Klonopin, the brand name for clonazepam, helps restore unbalanced interactions in the central nervous system. People who have seizures, epileptic episodes, paranoia, panic attacks, or other psychological issues may be prescribed Klonopin. However, this prescription drug is only intended for short-term use and can cause physical dependency in as short as two weeks. It isn’t an ideal drug for long-term use because it has been known to have harmful long-term effects like suicide ideation.
In excess, Klonopin can cause a similar feeling as being drunk or a very content feeling. Like other benzodiazepines, this drug can lead to addictions and overdoses. People may begin misusing the drug to get the content feeling it can provide. However, it’s dangerous to use this prescription drug without a doctor’s approval and guidance. In addition, using any form of drug, including alcohol, in order to cope with unpleasant emotions and life situations is a risk factor for addiction.
How Much Klonopin Causes an Overdose?
No one can give you an exact dosage amount that would cause an overdose because an individual’s physiology and tolerance influence how much of the drug gives them an overdose. Doctors won’t initially prescribe an adult more than 1.5 mg a day. After confirming that there are no ill effects, the doctor may increase the dosage by 0.5 mg if the patient needs a stronger dose. The maximum daily amount is 20 mg, even for patients who have severe seizures.
Klonopin by itself doesn’t cause fatal overdoses easily. When you mix Klonopin with other drugs, however, a fatal overdose can occur with a small amount. Never take alcohol or other depressant compounds if you’re on Klonopin. Ask your doctor before using any other medication to avoid dangerous interactions. Klonopin can be more dangerous than other benzodiazepines when it’s mixed with depressants because it stays in your system longer. Examples of substances that have serious to severe interactions with Klonopin besides alcohol are valerian, sodium oxybate, hydrocodone, ivacaftor and idelalisib.
Signs of an Overdose and What to Do
You could experience an overdose on Klonopin at any amount above that which your doctor has prescribed for you. Symptoms of an overdose include extreme sedation and drowsiness, slurred speech, blurry vision, labored breathing, confusion and mental anguish.
Being unable to see or process your surroundings may cause you to feel scared. Take slow, deep breaths and contact an emergency number to quickly receive help. If your loved one is experiencing an overdose, try to help them stay calm while you wait on emergency responders to arrive. Failure to receive medical treatment for an overdose might result in death, so it’s important to contact 911 immediately. The risk of death is higher when other drugs were mixed with Klonopin. Two additional risks that come with mixing Klonopin and alcohol are permanent memory loss and liver damage.
A Klonopin overdose can occur after several hours of taking the drug because it stays in the system for a long time. If you or your loved one begins having symptoms of overdose, you need to get help.
How Is a Klonopin Overdose Treated?
Addressing any breathing difficulties is the top priority when someone has an overdose on Klonopin. Medical professionals will stabilize your breathing and then address each additional symptom you’re experiencing based on which is most urgent. Some patients are given flumazenil once they are in a stable condition. Flumazenil counteracts the effects of benzodiazepines. However, this drug could cause seizures, which is why it’s not always used. Your physician will take your medical information into consideration before making the decision. As long as the person who has had a Klonopin overdose receives treatment quickly, they have a high chance of survival.
What Are the Side Effects of Taking Klonopin?
You could experience side effects when you first start taking Klonopin. If they don’t subside or they are very uncomfortable, you should let your doctor know. Always take the medication as prescribed to avoid accidental overdoses or unpleasant withdrawal effects. Ask your doctor if you’re uncertain about anything.
Side effects of Klonopin include:
- Increased salivation
- Drowsiness
- Sedation
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Dizziness
- Frequent urination
- Impotency
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Decreased libido
- Memory impairment
- Abnormal coordination
- Upper respiratory infection
- Difficulty speaking
- Confusion
- Worsening tonic-clonic seizures
If you want to quit taking Klonopin, you need to have a doctor guide you through the process to prevent bad withdrawal symptoms. Suddenly stopping Klonopin could cause back-to-back seizures, especially if you have been using the drug for a long time.
How Do You Know If You’re Addicted to Klonopin?
When you have both a physical and psychological dependence on Klonopin, you are addicted. It can be difficult to notice addiction in yourself. If you take the drug despite it having negative consequences in your life, then you have likely become addicted.
Other signs of Klonopin addiction are taking more than your prescription, seeing multiple doctors in order to get extra Klonopin, continuing to take the medication after a doctor instructed you to stop, experiencing withdrawal symptoms, obsessing about how to get more of the drug, and craving Klonopin.
Loved ones may have expressed their concerns to you because they noticed a change in your health and behavior. If you’ve noticed that you’re starting to have cravings for Klonopin, you should let your doctor know so that it can be addressed before it turns into a more serious addiction.
Quitting Klonopin
If you have become addicted to Klonopin, you’ll have to go through detox and rehab in order to quit. Only medical professionals should carry out the detox and rehab process, so don’t quit the drug on your own. Professionals will monitor your vitals during detox to ensure that it goes over as safely as possible. You may still experience unpleasant symptoms during detox from the withdrawal. If symptoms become too uncomfortable, the medical staff may help ease them.
Klonopin withdrawal symptoms are often rebound effects or amplified symptoms of what you were taking Klonopin for. If you took Klonopin to reduce anxiety, you might have heightened anxiety during withdrawal. The medical staff at your treatment center will offer solutions in dealing with your withdrawal symptoms, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or medications. Going through Klonopin withdrawal on your own is dangerous and comes with strong cravings, so most people will use the drug again or another drug in order to get relief from their withdrawal symptoms.
Common Klonopin withdrawal effects include:
- Increased body temperature
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Faster pulse
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Coordination problems
- Hallucinations
- Irritability
- Cravings for Klonopin
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Hostility
- Depression
- Confusion
- Suicidal thoughts
- Intense dreams
The psychological symptoms of Klonopin withdrawal tend to occur a few days after the physical symptoms start. Each person experiences withdrawal differently. In general, the three phases are early, acute and post-acute. Early withdrawal usually begins one to two days after the last dose of Klonopin leaves your bloodstream. Those who have severe addictions may have severe symptoms when early withdrawal kicks in. Rebound effects are the types of symptoms commonly experienced in the early phase. It’ll be about four days before you go into the next phase.
The majority of Klonopin withdrawal symptoms that a person experiences usually occur during the acute phase. You’ll likely experience both physical and psychological effects. Acute withdrawal may last two weeks to three months, depending on how severe the addiction is. Common symptoms during the acute phase are headaches, dizziness, mood swings, confusion, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Not everyone goes through the post-acute phase of Klonopin withdrawal, which is commonly characterized by anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. It can last for a long time. If your addiction is severe, then you are more likely to go through the post-acute stage. Staying in outpatient rehab helps you cope with these long-lasting psychological effects and lowers your chances of experiencing a relapse.
Factors that affect how you experience withdrawal during a Klonopin detox are your height, weight, age, drug use history, and co-occurring disorders. Withdrawal may be tougher on you if you have a co-occurring disorder, but it’s not impossible. With expert guidance, anyone can recover from their addictions and mental health struggles. Being aware of what might happen helps prepare you and prevents you from feeling too discouraged.
Do You Need Inpatient Rehab After a Klonopin Overdose?
You would benefit from going through inpatient rehab after a Klonopin overdose to stay away from the temptation to use the drug again when you return home from the hospital. If you have overdosed on Klonopin, the chances are that your addiction has become moderate to severe. Inpatient rehab is highly recommended for treating moderate to severe addictions. You may live at an inpatient facility for 28 to 90 days, depending on the particular program you choose.
Inpatient rehab keeps you in a safe environment while your body slowly adjusts to no longer depending on Klonopin. It takes months to years for a person to fully overcome a moderate to severe addiction. Addressing the physical signs of addiction through the detox is faster. Healing from psychological symptoms is more challenging, which is why you should expect the recovery journey to take a while and stay patient with yourself.
Do You Need Outpatient Rehab After a Klonopin Overdose?
If you went through an inpatient rehab program, then you should go through outpatient rehab next. You want to gradually return to a regular life rather than suddenly go from 24/7 care to no observation. Outpatient rehab programs take 10-12 hours a week, allowing you to work and perform household responsibilities but also to receive the hours of treatment you need to stay sober. Outpatient rehab programs typically last several months to a year.
If your Klonopin addiction is mild, you can skip inpatient rehab and go through outpatient rehab. If you have a toxic environment at home, you might need inpatient rehab and a sober living home. When it comes time to leave the facility, it’s important that you don’t return to the old life that was harmful to you. It would put you at higher risk of a relapse, and you don’t deserve to be mistreated. Your therapists at the rehab center can help guide you through letting go of anyone you need to during your recovery.
Granite Recovery Center offers both inpatient and outpatient rehab programs. Our addiction treatment approach incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy and a 12-step curriculum. Other therapies we could include in your treatment plan are yoga therapy, recreational therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and PTSD treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is used in almost all drug addiction treatment programs because it helps patients gain greater control over what goes on their minds. Certain patterns of thinking contribute to your addiction, so you must become aware of those patterns, break them and replace them with healthier ways of thinking that help you be the person you want to be.
The 12-step curriculum helps you forgive yourself and get help from a higher power to recover from addiction. You don’t have to believe in a god to participate in 12-step treatment. The higher power is up to your interpretation, whether you think of it as your body’s innate ability to heal, nature, or science. You can choose to meditate, pray, or both based on what feels comfortable to you.
Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of CBT that was developed for treating borderline personality disorder. It has been found effective at treating addiction and other self-harm issues too. DBT places emphasis on emotion regulation and healthy relationships.
Although you won’t be forced into a drug rehab program after a Klonopin overdose, you will be urged to go through rehab in order to make a full recovery and prevent another overdose in the future. Detox is not enough to restore your health. Your health consists of both the physical and the mental, so let us help you in overcoming your addiction.
