Short Term Klonopin Side Effects
Klonopin, also known by its generic name clonazepam, belongs to the benzodiazepine class of prescription drugs. Commonly used as a short-term treatment for anxiety and seizure-based disorders, Klonopin produces a sedative-like effect that restores the brain back to normal functioning levels in people affected by these conditions.
In addition to its medicinal effects, Klonopin side effects produce feelings of euphoria and calm, which can easily drive users to exceed prescription dosage amounts. Klonopin side effects also account for the widespread recreational use of the drug.
Short term Klonopin side effects result from the drug’s ability to alter brain chemical processes. As with any drug capable of altering brain functions, Klonopin produces a tolerance effect that places users at risk of abuse and addiction. In effect, the longer a person keeps taking the drug the more severe short term Klonopin side effects become.
Benzodiazepine Uses
In total, benzodiazepines comprise over 15 different types of drugs. Different formulations of benzodiazepines can produce varied effects depending on the dosage amount.
According to the University of Maryland, different formulations produce a range of therapeutic effects, some of which include –
- Hypnotic effects
- Muscle relaxant
- Anxiety relief
- Memory loss
As an anti-anxiety medication, Klonopin belongs to the Schedule IV class of controlled substances, which carry a mild to moderate risk for abuse and addiction. Klonopin side effects play an active role in increasing the drug’s overall addictive potential.
Klonopin Effects in the Brain
With each dose of Klonopin, certain key brain cell receptor sites secrete GABA, one of the brain’s neurotransmitter chemicals. GABA acts specifically on motor neurons, which regulate nerve impulse transmission rates. GABA produces an inhibitory effect that slows down nerve signal transmission rates throughout the central nervous system.
Klonopin increases GABA production thereby decreasing nerve signal transmission rates, which accounts for the drug’s ability to relieve feelings of anxiety. While Klonopin’s therapeutic effects can definitely benefit someone who struggles with anxiety symptoms, it nonetheless interferes with the brain’s normal chemical processes. This short term Klonopin side effect can cause problems over time.
Short Term Klonopin Side Effects
Klonopin can cause diarrhea and gastritis, among other side effects.
With Klonopin’s effects on GABA (a chemical that helps regulate the central nervous system), short-term side effects can take any number of forms depending on the areas of the body most affected.
Short-term side effects may include –
- Hair loss
- Nausea
- Sore gums
- Muscle weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Skin rashes
- Muscle aches and pains
- Diarrhea
- Respiratory congestion
- Dry mouth
- Increase in appetite
- Gastritis
Tolerance Level Increases
With ongoing use, brain cell processes start to rely on Klonopin to secrete GABA chemicals. In the process, brain cells lose their sensitivity to Klonopin’s effects and so require larger doses to function as usual. This short-term side effect only works to support the drug’s addictive potential.
As a result, short term Klonopin side effects worsen in intensity over time as brain chemical processes skew further out of balance. So, what might start out as mild side effects can potentially cause real problems when taking the drug over the course of months or years.