Unfortunately, many people today suffer from emotional issues such as stress or anxiety, which can also affect a person’s sleeping patterns and cause insomnia. We are always in need of a quick fix, and that usually brings us to the doctor’s office for a prescription that can help us out quickly.
The most commonly prescribed medications for short-term anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and insomnia are Valium, Xanax, or Klonopin. These medications are in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines or benzos. Benzodiazepines work to calm or sedate a person by raising the level of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. Depending on the amount taken, this can lead to a feeling of relaxation or sleepiness and intoxication if taken too much.
What is Klonopin Exactly? Is This Drug Addictive?
Benzodiazepines are a class of sedative medications and are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States and the world. The National Library of Medicine (NCBI) reported that, in 2008, Approximately 75 million prescriptions for benzos were written in the United States. The prevalence of benzos use in the general population is 4% to 5%. Usage increases with age, and women are prescribed benzos twice as often as men. Because these drugs are so common, they are diverted for misuse or abuse and sometimes sold illegally.
As mentioned before, the medication is meant for short-term use. The short-term use is because, after about two weeks, most people will develop a physical dependence. It doesn’t matter if you were taking the prescription, such as Klonopin, as directed; there is a high chance that once you stop taking the drug, you will start to have some form of withdrawal after a few hours or days. You may not even know what it is. If you are not a regular substance abuser, you may find you form a headache or become nauseous and realize that taking more Klonopin makes those symptoms subside, not knowing these are early signs of withdrawal.
Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms
Just like any other substance, the severity of your withdrawal from Klonopin will depend on many factors:
- How much you’ve been taking
- How long you’ve been taking it
- Whether you regularly mix it with other drugs or alcohol
- Your age and physical health
Klonopin withdrawal symptoms are very familiar with alcohol withdrawal. They are probably the worst withdrawal you could experience and the only one that could turn deadly if you do not seek medical attention during your detox. You may feel anxious and have flu-like symptoms, and they could be severe or mild and come and go, but it is not suggested to detox alone without a medical doctor to supervise you.
Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine, so it has a long half-life of 30 to 40 hours. This means it could take a while for the withdrawal symptoms to start, and it could start from two to seven days after your last dose. The withdrawal symptoms can last on and off from two to eight weeks. The withdrawal symptoms of Klonopin will affect you physically and mentally.
A common side effect of using Klonopin include:
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Muscle aches
- Blurry vision
- Fatigue or sleepiness
- Depression
- Paradoxical insomnia or anxiety
- Memory loss
- Nervousness or shaking
- Constipation
- Respiratory congestion
Besides just withdrawal symptoms, there are long-term dangers that could affect you as well. Abusing Klonopin for a long time can cause brain damage, including:
- Impaired judgment
- Impulse control problems
- Disorientation and confusion
- Memory damage
- Muscle weakness
- Impaired thinking, reasoning, and learning
- Hostile, erratic behavior
- Mood swings
Knowing what happens when benzos such as Klonopin are abused is key to recognizing certain behaviors such as dependence and cravings start.
Starting treatment for Klonopin abuse early can reduce the risk of long-term damage; however, mental and behavioral changes caused by very long-term abuse in large doses will likely not be reversible, except with years of sobriety.
If you abuse Klonopin for an extended period without help, you could form a condition called benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome (BWS). This is when withdrawal symptoms last for prolonged periods, especially psychiatric struggles like cravings, mood swings, irritability, and exhaustion. With the proper treatment, withdrawing from Klonopin can take one to two weeks, but without the appropriate help, BWS can develop and cause withdrawal to extend for months. Developing BWS increases the risk of relapse back into Klonopin abuse.
Medical Detox for Klonopin Dependency
If you or a loved one are ready to enter our Klonopin detox in West Palm Beach, Florida, we can help. It’s important to note that withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous without clinical supervision. Apart from the health dangers, most addicts’ cravings when coming off Klonopin create the perfect recipe for relapse. This cycle can repeat many times, but at Allure Detox, our personalized treatment plans focus on relapse prevention until your detox begins.
Contact our Allure Detox specialists today if you’re ready to begin the journey to freedom from benzodiazepine addiction. We will provide you with a confidential assessment and can immediately start the intake process. Our West Palm Beach Klonopin Detox is available around the clock to men and women struggling with benzodiazepine dependence.