Posted by Viridis on October 23, 2003, at 2:30:58
In reply to Can Klonopin act as a mood brightener?, posted by Jasmine Neroli on October 22, 2003, at 0:17:44
Klonopin helped greatly to relieve my anxiety, and as a result, helped my mood a lot too. I take other meds as well now, but Klonopin has made the biggest difference by far. I've been on the same low dose (1 mg/day) for 2 1/2 years with no need for a dosage increase, and my pdoc has many other patients who have had a similar response.
Klonopin may cause problems for a small proportion of patients (as all of these meds can, especially the newer antidepressants), but I certainly feel much less like a "timebomb" now than I did a couple of years ago. Constant stress is very unhealthy, and benzos have a long track record of safety and effectiveness.
There's some evidence (cited in a thread a few months ago) that Klonopin increases serotonin levels in brain synapses, which could partially explain its mood-brightening effects for some.
I should add that Xanax has a more pronounced mood-lifting effect for me, but unlike Klonopin, I seem to have developed substantial tolerance to it, so restrict my use to rare occasions. Klonopin just seems to keep on working, with no side effects and no need for dosage adjustment.
poster:Viridis
thread:271700
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031021/msgs/272175.html