Buffalo,
I too take Xanax. I have taken benzos longer than I have been drinking alcohol (3 years) because I have pretty severe anxiety. However, I can tell you even with a few days sober (I'm a binge drinker) I still need the Xanax but the intensity of the anxiety is not as bad. I find the alcohol hangovers made my anxiety 10x worse than anything else.
When I have had periods of sobriety in the past, I noticed myself needing less anxiety medication. Sobriety seems to help quite a bit.
Welcome to the forum! This is a good place to find out your are not alone