Posted by viridis on December 28, 2002, at 0:03:10
In reply to Re: The Truth About Clonazepam, posted by john7219 on December 27, 2002, at 22:12:52
I don't think anyone here sees you as a "weak, anxiety ridden drug addict". Obviously, for you, getting off Klonopin is a real problem. Benzos affect some people that way, and it's not a character flaw -- just your physiology and brain chemistry. Some people can just stop taking ADs like Effexor with no problem, others have major withdrawal. Some people can quit smoking cold turkey after years; others (like me) suffered terribly when we tried to quit (it took me about 20 tries before I finally got off cigarettes).
Most people who use benzos are able to discontinue them by gradual tapering, but clearly some have genuine problems, just like with many other medications, psychiatric or otherwise. This doesn't make you an "addict". An addict is someone who craves a substance that is damaging to them, increases the doses to dangerous levels, and so on. You're dependent, and it's no reflection on your integrity or anything else.
Is it possible that the Klonopin actually is helping you, and that's why you still need it? I'm not saying this is the case, but it's something I've wondered about myself after a much shorter duration of use. I can stand going off it, but I feel very anxious -- the problem is, that's the way I was a lot of the time before I started using it, so am I really experiencing withdrawal? I'm not sure. I'm certainly uncomfortable without it.
Anyway, you're not an addict, and I don't think anyone suggested that you were.
poster:viridis
thread:133201
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021223/msgs/133449.html