"i have gone on and off xanax for a few years now and all i can say is that it works! i take 0.5-1 mg as needed. it kicks in pretty quickly and it&#039;s the only med i&#039;ve tried that can stop a severe panic attack in its tracks. it has helped me regain control of my life and think clearly in stressful situations. i don&#039;t get drowsy or feel impaired as long as i don&#039;t take more than my dose. works better for me than ativan and clonazepam. make sure you properly taper off this med if you take it for more than a few weeks- i tried to stop cold turkey once and it felt awful."