Posted by Simcha on December 30, 2002, at 3:23:41
In reply to Re: The Truth About Clonazepam, posted by john7219 on December 27, 2002, at 22:12:52
John,
I'll try to answer your concerns calmly. I'm someone who took Clonazepam for about a year. I took it as you did 1mg/night. I was taking it for a night-time anxiety condition called Bruxism (grinding teath, biting tongue). I've also been an insomniac most of my life. I have Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar Depression) with possible underlying Dysthymia (Mild Depression).
My current pdoc reiterated why I'm on medication. I tried to become depression-free through therapy and 12-step programs for ten years before I dared to try medication. The only reason I tried medication was that I fell into a Major Depressive Episode that was so profound that I was not eating and I could see no end to it.
This pdoc, along with my own research, convinces me that I have a genetic pre-disposition to depression. Depression and the night-time anxiety disorder are both medical conditions, chemically imbalanced, that require medication.
I am medically dependant on my medications. As a 12-stepper/addict I know the difference between addiction and medical dependence. Using is when I use a stimulus (like a drug) to escape my life problems, numbing myself, so that I don't have to feel a thing. When I've done this I crash into a depression that is even worse than the depression before it so I need to take more and more hits of whatever I'm using in order to remain numb. This is addiction.
Medical dependence is easiest to explain by using the example of a diabetic. A diabetic is medically dependant on insulin in order to regulate his/her blood sugar levels. If a diabetic stops taking insulin the condition progresses until death.
As a person who has Major Depressive Disorder I must take my medication in order to function like a healthy person. I have a mood disorder. It is NOT a spiritual illness, for me it is medical. I am medically dependent on my medication so that I do not die from my condition. Yes, Major Depressive Disorder is FATAL.
Now, the Bruxism, an anxiety disorder, is treated by Neurontin these days. The current pdoc wanted me to switch from Klonopin to Neurontin mainly because Klonopin disrupts sleeping architectures. You may not get enough of the various kinds of sleep in a night's sleep. Since my underlying problem at night is insomnia/Bruxism, which I have had all my life even with ten years of therapy and 12-step programs, he chose a drug that helps me sleep and prevents me from biting my tongue and cheeks at night. Neurontin has been an excellent replacement for Klonopin.
I've read that you are on .25mg/night right now and that if you cease taking it you have great difficulty sleeping. You say that you were diagnosed with GAD eight years ago when you were put on Klonopin. Insomnia IS an anxiety disorder. Not sleeping at night when you discontinue Klonopin is not IN AND OF ITSELF an indication of addiction to Klonopin. It REALLY CAN BE a sign of your anxiety returning to ruin your sleep. Sometimes therapy alone will not cure anxiety. Sometimes there is a medical condition due to a chemical imbalance. I would be careful in using the term addiction to describe your experience.
I have stopped using Klonopin because the pdoc determined that Neurontin would be better for me. I have made the switch successfully. The withdrawal from Klonopin was mostly painless. I was ramping up on Neurontin during my reduction of Klonopin dosage.
If you want to get off of Klonopin for some reason, and you feel it is a valid reason, perhaps you should explore other meds that would help you sleep at night without anxiety. Benzos are good for treating anxiety. There are other meds like Buspar, Celexa, and even Neurontin that are useful in treating anxiety.
I hope you feel better soon.
Simcha
One who has not had difficulty in discontinuing treatment with Klonopin.
> Why is there this distinction between physical and/or psychological dependency and addiction. I am medically dependent to Clonazepam, since when I attempt to discontinue use I experience withdrawl symptoms(ie;anxiety,insomnia,tension,etc) which are intolerable if I wish to continue functioning in society. Now some people claim this is merely my prior condition resurfacing, for which I was initially prescribed this Rx. Tell me now, after eight years have passed since initial dosage, I have changed immensely in my perspective on life, I meditate nightly, exercise regularly, studying to be a machinist, maintain a healthy diet, etc, yet, as some people claim, I am still some sort of weak, anxiety ridden drug addict since I'm unable to kick this drug, as apparently so many of you have with such ease! Give me a break people! Take this drug for as long as I have daily at a .5mg level or higher, and attempt to get off, and you will experience severe withdrawl no question about it! Im not trying to be callous, just stating a fact, so don't trivialize my problem by suggesting you've got it under control.
> I am DEPENDENT therefore I am ADDICTED.
poster:Simcha
thread:133201
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021223/msgs/133771.html