Klonopin Withdrawal Timelines

When someone is addicted to Klonopin, they can experience uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to quit on their own. Emergency situations can arise when people stop using Klonpin abruptly and without seeking professional addiction treatment.

Our guide will help you understand the risks of Klonopin addiction, explain the dangers of quitting cold turkey, and provide information for getting help for you or a loved one.

What is Klonopin?

Klonopin is the brand name for the anti-anxiety and anticonvulsant medication clonazepam. It is a benzodiazepine, meaning it is in the same family of medications as Xanax or Valium. Benzodiazepines like Klonopin bind to the GABA receptors in the brain, and this reduces neuron excitement and creates feelings of calm and wellbeing. This prescription psychiatric medication is used to treat several conditions, including:

• Seizure disorders
• Mild or moderate anxiety, with or without agoraphobia
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Panic disorder
• Mania related to drug or alcohol abuse
• Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal
• Depression resistant to other medications
• Nerve pain
• Bipolar disorder

Klonopin’s Potential Side Effects

Klonopin is typically prescribed in small doses for a period of two weeks to one month. Like other benzodiazepine medications, Klonopin has the potential to be very habit-forming, and carries a risk of dependence and addiction. It is important for prescribing doctors to prescribe the lowest dose possible to treat their patient’s symptoms; however, if a person becomes addicted to Klonopin, they may develop drug-seeking behaviors and take more than the prescribed dose to get the original “high” they experienced.

Strong benzodiazepines like Klonopin are more likely to induce side effects, which include:

These side effects can occur in people who take Klonopin as prescribed, but they are more likely to be serious or long-lasting in people who misuse Klonopin.

People at risk of developing an addiction to Klonopin are most often those who receive a prescription. Even if the person receives a low-dose prescription and only takes the medication for 2-4 weeks, they could develop an addiction to their medication. People who struggle with addiction to other drugs, like alcohol or opioid painkillers, are more likely to concurrently abuse benzodiazepines, especially if they received a prescription for these medications to treat withdrawal symptoms.

Detox: Cold Turkey vs. Tapering

Because people who take Klonopin or other benzodiazepines can develop a physical dependence fairly quickly. Whether or not they also struggle with addiction to Klonopin, it is important to work with a medical professional to taper down their dose of the drug. Suddenly ceasing to take the medication, also known as quitting “cold turkey,” is not recommended because withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening.

Medical professionals agree that dependence on Klonopin and other benzodiazepines occurs most commonly in people who have used the drug for six months or longer. Klonopin withdrawal symptoms may include:

• Insomnia or trouble sleeping
• Abdominal problems, including nausea or upset stomach
• Muscle aches and joint pain
• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Confusion
• Depression
• Irritability or mood swings
• Hallucinations
• Seizures

Tapering off the drug takes longer but it is most effective in cases of benzodiazepine withdrawal. This procedure, which occurs with the help of a qualified addiction treatment professional, can take weeks or months. By reducing the dose slowly over time, however, withdrawal symptoms are less intense, if they occur at all.

Although Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine medication, a doctor may prescribe a different benzodiazepine, like oxazepam, diazepam, or clorazepate, which has less addictive potential. Benzodiazepines used to replace

Complications of Klonopin Withdrawal

People who struggle with an addiction to Klonopin can also develop acute withdrawal symptoms that can lead to serious side effects, called benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include:

• Tremors and shaking
• Rebound insomnia and anxiety, generally lasting 1-4 days
• Muscle and joint pain
• Perceptual changes, from cognitive disturbances to hallucinations
• Seizures

This withdrawal syndrome can be potentially dangerous, which is why it is important to get the help of a medical professional when a person decides to quit using Klonopin.

In some rare cases, withdrawal symptoms like cravings may occur after the individual has stopped using Klonopin, but these are manageable with the help of an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program in Hollywood, FL. While medical detox addresses the person’s physical dependence on Klonopin, evidence-based effective therapy will address issues of psychological dependence. Detox is important but it must be used in conjunction with therapy to ensure long-term recovery.

How Long Does Klonopin Withdrawal Take?

Because Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine, the medication can continue to have an effect on the body well after the last dose. For some individuals, withdrawal symptoms don’t begin for 3-4 days after they last took the medication. Psychological withdrawal symptoms, such as agitation or anxiety, may begin before physical withdrawal symptoms take hold.

Klonopin’s long half-life means that metabolites of this drug will remain in the body for 5-14 days. If a person quits Klonopin suddenly, withdrawal symptoms will likely last up to two weeks, but that can vary depending on how long the person has struggled with Klonopin addiction and how large their regular doses were.

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