Most people who are prescribed Klonopin often ask, “Can you get addicted to Klonopin?” Klonopin is a prescription benzodiazepine sedative used to help control and prevent anxiety, seizures, and panic disorder. The generic name for Klonopin is clonazepam. When taken as directed, Klonopin can benefit people suffering from anxiety, seizures, and panic disorder.
Recognizing If You’re Addicted To Klonopin
Since the medication is a benzodiazepine, it does pose risks of becoming addicted to the drug. As such, it is essential to understand the symptoms and signs of substance abuse that could lead to addiction.
Sign #1: Self-Medicating
If you are not taking Klonopin how it was prescribed, it is considered self-medicating, which could include any of the following:
- Taking a higher dosage than you are supposed to.
- Taking the same dosage but taking it more often than prescribed.
- Adjusting your dosage up or down based on how you feel without consulting with your healthcare prescriber.
- Drinking alcohol to enhance the sedative effects of klonopin.
Sign #2: Cravings for Klonopin
If you notice that you are craving Klonopin more often in between doses, you need to let your healthcare provider know. Unfortunately, if you ignore this sign, the cravings can become so intense that eventually, you could give in to your cravings and start abusing Klonopin.
Sign #3: Increased Tolerance
The body will develop a tolerance for Klonopin the longer you are taking it. As tolerance develops, the effects you initially experienced when first starting on Klonopin will not be as noticeable even though the medication is still working.
To compensate for tolerance, people will start to increase their dosages to experience the same effects as before. However, doing so will increase the risks of dependence on the drug.
Additionally, the body will develop a tolerance for the higher dosage, and eventually, any gained effects will once again dissipate. As a result, you can get into an endless and dangerous cycle where you are increasing your dosage as your tolerance increases.
Sign #4: Increased Dependence on Klonopin
Dependence refers to the chemical changes Klonopin causes in the brain and body. Over time and continued use of Klonopin, a person will become reliant on the drug. They will strongly believe that they cannot function or get through their day without the drug.
It is worth noting that dependence is not the same as addiction. Although, if you find you cannot go without the drug in between doses, you should seek help before you become addicted to Klonopin.
Sign #5: Drug Abuse Behaviors
If dependence develops into addiction, it is not uncommon to start obsessing about the drug. You may count pills, hoard pills, or keep a secret stash just to ensure you have access to Klonopin. Some people will also become secretive about their Klonopin usage.
If a friend or family member also takes Klonopin, you may steal their medication to guarantee you have more. Another behavior to watch out for is if you attempt to go to different doctors and get them to prescribe you Klonopin, so you have access to larger amounts of the drug and multiple prescriptions.
Sign #6: Experiencing Withdrawal Symptoms From Being Addicted to Klonopin
Withdrawal occurs as the drug leaves the body and could include these symptoms:
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Muscle Cramps
- Hot and Cold Sweats
- Nausea
- Short Tempered
- Problems Sleeping
- Anxiety, Seizures, or Panic Attack Is Triggered
- Hallucinations
If you start noticing withdrawal symptoms between doses, it is recommended to seek help.
Sign #7: Inability to Regulate Klonopin Usage
Once you become addicted to Klonopin, you are no longer able to regulate your usage. You may forget when you took your last dose, take doses more frequently to keep Klonopin in your system longer, or start using alcohol or other sedatives to supplement the effects of Klonopin.
Sign #8: When You Are Addicted to Klonopin It Becomes the Only Thing That Matters
If you continue to abuse Klonopin, it will become the only thing that matters in your life. You will not care about your job, family, or other things you used to enjoy doing. You can find yourself becoming agitated, easily angered, and aggressive if anyone suggests you are abusing Klonopin.
In addition, you can start to isolate yourself away from friends and family. It is also common to start associating with other people struggling with addiction. Furthermore, you could begin abusing other substances.
How Long Should I Wait Before Getting Help If I Am Addicted to Klonopin?
It is highly recommended you seek help if you notice your Klonopin usage is getting out of hand. If you wait until you are addicted and the later signs, benzo addiction treatment can be more challenging.
Plus, when someone is struggling with addiction, they may not want to get help until they hit rock bottom. So, if you are at a point where you know something is wrong and want help, do not delay.
Klonopin Abuse and Addiction Treatment in Atlanta
At Buckhead Behavioral Health in Atlanta, we understand it can be hard to ask for help when struggling with Klonopin abuse and addiction. However, you have nothing to fear when you reach out to us for assistance.
We offer custom-tailored Klonopin treatment programs to help you overcome your Klonopin addiction at our luxury rehab center. For further information or to schedule an intake interview consultation, learn more about our admissions process today.
