Concerned that you or a loved one is struggling with Klonopin addiction? Click here to learn about the risk factors and treatment options available.
If you struggle with depression and anxiety, then chances are that you’ve either heard about or have already been prescribed Klonopin.
If you’ve ever taken the drug, you know that it can be incredibly addictive. However, what stars as occasional recreational misuse that leads to feelings of euphoria can very quickly turn into a serious Klonopin addiction.
If this describes you or someone you know, you may be feeling hopeless and afraid.
This post is here to help.
In it, we’ll discuss what Klonopin is and why so many become addicted to it.
Then, we’ll tell you where you can find the treatment you need for either yourself or a loved one struggling with Klonopin addiction.
What Is Klonopin?
Before we get into anything else, let’s first make sure you have a clear understanding of what exactly Klonopin is.
It’s a benzodiazepine that is most frequently used to treat individuals who suffer from anxiety, moderate to severe panic attacks, and even physical conditions like seizures.
This helps to regulate the GABA neurotransmitter in your brain, preventing both seizures and anxious, racing thoughts. It’s available in tablets of 0.5 milligrams, 1 milligram, and 2 milligrams.
While generally, most patients are started on the lowest dose, depending on the severity of your mental state or seizures (or your height and weight) you may be prescribed a higher dosage.
For most patients, Klonopin addiction does not occur and the medication is helpful.
However, it’s not always effective and can come with some pretty serious side effects. These include a loss of appetite, increased anxiety, an increase in suicidal thoughts, a lowered sex drive, dizziness, and more.
Unfortunately, overdosing or not taking Klonopin correctly leads to over 76,000 hospital visits in a single year.
While sometimes, these visits really are accidental, other times, they are a consequence of Klonopin addiction.
Understanding Klonopin Addiction
So, when does taking Klonopin transform from a supplement to talk therapy into full-blown Klonopin addiction and abuse? And why exactly does it happen?
As a benzodiazepine, Klonopin causes intense feelings of relaxation — sometimes, to the point of lethargy. This means that it’s possible to become addicted both physically and psychologically.
Klonopin is also very easy for the body to become adjusted to. This means that patients will need to take higher doses — and take a greater number of pills in a day — in order to get the same effects.
It also has one of the longest half-lives of any drug on the market, meaning it stays in your system for a long time. Usually, Klonopin has a half-life of between 30 to 40 hours.
So, for even half of one pill to leave your system, you’ll need to wait between one or two days. This means it’s incredibly easy to overdose.
Especially if someone has an addict in the family, especially if that person is a parent, they’ll be at a higher risk for Klonopin abuse. There are more scientific reasons why people might become addicted as well.
For example, those who don’t have enough GAMA receptors — the neurotransmitter we mentioned above — may also be more likely to develop an addiction.
Finally, addiction may happen as a result of additional recreational drug use. If an addict uses stimulants, like cocaine or even meth, they may rely on Klonopin to help them to “come down” from a more intense high.
Whether or not the addict in your life has been prescribed Klonopin by a medical professional or found it illegally, they are still at the same risk for addiction.
Signs Of Klonopin Addiction
Klonopin addiction should be taken extremely seriously, especially because an overdose of benzodiazepines kills about 8,000 people in a single year.
It’s important to know the signs of both addiction and withdrawal to properly help the addict in your life.
If you suspect someone you care about has a Klonopin abuse, there are several signs to look for.
Have you noticed that they seem to have an especially short fuse lately — and their reaction to even small inconveniences is incredibly disproportionate? Do they seem to be visiting more and more doctors lately, potentially taking part in “Doctor Shopping” to get more prescriptions?
Have you noticed that they seem to have trouble sleeping, have become socially withdrawn, or don’t seem to be quite as motivated as they once were?
Has the potential addict in your life stopped taking part in their favorite hobbies or activities, and seems content to just sit on the couch and watch life pass them by?
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, then you may be dealing with someone who has an addiction.
During withdrawal, an addict may experience extreme anxiety to the point of hallucinations, enter into a state of psychosis, become overly aggressive, and more.
They may also see an increase in seizures, deal with tremors, and experience severe muscle cramping.
This is why it’s so important to treat Klonopin abuse in a medical setting or a rehab facility.
Looking For Treatment For Klonopin Abuse?
If you or someone you love is currently struggling with Klonopin addiction, we want you to know that you have options.
Yes, kicking the habit will be challenging, but with the right medical and psychological support system in place, you can get off Klonopin for good.
We want to help you make it happen.
At Muse Treatment, we’re dedicated to affordable, effective, and stress-free care. We create a customized treatment plan for each of our patients, and we even use neurofeedback and cognitive training to ensure that you’re progressing at the best possible rate.
We even have a career center, so that you can get your life back once you get out of treatment.
Spend some time on our website to learn more, and reach out to us when you’re ready to get help and get your life back.
