Klonopin is a benzodiazepine that has sedative and hypnotic properties. It’s used to treat panic attacks, seizures (including Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, petit mal seizures, and akinetic seizures), akathisia (a movement disorder), and insomnia. It was first patented in 1964 and then released as a generic drug in 1975 in the United States. Clonazepam works by raising dopamine levels in the brain’s reward centre and improving GABA levels. Klonopin reduces brain electrical activity, leaving you feeling drowsy, relaxed, and peaceful.
Klonopin is a potentially addictive Benzodiazepine, with some patients developing Klonopin addiction as soon as a few weeks after beginning treatment. By taking only the quantity suggested by their doctor, many people have become addicted to Klonopin. Klonopin reduces anxiety, stress, and difficulty relaxing by blocking certain receptors in the brain. When a person becomes addicted to a drug, their brain loses its ability to develop feelings of relaxation and tranquillity. This is why Klonopin addicts have a hard time quitting and can’t function normally when they don’t have the drug.
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Bromazepam is a Class C drug in the United Kingdom (available only on prescription).
Klonopin is usually given as a tablet for oral consumption. However, it can also be given intramuscularly, intravenously, or sublingually (a patch under the tongue).
Klonopin addiction is a condition in which people continue to take Klonopin despite knowing the consequences. It is frequently motivated by physical dependence on Klonopin: the state in which a person’s system becomes accustomed to a specific level of the drug and adapts appropriately, with abnormal function (in the form of withdrawal symptoms) arising from a stop of Klonopin use until the affected individual’s system can readjust to the absence of the drug.
It’s easy to see why some people abuse Klonopin, mainly because most do it unintentionally. Many people are unsure about the dangers of prescription drug abuse due to a lack of understanding.
Typically, the brain and body become accustomed to Klonopin fast, and tolerance develops. When this happens, the drug’s effects wane, and the alleviation provided isn’t as effective as it once was. The natural reaction is to raise the amount, even though this is considered abuse and is extremely harmful.
Others will purposefully abuse Klonopin to become high. Others use it in large dosages to have hallucinations. They might enjoy the calming effects or use it to help them forget about their problems.
Klonopin addiction is caused by a mix of risk factors working in conjunction. The following are some of the most common risk factors for Klonopin abuse:
Anyone with a family history of substance misuse and addiction is known to be much more likely to abuse and become addicted to Klonopin. Furthermore, people who have a family history of mental illness are more prone to have problems with Klonopin.
People who have had trauma or life issues, hang out with others who abuse Klonopin, and use Klonopin for longer periods or in greater dosages than suggested are all far more prone to develop a Klonopin addiction than the average person.
Klonopin is a habit-forming medicine with a significant potential for misuse, even though it is effective for short-term use when treating specific conditions. It’s critical to be aware of the warning signs of substance abuse, the first of which is a higher tolerance for the substance.
So, if your medication isn’t working as well as it used to, it’s likely because your brain has changed its production of calming chemicals to compensate. You may also notice that as the medication’s effects wear off, you begin to feel poorly or experience unpleasant symptoms. This is a symptom that you’ve established a physical dependency on something. You might not feel normal or be able to function normally without Klonopin, especially if these symptoms go away once you start taking it.
Many people become trapped in a cycle of abuse and withdrawal at this point. At this moment, the cycle of abuse is more likely to spiral out of control. To alleviate the symptoms you’re having, and you might start taking bigger doses of Klonopin or combine it with another substance, such as alcohol. This is extremely risky and puts your health, and even your life, in jeopardy. Detecting dependence symptoms in yourself might be difficult, mainly because you are unlikely to want to notice them. You may not want to consider stopping taking this medication because you believe you will be unable to function without it. If your drug is providing you with relief, you are unlikely to contemplate the idea that you have crossed a line in your usage.
However, dependence can soon become an addiction, which can significantly negatively impact many aspects of your life. It is preferable to address the issue of dependence before becoming addicted to the medication.
Some of the signs might be:
If your Klonopin use is beginning to disrupt your daily life but still taking it, you may already be addicted.
Although withdrawal from benzodiazepines is one of the most unpleasant and deadly forms of withdrawal syndrome, it is an unavoidable part of the rehabilitation process for anyone who has acquired a Klonopin addiction.
It can, however, be made easier with the help of medication and the expertise of medical specialists.
Every case of clonazepam withdrawal is unique. However, on average, withdrawal should last between two and four weeks, with acute withdrawal beginning three or four days following the last dose and typically lasting around a week. Prolonged (or post-acute) withdrawal syndrome can occur in some circumstances, with symptoms lasting months or even years.
The following are some of the most prevalent benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms:
Klonopin abuse has a significant side effect: addiction. It takes hold of you and makes completing treatment increasingly difficult. Klonopin addiction alters brain chemistry and structure, especially when combined with other addictive substances. These modifications result in personality changes, memory issues, cognitive impairments, and a re-addiction to Klonopin.
Klonopin’s benefits include reduced anxiety, worry, drowsiness, slowed breathing, and a slower heart rate. The actions of GABA receptors in the brain, which reduce neuronal excitement, amplify the short-term effects.
The following are some of Klonopin’s common adverse side effects:
Some other occasional and rare effects:
Klonopin users frequently take other drugs to disguise or enhance the drug’s effects. Some people use cocaine or other stimulants to offset Klonopin’s sedative effects. Others may use alcohol to boost Klonopin’s calming effects, whether getting a better high or sleeping better. A lethal overdose is the most severe side effect of mixing Klonopin with other substances, especially CNS depressants like alcohol. When used together, alcohol and Klonopin can cause a person’s central nervous system to slow down to the point where they cease breathing completely.
Cocaine can help people stay awake, but it can also give them a misleading impression of how much Klonopin they can take. Cocaine wears off faster than Klonopin, which leads to the person taking more than they meant. Overdosing could result in serious problems such as coma, seizures, and death.
Klonopin and other benzodiazepines are commonly taken in conjunction with opioids, alcohol, or both to enhance the relaxing pleasure and alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Mixing substances raise the danger of overdose because the strength of all the drugs involved is often increased, especially with a high-dose, long-acting substance like Klonopin, overdose is a distinct possibility.
To increase the potency of these drugs, Klonopin has been coupled with alcohol, opioids, and even methadone. However, even benzodiazepines have a high risk of abuse, and individuals with a history of substance abuse and addiction are more likely to develop an addiction to Klonopin due to alterations in the brain’s reward system caused by GABA receptors. If a person with a history of substance abuse is given a Klonopin prescription, their doctor should keep a close eye on them for signs of addiction.
As stated above, the existence of mental disorders while taking Klonopin is a risk factor for developing an addiction to the drug because of the urge to self medicate with the medicine to cope with mental health problems.
Klonopin, like many other benzodiazepines, is used to treat a variety of mental health concerns and is hence more likely to appear in dual diagnosis cases (where substance abuse disorders co-occur with other mental disorders). In such circumstances, treating the addiction is inevitably more complex, and expert care is usually required.
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As Klonopin addiction has become more common in the United Kingdom, additional treatment facilities have emerged to address the problem. Treatment usually consists of two phases: detoxification/withdrawal (during which the patient’s system is cleansed of substances of abuse such as clonazepam) and therapy (in various formats and models).
A Klonopin addiction treatment programme does not conclude with a detox. It’s critical to use therapy to address your sickness’s emotional and psychological issues once you’ve interrupted the cycle of abuse. In a rehab clinic, this is usually done with a combination of standard and holistic therapies.
Detoxification can be approached in various ways, and each treatment facility may have its own protocol. However, each instance of addiction is different, and the therapy required for one person may differ dramatically from that of another. Some people may need to taper off clonazepam before starting the detox, while others may be given medication to help with withdrawal. If you’re thinking about going through Klonopin detox, make sure you’re as informed as possible about the procedure ahead of time, in collaboration with the doctor or specialists who will be assisting you.
It is very advised that you stop using Klonopin in a supervised facility. It may be necessary to gradually reduce your Klonopin dosage over several weeks before quitting for good. This will assist in reducing the severity of withdrawal symptoms and possibly prevent the worst ones from arising.
Detoxification can alleviate the acute demands of dependence, but the underlying impulses to consume Klonopin (or any other substance of abuse) are likely to remain unaltered without therapy. Addiction treatment can be done one-on-one or in a group setting, and it comes in various approaches and styles.
Some examples of therapies used in Klonopin treatments include:
CBT is a goal-oriented, short-term talking therapy that aims to bring treatment to a close rather than leave it unfinished. CBT differs from counselling in that it can go as long as the therapist and the patient agree. It is built around a set of goals that the counsellor and the patient work through from session to session. The therapy is finished once all of the goals have been met.
The 12-step programme is a sort of treatment in which patients are given a series of 12 steps to complete to recover from addiction. These steps are designed to create a seamless transition from the earliest stages of acceptance to restoring your interpersonal relationships.
Once you have proven that you are ‘clean’ following drug testing, you will be given a coupon. During treatment, coupons can be exchanged for high-value items and services. According to studies, if you have a combination diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder and severe depressive illness, as well as a Clobazam addiction, Contingency Management can help.
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