My doctor prescribed me 2mg of clonazepam for sleep today. He says to stay on that dose for a week while it gets into my system then to try and lower it to 1mg or even 0.5mg and see if I can sleep on a smaller dose.
In any event I’m going to become a benzo junkie, lol
…I probably won’t be laughing a year from now when I am dependent on it, but I’ve been dependent on it before so I know what I am getting into. And at this point I just want to sleep, I’ve been an insomniac for months now and I can’t stand it anymore. It’s so bad I had to cut down to 1 shift per week at work.
benzo dependency and withdrawal was one of the worst experiences of my life. idk why they are prescribed so regularly and then doctors treat you like an addict and deny every effect if it causes problems which it can even at prescribed doses
The goal is sleep, the side effect is becoming a benzo junkie, I’m just having a little fun with the fact that I know dependency is going to happen, but like I said I was dependent on it once before so I know what I am getting into.
there are other meds for sleep than benzos. benzos are for severe panic attacks and is best used as a prn. if youve dealt with benzo dependency in the past why go into it knowingly again?
The one good thing is that if you are going to get hooked on a benzo clonazepam is one of the best ones to become dependent on. It has a very long half life and that makes withdrawal less brutal. I’m not saying it’s a walk in the park, but other benzos can be much harder to quit.
I’ve tried sleeping pills too, i think they are technically called hypnotics.
I tried zolpidem and developed tolerance after 3 days. Even when it worked at 10mg I only slept 3-4 hours.
I have been taking zopilcone for 2 months now, it always works, no tolerance buildup, but only causes me to sleep for 4-5 hours which isn’t enough. I’ve been combining it with gabapentin to sleep a little longer. But zopiclone and gabapentin both come with dependency and withdrawals, so does clonazepam, but I feel better with clonazepam.
Hi I should probably open my own thread, but I wonder about my klonopin too now… my ex pdoc was allowing it to me. But my current doc is scared of it… I took klonopin since 7 years, once in two days in fact but it’s the only med who helps my hellish paranoia and the fears and even the somatics… I am on zyprexa too but I was totally mentally destroyed and am very scared from everything often…
One doc told me, that if you dont raise the dosage, you can be on it for years… but is this a lie? I fear the addiction too yeah…
Who else takes clonazepam from years and maybe till life if it helps? Hmm, yeah, I wonder if I am not a junkie anymore… I dont increase the dosages though, but I take this since 7 years…
I have one friend who is on xanax till life, but she doesn’t even know, that its addictive…
Just one question pls - can we become mentally healthy even on klonopin or we’ll be just stoned?
Hugs
Hey @Anna1 clonazepam isn’t “addictive”. Addiction implies a craving for it, like cigarettes for example.
Clonazepam does come with “dependency” which means if you stop taking it you will have withdrawal symptoms, and in severe cases seizures and death. You have to slowly reduce your dose over a period of months. The standard advice is to lower your dose my 10% of your previous dose every 4 weeks.
My view is if it helps and there are no horrible side effects then just take it and be happy you have something to fix your problem. Don’t let the fact that your dependent on it make you miserable.
Ok, I dont increase the dosages, this is already good isn’t it?
I shouldn’t feel bad being on it if it helps? But what if I’ll need it for years or maybe till life?
Thanks a lot for your answer though
Yeah, this sz friend of mine is prescribed xanax till life along with the other meds…
But idk, if I am on it till life, few are doomed to rely on that, idk…
Otherwise, it’s a great med, very helpful in paranoid sz I find…
Who cares if you need it for life. I will be on antipsychotics for life, I use to take olanzapine, I am now on lurasidone, if I have to be on clonazepam for life too then that’s the way it will have to be. I was on olanzapine for about 15 years and I have been on Lurasidone for about 2 years and I will be on it for the rest of my life.
I wish I didn’t have to take medications, but I am glad I have something available that helps me with my problems.
I see. My problem still is just that I am quite sick still despite all the meds, that I take, but at least I am able to fight now for a better life…
I’ve been given up even to fight before the meds. My doc stated to stop switching aps and pay efforts now. That’s what I do now, but I come from a 20 years old of illness and isolation, so I am a very tough case and still quite sick.
I am on zyprexa too hah
Ok, try the clonazepam yeap. From the benzos, I like only this one or the valium too…
It will help your sleep, for sure
Take care!
I should probably open my own thread, but I wonder about my klonopin too now… my ex pdoc was allowing it to me. But my current doc is scared of it… I took klonopin since 7 years, once in two days in fact 
but it’s the only med who helps my hellish paranoia and the fears and even the somatics… I am on zyprexa too but I was totally mentally destroyed and am very scared from everything often…
