With so many problems on your mind and a busy routine, you are prone to anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Strong drugs are often used, however the black stripe means the drug can bring serious health risks, including physical and psychological dependence and tolerance. These drugs act on the central nervous system and can cause sedation.
If you use this drug, discover the natural alternatives that can help you and what you need to know about this substance!
What is clonazepam?
Clonazepam, a benzodiazepine (BZD), is often used to treat anxiety disorders and epileptic seizures, among other things. However, because of its inexpensive cost and widespread availability, it has become a routinely abused medicine in both medical and recreational settings.
This is a medication used to prevent various disorders such as seizures, panic disorders, anxiety and the movement disorder known as akathisia. It was recently licensed by the FDA to treat normal absence, infantile myoclonic, atypical absence, myoclonic etc.
Drowsiness, ataxia, and behavioural abnormalities are the most serious adverse effects of the medicine. They are usually dose-related, start early in the course of treatment, and may go away with continued administration. As a result, the dosage is started low and gradually raised. It appears to move fast from blood to brain after being ingested orally.
According to preliminary findings, the biological half-life is 22 to 32 hours and the therapeutic serum concentration is 5 to 50 ng/ml. With continuous dosing, several studies show tolerance to the clonazepam effects.
These are other synonyms used in market for clonazepam:
Clonazepam is analogous to GABA, therefore, it can easily pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB) and act as an agonist to GABA receptors. Clonazapan and others BZD are better than exogenous GABA because it can’t go through the BBB.
Dosage is determined by your medical condition, age, and treatment response. The dosage for children is also determined by their weight.
What are clonazepam side effects in the long-term?
Clonazepam has a multitude of negative effects, especially if taken over an extended length of time or at large dosages.
You may encounter: It can produce hazardous central nervous system depression, resulting in significantly reduced alertness and decreased physical activities, particularly when used recreationally or at higher than recommended dosages.
You may feel:
- Dizziness or vertigo;
- The extremities may feel heavy or numb;
- Cognitive impairment;
- Inability to develop new memories;
- Confusion;
- Fainting or syncope;
- Reduced judgement and response time;
- Sex desire has been reduced.
Tolerance & Addiction
- Clonazepam tolerance develops over time in the body of the patient. This indicates that the body adjusts to the presence of clonazepam in the system, and the patient’s typical dose of clonazepam no longer works as well.
- To receive the relaxation and anti-anxiety effects they were experiencing when they first started taking clonazepam, users who have acquired a tolerance may need to take greater or more frequent doses.
- When someone develops a tolerance to clonazepam, a physiological reliance is likely to develop.
- If an individual stops taking the drug suddenly, they will be at heightened risk of experiencing a resurgence of the symptoms they were treating with the medication—symptoms like anxiety, panic, insomnia and other effects may rebound.
Furthermore, clonazepam has been linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts in certain users. If you experience depression, agitation, or suicidal thoughts soon after taking clonazepam, contact your doctor right once.
Because clonazepam is a habit-forming drug, it is not typically suggested for long-term usage.
Clonazepam has contraindications?
If you have narrow-angle glaucoma, severe liver illness, or a history of adverse reactions to any benzodiazepine, you should not use clonazepam.
As a BZD medication, clonazepam is typically contraindicated in acute closed-angle glaucoma. In theory, these drugs can relax the iris and have a modest anticholinergic effect, which can trigger an abrupt onset of closed-angle glaucoma.
Serious Liver Disease
Clonazepam is extensively metabolised by the liver. In the event of liver illness, benzodiazepine oxidation reduces, resulting in drug buildup and severe sedation and respiratory depression.
Hypersensitivity to the drug or formulation components
Clonazepam hypersensitivity is uncommon, however it has been reported on occasion for: razolam, diazepam, lorazepam, Valium, Xanax, Versed, and others.
If you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, inform your doctor. If you take clonazepam while pregnant, your baby may be born with potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms and may require medical treatment for several weeks.
Do not start or stop seizure medication during pregnancy without consulting your doctor. Clonazepam can harm an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy can injure both the mother and the child. The benefits of preventing seizures may exceed the hazards. If you become pregnant, notify your doctor straight away.
Differences between clonazepam vs lorazepam vs xanax
Clonazepan pass through the BBB and act as an agonist to GABA’s receptors, increasing gabaergic activity and decreasing CNS’s activity.
People who lack GABA activity become agitated, which can lead to panic episodes or seizures.
Lorazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine class of medicines, which have a calming effect on the brain and nerves (central nervous system). This medication works by boosting the effects of a natural substance in the body (GABA).
Some doctors prescribe Xanax for depression, but there is little evidence that it works unless the patient also has anxiety.
Xanax and clonazepam appear to be fairly similar at first look. Both are benzodiazepines, which are CNS depressants used to treat anxiety and panic episodes.
Both medicines have a short half-life, although Clonazepam lasts longer in the body than Xanax. It has a half-life of 6–25 hours.
Some of the more common side effects of clonazepam include:
- Drowsiness;
- Shaky movements and unsteady gait;
- Dizziness;
- Depression;
- Memory problems;
- Náusea.
Some rarer and more severe side effects of clonazepam include:
- Depressed Mood;
- Seizures, Especially if a person stops taking the drug suddenly;
- Hallucinations;
- Mood and behavioural changes;
- Sweating;
- Abnormal eye movements;
- Anxiety;
- Difficulty speaking;
- Excessive bleeding and bruising, from reduced platelets in the blood;
- Menstrual problems;
- Difficulty urinating.
Some of the more common side effects of Xanax include:
- Drowsiness and fatigue;
- Lightheadedness;
- Náusea;
- Irritability;
- Becoming talkative;
- Forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating;
- Difficulty passing urine;
- Constipation;
- Joint pain.
What are the natural alternatives to clonazepam?
Other types of non-drug based natural alternative that may help a person are as follows:
- Mindfulness therapy;
- Take supplements;
- Exercises;
- Talk therapy;
- Daily exposure to sunshine;
- Remove toxic chemicals from home;
- Maintain a healthy sleep pattern;
- Stay hydrated;
- Avoid caffeine and aspartame.
Benzodiazepine medicines are frequently provided after a thorough investigation into the cause of the person’s anxiety has been conducted.
Supplements Alternatives to Clonazepam:
Supplement-based alternatives can help a lot, and in a natural way. These may include:
- Agmatine;
- Inositol;
- Kava;
- Omega-3;
- Lion’s Mane;
- Curcumin;
- Zinc;
- Uridine;
- 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP).
With so many options, it can be difficult to know which one is best for your needs, so you can identify your supplemental solution in just 3 steps. Discover the best nutraceutical to help you control anxiety symptoms and more!
