Klonopin Addiction: Signs and Symptoms

Klonopin—a mild, controlled, highly addictive prescription tranquilizer—treats stress, anxiety, insomnia, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and more. As a benzodiazepine drug, Klonopin gives the medical community concern with its high risk of dependency, high probability of interacting with other drugs, and high rate of Klonopin abuse among patients. 

Observing medical studies on Klonopin, Indiana Center for Recovery emphasizes safety, wellness, and sobriety in its programs for treating benzodiazepine and Klonopin addiction. With evidence-based addiction treatment approaches and a state-of-the-art detox facility, our team works compassionately to help people struggling with Klonopin dependence and addiction. 

What is Klonopin? (Clonazepam)

Klonopin (also generically known as “clonazepam”) is a prescription drug and medication that doctors use to treat many different conditions. It is, for example, approved for the treatment of panic disorders and seizures, but Klonopin can be used for other conditions as well such as insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. 

Like many medications, Klonopin has the potential to help treat many conditions when used within the prescribed bounds. But, since the drug can have pleasant effects and those who are prescribed them are often in pain, the possibility of dependency and addiction comes in like many other drugs in its category.

With these kinds of applications, Klonopin belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs as an anti-anxiety and anti-convulsant medicine. It is particularly known for its treatment of intense fear—especially with unexpected and repeated episodes of panic attacks and related symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Breathlessness

In the class of benzodiazepines, Klonopin is intended to be taken for a short interval in the course of medical or psychological treatment. This is simply because they present the distinct possibility of drug dependence and addiction. Even a patient who has been prescribed Klonopin and uses the drug to orders can easily form an addiction that could eventually demand intervention and treatment.

Prolonged usage of Klonopin could lead to such physical, mental, and emotional reliance that the person is no longer able to function normally without it. Their behavior could change dramatically, and they would depend on Klonopin to get a sense of peace, control, and satisfaction from their life, giving up all control to the drug. 

Klonopin Use and Side Effects

Klonopin—a long-acting benzodiazepine—works primarily by slowing down messages in the brain in order to help patients feel less stressed, panicked, and anxious. 

As a result of a sedative mechanism, muscles, emotions, and thoughts are relaxed. The effects of the drug can be felt within an hour with longer laster effects than other, similar medications. Even above the potential for developing a benzodiazepine addiction, there may be side effects to the use of Klonopin for treatment:

• Drowsiness
• Memory problems
• Flu symptoms
• Dizziness
• Tiredness
• Lack of coordination
• Uncontrollable movements
• Cramps
• Depression
• Lung infection

These side effects are consistent with other benzodiazepine drugs for the most part, and all benzos bring up the issue of addiction for medical professionals as well as within a patient’s own life. These effects can multiply as the dosage of Klonopin increases and the patient develops a problematic tolerance to the drug. Starting with a low dose, they may soon need a high dose. And, the side effects continue:

• Confusion
• Isolation
• Impaired thinking
• Memory loss
• Slurred speech
• Tremors
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea or constipation

Only a doctor and medical advice can tell if a person is at a dangerous level of dependency, but some of these more rare and advanced signs of Klonopin addiction may suggest the need to get a loved one some help, especially if they are struggling with a dual diagnosis, substance use, or panic disorder as well.

Klonopin Abuse and Signs

Klonopin is primarily a sedative drug, and it produces a calming effect that can become highly addictive. Finally giving ease and relaxation to a patient who is suffering can be enough for them to develop a dependency on certain drugs, but Klonopin is a particularly addictive compound above others.

Friends and family may notice many different changes in a person who is developing dependency and addiction to a benzodiazepine or Klonopin itself. The symptoms can be subtle at first, but the physical, behavioral, and psychological signs often include weakness of judgment and seeking drugs:

• Weakness of the muscles
• Blurred vision
• Drowsiness and sleepiness
• Poor judgment 
• Disorganized thinking
• Switching doctors frequently
• Asking for pills
• Panic attacks
• Attempts to cut back
• Changes in mood
• Risk-taking behavior
• Mixing drugs with alcohol

Because the patient will go through a process of building up a resistance to the drug over time, the patient will also need to request more and more Klonopin in order to reach the desired experience. This is when friends and family members may notice the signs of a growing addiction for the first time as they see their loved one struggle with dependency.

If they are able to find the help and support that they need, they may be able to cut down with the help of their doctor and the right motivation. But, withdrawal symptoms from Klonopin are likely to show up as the patient comes off of the drug and it works through their system. 

Klonopin Dangers and Risks

Klonopin is a serious prescription drug, and it presents dangers when abused, stopped, or taken recklessly. You shouldn’t, for instance, use Klonopin while driving without knowing how it affects you, and mixing Klonopin with alcohol or other drugs can have severe consequences for your health and behavior. Even quitting Klonopin can be dangerous, and it often requires in-patient detox at an addiction treatment program facility.

Unfortunately, interactions between benzodiazepines, Klonopin, opioids, and others can lead to dangerous complications such as slowed breathing, difficulty breathing, and, ultimately, death. Klonopin should never be used except as prescribed because of its high risk for leading to sometimes life-threatening effects. 

Klonopin Addiction and Treatment

No one may intend to become addicted to Klonopin or any other drug or benzodiazepine, but when it emerges, it will display certain signs and characteristics. In general, substance abuse changes the way people act and making them appear “out of character” or “out of control.” If you or someone you know might be struggling with a Klonopin problem, consider some of these indications to get help and treatment.

Common Features of Klonopin Addiction

Some users of Klonopin will exhibit multiple signs of being addicted while others may show fewer—regardless of the extent of the addiction. The person may withdraw from their usual friends, close family, and typical obligations in order to take more Klonopin. They might also fear being without the drug and maintain a large supply. 

Drug-Seeking 

In order to maintain the supply and buy more Klonopin, the person (who could have been just a needful patient at first) may then use their savings and credit to its maximum, leaving nothing behind. Then, they might resort to stealing and other criminal attempts to secure it. 

Neglecting

As the drug takes up more and more of the person’s thoughts and energy, they may spend less time on their appearance, hygiene, and grooming by starting to look unkempt and disheveled. Others may notice they simply don’t care about the same things they used to spend their days on. 

Deceiving 

In fact, the person is often secretive about how they spend their days, and they often lie or deceive in order to protect the time they need to use the drug. This is just part of several shifts in mood, personality, and behavior that close in around the person as they seek to protect the supply.

Escalating

Beyond this, the Klonopin user often engages in risky activities like driving under the influence and mixing pills with alcohol (or other drugs). In order to get high as tolerance builds, they may seek other modes of using Klonopin, such as through injection or snorting.

Typical Treatment of Klonopin Addiction

Just a few weeks after starting treatment with Klonopin, an addiction like this can develop. Even if the person began taking Klonopin only as prescribed, they now face the symptoms of addiction without the ability to safely stop on their own:

• Constant cravings for Klonopin
• Using without regard for consequences
• Compulsive use of the drug
• Inability to stop taking Klonopin
• Lost interest in other obligations (work, family members, etc.)
• Legal and financial issues

Benzodiazepine addiction has destroyed millions of careers, families, and lives when people are unable to find effective support. To help, Indiana Center for Recovery offers several forms of benzodiazepine addiction treatment programs for the safest and most successful recovery possible, beginning with detox. 

Klonopin Detox

Addiction to Klonopin does not end all at once. For someone who has developed a dependence on Klonopin, the road forward can be difficult as they face the withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepine detox. Some of these symptoms are so painful, severe, and threatening that they require around-the-clock, medically supervised care. 

Since the withdrawal effects of Klonopin can be felt within hours after the last dose, detox procedures at Indiana Center for Recovery start immediately under the supervision of resident physicians aided by certified nurses and medical staff. 

Without undergoing a sufficient, supported, and safe Klonopin detox under the guidance of a competent care team, people risk serious medical problems and even death. Purging the body of Klonopin is a coordinated first step toward residential and outpatient therapies. 

Residential Treatment

Having overcome the withdrawal from Klonopin, our residents move toward building the positive skills of sobriety through our residential treatment services. Together, we work toward uncovering the most crucial components that led to the addiction and revealing the tools necessary to maintain a life of sober living.

Residential addiction treatment means a safe and drug-free environment that reduces the distractions that the recovering face. With a space to re-learn life skills and return to mastery over their lives, Indiana Center for Recovery opens the door for a new way for residents to relate to themselves, their friends, family, and the world they live in.

Discovering the world beyond Klonopin, patients end their stay at our residential facility with a deeper understanding of themselves and what led to the addiction taking hold of their lives. They are ready to engage their own passions, their loved ones, and their responsibilities with these insights and breakthroughs. 

Outpatient Treatment

The aim of residential treatment is to provide a safe haven to the struggling as they rebuild themselves and recover resilience. Outpatient therapies and programs aim to maintain this progress and extend it, indefinitely, throughout the patient’s experience of life and wellness.

After Klonopin detox and residential treatment, patients at Indiana Center for Recovery can access custom care through partial hospitalization for a few hours per day on a few days per week. This form of care is suited to those who may have a co-occurring diagnosis or have a need for supervision with 24-hour monitoring not required.

The goal of outpatient treatment is to help those who were addicted to Klonopin to return to their homes, to their families, and to their communities on solid footing. They get the support they need as they reintegrate into a world without the drug taking center stage in their lives. 

Find Help with Klonopin Addiction

As you’ve seen, the intended effect and therapeutic use of the drug are very similar to the reason for its addictive quality and potential for Klonopin abuse. Perhaps you or someone you love has found themselves relying on Klonopin, seeking it, and storing it with fear of not having enough.

Indiana Center for Recovery facilitates detox for those struggling with Klonopin addiction as well as residential rehab and outpatient addiction treatment. With programs for alcohol and heroin to crack and cocaine, we understand addiction—medically, psychologically, and personally—to serve our patients best.

We know that drugs like benzodiazepines and Klonopin can come into people’s lives innocently and lead to massive devastation as relationships, homes, and bonds are ripped apart. Getting help quickly is key when a drug like Klonopin is involved in someone’s substance use disorder because of its deadly complications. 

Our resident physicians, nurses, counselors, and recovery staff are here to support you and your loved ones to overcome addiction, kick the habit for good, and regain that internal wholeness that doesn’t need a pill to get through the day.