Klonopin Abuse and Treatment

While many people are able to close their eyes and drift off once their heads hit the pillow at night, individuals with insomnia, anxiety and sleep disorders aren’t so lucky. They can lie down for hours, but are unable to shut down their brains or relax. It’s tempting to believe that popping a pill will induce instant sleep without any risks. However, there is a real risk of addiction when using hypnotic-sedatives and sleeping aids.

In 2016, over nine million Americans used benzodiazepines (or ‘benzos’) to sleep, with 30% of that number dependent on sleeping aids.

Klonopin is commonly used as a short-term solution for sleep disorders and anxiety, but if you abuse it in any way, it’s extremely difficult to quit without professional help.

What is Klonopin?

Klonopin is a sedative-hypnotic medication that is classed as a benzodiazepine. It is prescribed for panic disorder, seizures (such as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, petit mal-seizures and akinetic seizures) and for the movement disorder, akathisia, as well as for insomnia. Initially patented in 1964, it went on sale as a generic medication in the US in 1975. Also known as Clonazepam, it works by increasing dopamine chemicals in the reward centre of the brain and enhancing GABA chemicals. Klonopin decreases electrical activity in the brain, which leaves you feeling sedated, relaxed and calm.

History of Klonopin addiction

patented in 1964, at a time when benzodiazepines enjoyed huge success in the pharmaceutical market.

All habit-forming drugs with muscle relaxant properties have a high potential for abuse. This is the attraction for recreational users, who acquire the drug by ‘doctor shopping’, buying pills online or forging prescriptions.

Causes and risk factors for Klonopin addiction and abuse

Addiction to Klonopin is triggered by a combination of several risk factors working together. Common risk factors of Klonopin abuse include:

Genetic: A direct link has been established between genetics and addiction. Individuals whose parents or first-degree relatives are addicts are at risk of developing addiction later in life.

Environmental: Some environmental factors increase the risk of abuse; for instance, socio-economic status, having friends who abused drugs or living in an area where drug use is common.

Mental health disorders: co-occurring disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and panic disorders increase the risk of addiction as a means of self-medicating for mental health issues.

Other risk factors include peer pressure, unemployment, being female and abusing Klonopin at an elderly age.

Interactions don’t indicate that you should stop taking the medications. Your doctor will help you manage drug interactions safely.

What is Klonopin Addiction?

Klonopin is a habit-forming medication and users can develop addiction within a few weeks. When using Klonopin beyond the period it was prescribed, you’ll quickly progress to building tolerance to the drug. At this stage, the original dosage no longer achieves the desired effects and your doctor will look to wean you off Klonopin.

Many individuals continue using Klonopin and graduate to dependence. When you’re dependent, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms after quitting Klonopin. The desired effects usually manifest within an hour of taking a dose. The ‘high’ induced includes feeling of pleasure, relaxation, calmness and euphoria.

With long-term usage, you’ll become addicted to Klonopin, which alters brain chemistry. Flooding the brain with GABA and dopamine chemicals reinforces drug use and subsequently makes it difficult to quit.

Why is Klonopin so addictive?

All benzos have a risk of addiction, and Klonopin is no exception. Typically, the drug is prescribed for a short window of two to four weeks, due to the risk of tolerance and dependence.

When the drug enters your bloodstream, it reaches the brain within an hour and remains in your body for between 18-39 hours. Klonopin blocks special receptors in the brain to reduce stress and agitation. The immediate effect is a relaxed mindset, a euphoric feeling and sedation, with no agitation, tension or rigidity. These positive effects make Klonopin attractive to substance abusers looking for the next ‘high’.

Since most people abusing Klonopin mix it with depressants like alcohol, there’s a ‘cross tolerance’ effect that affects GABA receptors. A person who struggles with polydrug use disorder will more likely remain on Klonopin, because it induces a ‘rapid hit’ and remains active in the body. This fast-acting medication is more effective than Valium, as it kicks in quickly. In turn, this means it is also easier to build tolerance to Klonopin.

Signs, symptoms and effects of Klonopin abuse and addiction

If you’re wondering whether a loved one is abusing Klonopin, there are general signs of abuse to look out for. Recognising these signs is the first step to helping your loved one get the help they need. Symptoms include:

Addiction is a serious consequence of Klonopin abuse. It takes hold of you and makes it increasingly difficult to complete treatment. Klonopin addiction also changes brain chemistry and structure – especially when other addictive substances are involved. These adjustments lead to personality changes, memory problems, cognitive difficulties and a reinforced addiction to Klonopin.

Short-term effects of Klonopin on the body

The positive effects of Klonopin include decreased tension, reduced worry, drowsiness, slowed respiration and reduced heart rate. The short-term effects are heightened by the actions of GABA receptors in the brain, which decrease neural excitation.

When you take higher doses of Klonopin, you risk experiencing a fatal overdose. With every dose, you’re a step closer to the risk of lethal overdose that could prove fatal. Signs of an overdose include respiratory depression, weakness, delirium, convulsions, extreme drowsiness, decreased levels of consciousness and coma.

Other effects of Klonopin on the body include:

Long-term effects of using Klonopin

When you abuse Klonopin, tolerance sets in within a week for most individuals. With tolerance, you’ll need more drugs to feel the initial sedative effects. Most users overprescribe themselves and take larger doses to sleep or feel calm.

Consistent abuse subsequently leads to dependence. There’s an imbalance present at this stage and only an increased use of Klonopin makes you feel balanced and able to function normally or experience pleasure. Dependence is a definite indicator that you’re on the way to addiction.

Mental health patients may also experience suicidal ideation. Report any such thoughts to a doctor if you notice their presence. When you try to quit Klonopin, you’ll experience benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. This is linked with psychiatric struggles like mood swings, exhaustion, cravings and irritability. Long-term users are more likely to experience severe withdrawal symptoms due to the quantity of drugs in their system and the length of time addiction has had to make changes to brain structure.

Signs of long-term abuse include:

Psychological signs and symptoms of Klonopin abuse and addiction

Psychological signs of Klonopin abuse include temporary amnesia, depression, anxiety that doesn’t respond to medication, reduced inhibition and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

With continued use, the brain develops tolerance and anxiety returns with increased intensity. Some users suffer long bouts of depression, make irrational decisions and act impulsively. Other psychological issues include paranoia and mild anxiety. Many claim these symptoms can be managed at home, but paranoia is a serious problem linked to suicide attempts.

Signs of Klonopin withdrawal and overdose

Withdrawal signs manifest in three stages:

In the early withdrawal stages, you’ll experience rebound anxiety panic attacks and insomnia. Other symptoms (which Klonopin was initially prescribed to treat) can return with painful intensity.

After four days of symptoms, withdrawal peaks in the second week. Symptoms during this phase include sleep disturbances, depression, rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, mood swings, irritability, seizures and gastrointestinal pain.

Late withdrawal symptoms occur in the third week after general withdrawal symptoms have subsided. Some patients experience protracted withdrawal symptoms such as depression, drug cravings and insomnia.

Dangerous effects of Klonopin abuse and addiction

Most of the dangers associated with Klonopin abuse take place long-term.

A study found that individuals with benzodiazepine use disorder who abuse Klonopin for up to three months noticeably increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Those who abused Klonopin for longer periods raised it by a further 32%, with over six months of abuse increasing that figure to 84%. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

Long-term use of Klonopin also increases the risk of mania, commonly experienced by individuals with bipolar disorder who have been misdiagnosed and given the wrong medication. As Klonopin changes brain structure, manic episodes could occur, during which the individual experiences elevated mood and talks excessively.

Physical, psychological, emotional and behavioural effects of Klonopin abuse and addiction

Substance abuse impacts every area of your life, including behaviour, thought pattern, emotion and physical health. Many individuals who abuse drugs suffer from low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and depression. They combine Klonopin with alcohol to numb negative feelings and boost confidence levels. Sadly, the reprieve is only temporary. When the drug wears off, symptoms worsen and mental health issues are still present.

The realisation that you can’t feel confident, happy, elated or derive joy from simple activities, unless under the influence, increases the risk of other mental health issues taking hold. We all want to feel loved, but abusing drugs is not the cure to loneliness.

The Social Impact of Klonopin

Addiction isolates. Your communication skills, friendships, social activities and familial bonds all come undone when you’re addicted to Klonopin. Your family – your immediate circle of support – will suffer most from your drug use and bear the brunt of your aggression, mood swings and violent outbursts. You no longer derive joy from past activities and everything takes a backburner to satisfy cravings for Klonopin.

Children who are raised by addicted parents grow up thinking drug use is acceptable behaviour and have an increased risk of becoming addicts themselves.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): This is the most widely used therapy technique for treating Klonopin addiction. It helps you understand the root cause of your addiction and teaches strategies and techniques for channelling your thoughts and actions in a positive way.

Contingency Management: This is a therapy model for reinforcing positive behaviour. You are rewarded with vouchers and tokens when passing a drugs test or reaching a milestone in your recovery journey. Treatment targets the reward centre of the brain, replacing the desire for drug use with motivation to maintain positive behaviour.

Inpatient rehab: Residential rehab is a 24-hour addiction treatment structured to optimise your recovery efforts. There are medical professionals on hand 24/7 to provide emergency treatment where necessary and help you detox safely. The ideal length of stay is three months.

Outpatient rehab: Outpatient programmes are designed to integrate with your personal life. You will attend rehab from home and receive treatment on site. This option is ideal for patients with mild addiction. Treatment last between 10 and 16 weeks.

Klonopin addiction: Treatment prices

When compared with the dangers and permanent side effects associated with drug abuse, treatment is relatively affordable. The price of addiction treatment is determined by the expertise of staff, size of the facility, number of therapy techniques and size of programme.

Standard programmes can range from £1,000 a week, while luxury programmes may cost as much as £10,000 or more each week. You can pay for treatment via private medical insurance or use personal finances, bank loans, credit cards or government funding. You might also wish to seek financial aid from loved ones.

Staying off Klonopin

The goal of Klonopin treatment is to ensure life-long abstinence from drugs. To achieve this, you’ll need comprehensive aftercare and relapse prevention planning to keep you on track and reduce temptations or triggers. Attend doctor’s appointments, don’t miss therapy sessions, find a 12-step meeting, build a network of drug-free friends and stay away from places with triggers such as clubs, bars and parties.

Use your replacement medication as prescribed to avoid swapping one addiction for another. Community-based meetings are extremely important to your recovery journey. Attend meetings stringently and hold yourself accountable by finding a sponsor. The skills and training you learn in rehab should guide your activities and prevent relapse.

Family therapy

Addiction is referred to as a family disease, because when an addict suffers, so does the entire family. Successful treatment incorporates the family to treat the individual within that unit. It is a platform for family members to learn more about your addiction, air any grievances, talk about how your addiction affected them and heal together.

A popular technique is Multidimensional Family Therapy, which teaches parents to not be controlling, reinforces parental authority, teaches communication skills and helps young family members understand that drug use isn’t acceptable behaviour.

Klonopin addiction: Facts and statistics

FAQs

Sources

• https://www.medbroadcast.com/drug/getdrug/clonazepam#precautions
• https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/klonopin-addiction/dangers-of-mixing/#gref
• https://www.klonopinaddictionhelp.com/dangers-of-mixing-klonopin-with-alcohol-and-other-drugs
• https://www.emedicinehealth.com/benzodiazepine_abuse/article_em.htm#benzodiazepine_abuse_symptoms_and_signs