How Counseling is Used in Klonopin Addiction Treatment Programs
Klonopin, also known as clonazepam, belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs. Along with being an effective treatment for seizure conditions, Klonopin also helps provide relief from panic attacks as well as other anxiety-based disorders.
Counseling in Klonopin rehab sometimes takes place in a group setting.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, benzodiazepines specifically target abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which is believed to account for seizure episodes and anxiety symptoms. Unfortunately, prolonged use places users at risk of abusing these drugs and ultimately becoming addicted.
Klonopin addiction treatment programs help addicts overcome the physical and psychological effects from long-term drug use. Since addiction takes root inside a person’s thinking patterns, Klonopin addiction treatment programs place a heavy emphasis on providing needed counseling treatment.
Counseling treatment entails –
- Behavioral therapies
- Groups therapies
- Drug counseling
- 12-Step support group work
Klonopin addiction treatment programs use counseling methods to help addicts replace destructive thinking patterns regarding self and others with healthy, drug-free behaviors and coping strategies.
Klonopin Effects
Klonopin relieves anxiety and seizure disorder symptoms by stimulating the release of GABA neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain and central nervous system, according to the University of Maryland. GABA naturally slows down electrical activity between the brain’s neurons, which accounts for Klonopin’s sedating effects.
The central nervous system actually houses two different types of brain cell receptor sites that respond to Klonopin’s effects. One set regulates anxiety levels while the other produces the sedative effect.
People who use Klonopin for six months or longer will likely start to develop a tolerance to the drug’s sedating effects. In turn, users ingest larger doses of the drug to experience the same desired effects. By the time a person enters a Klonopin addiction treatment program, the brain and body have become physically and psychologically dependent on the drug’s effects.
Addiction Counseling Benefits
Besides the physical dependency that drives continued drug use, the real force behind a Klonopin addiction stems from a person’s psychological dependence on the drug. Klonopin addiction treatment programs work directly with the psychological factors that support the addiction, some of which include –
- Thinking patterns
- Behavioral patterns
- Emotional connections to drug use
- Denial issues
- Drug cravings
- People, places and activities that trigger the urge to use
In effect, Klonopin addiction treatment programs not only treat the physical aspect of addiction, but also help recovering addicts work through the underlying issues that drive their psychological dependency on the drug.
Behavioral Therapies
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, behavioral therapies take up a large part of the Klonopin addiction treatment program process. Behavioral treatments are designed to help recovering addicts replace addiction-based attitudes and behaviors with healthy life skill sets.
In the process, a person learns to –
- Avoid drug-using triggers
- Associate drug use with unpleasant experiences
- Develop coping strategies for maintaining abstinence behaviors
Group Therapies
Group-based therapies used in Klonopin addiction treatment programs include group counseling sessions and 12-Step support group meetings. As a treatment approach, group therapies provide a social environment where members share similar experiences, challenges and goals.
Groups centered on living a drug-free lifestyle become a source of support and guidance for people trying to overcome Klonopin addiction. For many people, ongoing group work helps them stay motivated and engaged in the recovery process.