Clonazepam Abuse : Side Effects

Despite the fact that clonazepam is a drug that is widely available, it still has not found its way onto the black market. Instead, most doctors recommend this drug as a sleep aide for patients with insomnia. It has been proven to be very effective at helping people get to sleep, but there are some clonazepam side effects that make it less than perfect.

One of the clonazepam side effects that concern researchers the most are the changes that occur in patients taking these medications. When taking clonazepam it is necessary to take higher doses in order to achieve the desired effect. When doing so, the patient may feel uncomfortable, agitated, or even anxious. This is due to the abrupt change in the amount of medication that is being consumed. This is because many of these medications, especially those used for anxiety disorders, elevate levels of dopamine in the brain.

Higher doses of clonazepam are necessary to achieve the effects. However, when taking higher doses the body cannot hold on to as much of it as it used to. The result is an elevated blood pressure and heart rate. As a result, emergency room visits increase, and heart attack or stroke may occur. It is important to keep in mind that these clonazepam side effects begin only when the prescribed dosage is exceeded.

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When someone who suffers from a substance addiction begins to take more of this powerful medication, serious side effects begin to occur. First, the person's physical needs are met. This includes the need to take in enough food and water. It also includes a need for adequate rest. Because the brain chemistry has been altered, there is an increase in the potential for depression, anxiety, and withdrawal if the dose level is not maintained. Once recovery begins, the high that was felt before addiction begins to subside, while the patient is still experiencing the unpleasant side effects of the benzodiazepine drug.

This type of addiction is different from the physical dependence, a person develops with prescription pain medications like OxyContin or Vicodin. With the abuse of klonopin, which was originally used as a cancer treatment, the patient developed physical dependence upon the drug. Unlike the physical dependency that develops with prescription medications, which is dependent on a doctor's care, the patient develops this type of addiction. The physical dependence stops once recovery from klonopin is achieved.

Clonazepam and other benzodiazepine drugs are used in the treatment of patients who have been diagnosed with alcoholism and severe mental illnesses. In these cases, the patients' bodies are already addicted to the substances, and it is not possible to provide them with any form of relief from the pain, discomfort, and sedation caused by their conditions. Once they are on a steady dose of clonazepam or other strong benzodiazepine, they will experience a withdrawal symptom once they stop taking the medicine. These symptoms include but are not limited to, shaking, nausea, and increased heart rate. People taking clonazepam for alcoholism experience these symptoms three to four times a week, for periods ranging from two weeks up to three months. The increase in heart rate is due to the effect the substance has on the body's cardiovascular system.

Another common long-term effect of Clonazepam abuse is an increase in sexual drive and libido. As is the case with people who become addicted to prescription medications, people who abuse Clonazepam may find that they need to take more doses of the drug in order to achieve the same level of sexual stimulation as when they were first treated. Patients who abuse Clonazepam may also report an increase in appetite, which can lead to weight loss. Abuse of Clonazepam may also lead to erectile dysfunction, especially when the patient tries to cure the addiction by stopping all drug use. Clonazepam abuse can lead to a number of severe and long-term health consequences.