What Medication Is Best For Klonopin Addiction Treatment?

When people abuse or take Klonopin for any amount of time, it can lead to chemical changes within the brain. This means that any areas of the brain that the drug typically suppresses can become used to interacting with Klonopin and stop working normally without it. When this happens, it means the person has developed a dependence on Klonopin. If you were using the drug and stopped taking it, the brain functions that Klonopin was inhibiting would suddenly be somehow restored. The symptoms that the drug was addressing, such as insomnia, panic seizures, and anxiety, could also be amplified.

Medical professionals typically prescribe Klonopin to treat insomnia and anxiety for a short-term period. Most users are likely to become physically dependent or addicted to it after a few weeks and experience withdrawal symptoms if they reduce or stop taking the dosage. Klonopin withdrawal symptoms can start within hours of the drug being eliminated from the body and go on for days, weeks, or even longer in some situations. People suffering from Klonopin addiction usually have to gradually reduce their drug intake as the withdrawal symptoms can be potentially deadly.

People who abuse Klonopin regularly could become addicted to the drug; fortunately, Klonopin addiction treatment can help manage the condition. Every treatment program is usually personalized based on the individual’s requirements. Medical detox is usually the first step of Klonopin addiction treatment for individuals going through withdrawal.

Medical Detox

During this stage of Klonopin addiction treatment, the user will enroll in a rehab facility with skilled medical professionals and addiction specialists to observe their progress 24/7. Typically medical detox involves using medications to help manage the more burdensome withdrawal symptoms as it can be dangerous to quit Klonopin cold turkey. Since quitting or reducing Klonopin intake usually involves various withdrawal symptoms, the user will have to be put on a tapering schedule. This helps to gradually reduce one’s usage safely over the right amount of time, to reduce the possible emotional and physical side effects.

Research reports that any significant withdrawal symptoms can mainly be avoided through the gradual tapering or weaning of Klonopin. Medical detox during Klonopin addiction treatment usually goes on for 5 to 7 days until the user has gone through the peak of withdrawal and the drug has been eliminated from the body entirely. The withdrawal symptoms can still reappear even after the individual has weaned off the medication. Since they tend to be potentially lethal, users must go through medically-supervised detox in a certified addiction treatment facility or a hospital. This allows the recovering patient to receive medical care and supervision. They can also obtain medications that can help manage Klonopin withdrawal symptoms, reduce the risk of withdrawal complications, and address any co-occurring mental or physical health symptoms.

While there is no medication specifically approved for the immediate treatment of Klonopin dependence or addiction currently, there are still a few medications that can be helpful to the user during medical detox. Antidepressants can help the user manage any possible suicidal behaviors and depression symptoms that could surface during detox and withdrawal from Klonopin. Medical supervision during Klonopin detox helps to ensure the user is not abusing any other substances during the treatment.

Tapering the drug during Klonopin detox helps make the withdrawal symptoms more tolerable to ease the process for the individual. Some users will be given an equal dosage of a substitute long-acting benzodiazepine to replace Klonopin, such as Valium (Diazepam), which helps initiate tapering.

Depending on how severe the user’s withdrawal symptoms are, medical professionals can prescribe other medications such as Propanolol, Keppra, and Clonidine to ease the detox process and minimize the withdrawal symptoms.

• Propranolol or Clonidine: These drugs help manage symptoms such as rapid breathing or increased heart rate in the user.
• Valproate, Tegretol, or Carbamazepine: These drugs are anticonvulsants proven to make the user’s withdrawal process more comfortable in cases where they have become dependent on low doses of Klonopin. These medications work best when combined with an alternative long-acting benzodiazepine or phenobarbital and are used to control seizures in case the user develops any such complications. Some anticonvulsants can also help with Klonopin withdrawal if the user reduces or stops taking the drug.
• Phenobarbital is a barbiturate drug that can also be used in place of benzodiazepines as necessary. It helps the user repress Klonopin withdrawal symptoms. Some recovering patients seem to handle it well.
• Prozac and Paxil, which are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, can help manage some Klonopin withdrawal symptoms.
• Melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, has also proven beneficial in helping users who get insomnia during Klonopin withdrawal. It can also reverse Klonopin tolerance and manage other symptoms.

Any relevant and helpful medications could manage specific withdrawal symptoms during Klonopin addiction treatment. However, studies show that tapering the user off the drug is the best way to deal with Klonopin withdrawal. They gradually take smaller doses of the drug until they stop entirely.

After completing medical detox and the user is considered physically stable, the patient should employ therapeutic approaches to address the emotional side effects of Klonopin withdrawal. These therapeutic approaches involve Motivational interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). They can help the user determine the cause of the addiction and learn how to avoid addiction triggers and stressors in the future. Psychological support and therapy are vital tools employed during Klonopin addiction treatment to minimize possible relapse and prevent potential complications or consequences.

Combining pharmacological and therapeutic approaches is the best way to manage withdrawal during medical detox when taking up Klonopin addiction treatment.