone (Buspar) to alprazolam (Xanax) because both are used to treat anxiety, but the two drugs are very different in how they work and how they make you feel. Xanax belongs to a class of medications called benzodiazepines, which are known for their fast-acting, calming effects. When someone takes Xanax, they may feel immediate relief from anxiety, along with a sense of relaxation or even euphoria. This quick relief is why Xanax is sometimes abused [4]. 

Buspirone, by contrast, doesn’t provide instant relief or a high feeling. Buspirone works slowly and doesn’t cause sedation or euphoria. It helps reduce anxiety over time but won’t make you feel numb, overly relaxed, or disconnected as Xanax can. This difference is one of the reasons why buspirone is considered less risky for abuse than Xanax. 

The Xanax high is usually described as a feeling of intense relaxation and drowsiness, where a person may feel almost completely at ease or zoned out. That said, this high comes with risks. Xanax is highly addictive, and people who use it frequently may develop tolerance, meaning they need higher and higher doses to get the same effect [5]. This can quickly lead to dependence, making it difficult to stop taking the drug without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Buspirone doesn’t create a cycle of dependence as it doesn’t act on the brain’s pleasure centers like Xanax does. It’s not used for the treatment of sudden anxiety attacks but rather as a long-term solution for managing chronic anxiety. Because of its slower and less intense effects, buspirone is far less likely to be abused than Xanax. 

Although both Buspar and Xanax can help with anxiety, Xanax provides fast-acting relief and can lead to a high, which makes it more addictive. Buspirone works more gradually, doesn’t produce a high, and is much safer for long-term use without the risk of addiction.

Buspar Abuse

While buspirone is generally considered safe and has a low potential for abuse, it’s still possible for people to misuse the medication. Buspar abuse happens when someone takes more of the medication than prescribed, takes it in a different way (like crushing and snorting Buspar), or mixes it with other substances like alcohol. While the chances of developing a dependence on buspirone are low, misusing it can still be dangerous. 

Some people might abuse buspirone in hopes of feeling more relaxed or getting high. However, buspirone doesn’t work in the same way as drugs that produce a high. Taking larger doses of buspirone is more likely to cause unpleasant side effects than any kind of pleasurable effect. This makes it less appealing for people looking to abuse medications for a high. 

One of the more dangerous ways people abuse buspirone is by combining it with alcohol. Both alcohol and buspirone can cause sedation, and when taken together, they can amplify these effects. This can lead to severe drowsiness, impaired judgment, and, in extreme cases, respiratory problems or coma. Mixing buspirone with alcohol also increases the risk of accidents or injuries, as people might feel too tired or uncoordinated to perform tasks safely.

Even though buspirone isn’t considered addictive in the traditional sense, regular misuse of the drug can still lead to harmful consequences. People who take too much buspirone over time may develop a tolerance, meaning they need larger doses to feel the same effects, even if those effects are not desirable. This can increase the risk of overdose, though buspirone overdoses are rare and usually not life-threatening. 

However, taking large amounts of buspirone can still cause serious side effects like tremors, severe dizziness, or difficulty breathing. It’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully and avoid experimenting with higher doses or combining buspirone with other substances.

Is Buspar Addictive?

Buspar is not considered addictive in the same way as opioids or benzodiazepines. Unlike those substances, buspirone doesn’t trigger the brain’s reward system, which is what typically leads to addiction. This means you’re much less likely to develop physical dependence on Buspar, even if you take it for a long time.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to misuse Buspar. While it doesn’t create cravings or withdrawal symptoms that come with drug addiction, some people may start taking it in ways that aren’t prescribed. For example, if someone is anxious, they might take more than the recommended dose in hopes of faster relief. While this won’t lead to a typical addiction, it can still cause other problems.
Overall, Buspar is safe when used as directed by a doctor, and it doesn’t have the same risk of addiction as stronger anxiety medications. However, it’s still important to follow the prescribed dosage to avoid misuse. 

Risks of Misuse

Even though Buspar is not addictive, misusing it can lead to other risks. Misuse happens when someone takes more of the medication than prescribed, takes it more often, or mixes it with other substances. While buspirone is designed to help with anxiety, taking too much can cause unwanted side effects instead of extra relief. 

Some of the risks of Buspar misuse include:

• Dizziness and confusion: Taking too much Buspar can make you feel lightheaded or confused, which can be dangerous if you’re driving or doing other tasks that require focus.
• Severe drowsiness: Overusing Buspar may cause extreme tiredness, making it hard to stay awake or alert.
• Stomach problems: Misusing Buspar can lead to nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain.
• Headaches: High doses of buspirone can result in persistent headaches that may not go away quickly.

Buspirone and Alcohol: The Dangers of Mixing the Two

Mixing Buspar with alcohol is dangerous and can lead to serious health problems. Both alcohol and Buspar can make you feel sleepy or dizzy, but when taken together, these effects can become much stronger. This combination can make it hard to think, react quickly, or stay awake. In some cases, it can cause respiratory problems or loss of consciousness.

Alcohol on its own is a CNS depressant, meaning it slows down your brain and body functions. When you add Buspar, which can also cause sedation, the combined effect can be overwhelming. Some of the dangers of mixing Buspar and alcohol include:

• Severe drowsiness: You may feel so tired that it becomes difficult to stay awake, which could be dangerous if you need to be alert.
• Impaired coordination: Mixing Buspar and alcohol can affect your ability to move and think clearly, increasing the risk of accidents, such as falls or car crashes.
• Breathing problems: In extreme cases, combining the two can slow down your breathing, which may lead to serious health issues, including coma. 

To stay safe, avoid alcohol while taking Buspar. Even though it might seem harmless to have a drink while on this medication, the combination can be much riskier than expected. If you’re ever unsure about mixing drugs with alcohol or other substances, it’s always best to ask your doctor. 

Get Addiction Treatment in a Luxurious, Welcoming Addiction Treatment Center at Renaissance Recovery

Although addiction can be highly disruptive, it’s also treatable – we can help you with this at Renaissance Recovery. We treat all addictions and mental health issues at our luxury rehabs in California and Florida. 

At Renaissance, we specialize in outpatient treatment, providing a flexible and affordable pathway to long-term addiction recovery. We are happy to work with health insurance providers so everyone can get the compassionate care they need. 

The unique aspect of every addiction means we deliver personalized treatment plans at Renaissance. These include:

• Talk therapies (CBT and DBT)
• Counseling
• Motivational therapies
• MAT (medication-assisted treatment)
• Family therapy
• Group therapy
• Holistic therapy
• Aftercare 

For immediate assistance dealing with prescription drug abuse, call 866-330-9449.

Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531477/
2. https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/benzodiazepines
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9826102/
4. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a684001.html
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11224198/