Clonazepam, sold in the United States as Klonopin, is a prescription medication most commonly prescribed to treat epilepsy and anxiety disorders. A member of the benzodiazepine family of psychoactive drugs, the same chemical properties that make Klonopin an effective anticonvulsant also allow the drug to function as sedative and muscle relaxant, making it a popular choice for misuse. Those who abuse Klonopin as a recreational drug generally report a relaxed, euphoric high as a result of its sedative properties. Klonopin abuse alone can cause a host of psychological and physiological problems, ranging from milder effects such as dizziness and impaired motor control to more severe complications such as memory loss, paranoia, seizures, and, in extreme cases, tissue necrosis.
Abuse of Klonopin alone, however, is only part of the problem. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin are notoriously used in combination with other substances such as alcohol and opiates. According to a report from the Indian Journal of Pharmacology over fifty percent of India’s heroin users also report injecting at least one form of benzodiazepine. Reports indicate that Klonopin abuse is also becoming more common in conjunction with amphetamine users as a method for abating the negative feelings of coming down from a stimulant high. Use of Klonopin in combination with these drugs exacerbates the physical and emotional side effects of both the Klonopin as those of the drug with which it is combined.
Besides those already using other recreational drugs, Klonopin abuse is also more prevalent in teenagers, for whom prescription pharmaceuticals are more readily accessible than street drugs. In addition, many instances of Klonopin addiction result from cases in which a patient is legitimately prescribedthe drug and subsequently builds up physical dependence, resulting in the patient continuing his or her use of the drug outside the supervision of doctors in order to stave off the symptoms of withdrawal. Tolerance to and dependence upon Klonopin builds relatively quickly, which makes even short-term use of the drug risky, and this category of habitual user is more likely to experience the worst symptoms ofKlonopin addiction.
The withdrawal symptoms stemming from stoppage of Klonopin use are notoriously severe, especially given that the rapid buildup of tolerance leads addicts to continuously increase their dosage. Withdrawal symptoms can consist of tremors, muscle spasms, and in some cases can cause dangerous psychotic attacks. These symptoms are reported as extremely intense when users quit cold turkey after daily, high dosage use, and the experience has been compared to that of heroin withdrawal in terms of severity of discomfort. Additionally, sudden withdrawal has the possibility to cause the brain to enter a permanent state of seizure, a life threatening condition known as status epilepticus.
For these reasons the treatment of Klonopin addiction is typically handled inpatient, so that doctors can monitor symptoms and stabilize patients as necessary with a drug such as diazepam or by enacting a program of gradual benzodiazepine reduction. In the case of serious daily addiction, this tapering program can take up to a year.
