Who Experiences Klonopin Withdrawal

Klonopin (clonazepam) is used to treat a wide variety of medical issues such as seizure prevention, anxiety, panic disorders, insomnia, bipolar disorders, and as an anticonvulsant or muscle relaxer. Klonopin is part of a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which are often called tranquilizers. Benzodiazepine medications slow down brain activity and act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants. When used as prescribed, Klonopin is considered a safe medication, but long term use or abuse can cause tolerance and dependency.

Klonopin Side Effects

Klonopin produces common side effects such as drowsiness, sedation, decreased alertness and concentration, muscle relaxation, lack of coordination, amnesia, lowered inhibitions, and decreased libido, or erection problems. Long term use or abuse of Klonopin has been known to actually increase anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, and the risk of seizures. It may cause severe changes in personality such as loss of interest in people, things, or activities, loss of confidence or increased vulnerability. Other serious side effects include hives, swelling of the face or throat, depressed breathing or heart rate, and withdrawals if abruptly discontinued.

Klonopin Withdrawals

You are likely to experience withdrawal if you abruptly stop taking it after a long time.

Klonopin withdrawals occur after a tolerance is developed and in many cases they can be reduced by tapering off the medication. Long term use and abuse are major concerns and the withdrawals become more intense and severe the faster the withdrawal occurs. Symptoms may include gastric problems, muscle spasms, aches and pains, increased anxiety, insomnia, seizures, rapid mood changes, depression, depersonalization, suicidal tendencies, paranoia, hyperventilation, hypertension, speech difficulties, cognitive deficits, and hypersensitivity to stimuli. Some symptoms may last for months or may be permanent.

Who Experiences Klonopin Withdrawal

Anyone who has developed a physical or psychological dependency to Klonopin is subject to withdrawals. It only takes a few days for this to happen even when the medication is taken as prescribed. Klonopin is often prescribed to individuals who have underlying mental health issues or as a treatment for those issues and is prescribed or abused by many poly substance users. These individuals are more likely to abuse Klonopin and increase the possibility, severity, or duration of Klonopin withdrawals.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, substance abuse treatment admissions for abuse of benzodiazepines “ tripled between 1998 and 2008”, “Almost all benzodiazepine admissions (95 percent) reported abuse of another substance in addition to abuse of benzodiazepines”, and “the majority (86.4 percent) indicated that they started using benzodiazepines after they first used the other substance, and the remaining 13.6 percent initiated use of benzodiazepines before initiation of the other substance of abuse.”

As more and more prescriptions Klonopin are diverted to the street, abuse of Klonopin will continue to increase and long term use remains controversial.