How Do I Know If Someone Is On Klonopin?

For an individual addicted to prescription drugs, the person will often start to pull away from their friends and family and start to have trouble meeting obligations, such as at school or work. The behavioral signs of being addicted to prescription drugs are often the first ones that people start to notice. Frequently the case with prescription drug abuse is that people will begin by taking the drug for a legitimate medical condition, and then as they use it for a longer period, they build up a tolerance. That tolerance leads them to take more of the drug than they’re instructed to or to take it different ways for a more powerful effect, such as snorting it. As this continues, people often become not just psychologically dependent on drugs like Klonopin, but also physically dependent on them. Also common with prescription drug abuse is a shifting of priorities. The user will start focusing a great deal of their time, energy, and money on obtaining more of the drug, which in this case would be Klonopin. This leads to the decay of their relationships and career in many cases. Prescription drug abuse can also result in doctor shopping. When someone doctor shops, it means they are visiting several or more physicians, in hopes of obtaining multiple Klonopin prescriptions. Sometimes the initial signs of being on Klonopin can even be as simple as unexplained absences, or a person seeming to take themselves out of their old life, for example, finding a new social group or spending more time alone.

Klonopin is the brand name of the drug clonazepam, which is classified as a benzodiazepine. Clonazepam is one of the most prescribed benzos in the U.S., behind only Xanax and Ativan. Benzos like Klonopin are prescribed to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and panic disorders. They can also be used for the treatment of seizures and withdrawal from alcohol. The use of benzos was initially designed to replace barbiturates which were found to be highly addictive and dangerous, but the use of benzos carries risks as well. Klonopin and prescription drugs like it work by calming down overstimulation in the brain, but they have calming effects as a result, which is why there is the potential for abuse. When someone uses Klonopin and other benzodiazepines, it slows down the processes of their body. This can mean not only slower physical responses but also mental processes. You may be wondering why Klonopin is abused, and one of the reasons is because when higher doses are taken, it creates not only a sense of calm and relaxation but also a euphoric high in some cases.

Some of the common signs someone is on Klonopin or other benzos, particularly when they’ve taken a high dosage, include:

• Confusion
• Drowsiness or nodding off
• Slurred speech
• Problems with coordination
• Weakness and dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Slowed breathing
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
• An increase in respiratory infections
• vertigo

Many of the signs someone is on Klonopin are similar to what they would seem like if they were intoxicated from alcohol. They may simply seem very “out of it,” and extremely tired, and these symptoms tend to become more pronounced the more of the drug a person takes. Other signs of chronic abuse of Klonopin can include increased anxiety, sleep problems including insomnia, weight loss, and headaches. Often when someone is on Klonopin and other benzos, signs of chronic abuse actually replicate the symptoms that led them to start using the drug in the first place. There are mental symptoms of abusing Klonopin as well, which may include memory problems, confusion, and slowed thought processes and reaction times. Lifestyle and behavioral warning signs someone is on Klonopin may include:

• many absences from school or work
• poor performance at work or school
• family problems including the breakdown of relationships or neglect of children
• ceasing to do hobbies or activities the person once enjoyed
• increased risk of accidents or injury
• increased risk of overdose

Also, when someone is abusing benzos including Klonopin, there is the higher risk of abusing other substances simultaneously. When someone is on Klonopin and also other substances, it increases the chances of an overdose occurring.

If you’re wondering what the signs of being on Klonopin are, physical dependence may also be an issue. Physical dependence occurs when someone builds a tolerance to a drug like Klonopin and as a result continues to take larger amounts to get the same effects. When someone is on Klonopin and is physically dependent on the drug, there will not just be symptoms that may indicate they’re using it, but also signs of withdrawal that can occur. Withdrawal from Klonopin happens when someone has been chronically using this benzo, and then they stop suddenly. Since the body has become dependent on it, there will be side effects when the drug isn’t present. Symptoms of Klonopin withdrawal and other benzos usually occur around four hours after someone has taken their last dose of the drug. Some of the specific signs of withdrawal from Klonopin may include:

• Aches and pains that are similar to flu symptoms
• Restlessness
• Feeling disconnected from reality
• Confusion
• Psychosis
• Hallucinations

In severe instances of Klonopin withdrawal, people may experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors, as well as seizures. Some of the common co-occurring mental disorders that may occur with addiction or dependence to Klonopin include not just anxiety disorders, but also PTSD, depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. If you see signs that someone is on Klonopin or dependent on this benzodiazepine, it’s important to get in touch with an addiction professional or a rehab facility, because it is a problem that requires intensive treatment, and can be deadly if someone isn’t treated for their addiction to this prescription anxiety medicine.