Clonazepam addiction means you start to rely on it so much that you can’t stop taking it, whatever the consequences. There are a few different ways that this can begin:
Most people start taking clonazepam as prescribed by their doctor for anxiety or seizures. Others may take it because it makes them feel relaxed or gives them a temporary feeling of happiness, while some take clonazepam without a prescription to deal with other issues like stress, trouble sleeping or other problems.
Whatever the reason, if you start ramping up your dosage either to intensify the effects or because you have grown tolerant to clonazepam, you can become both physically and emotionally dependent on it.
Physical dependency
On a physical level, your body can become so used to having clonazepam in your system that if you stop taking it, it goes into withdrawal. Clonazepam withdrawal symptoms are the same as those seen with other types of benzodiazepine addiction like extreme anxiety, irritability, sweating, shaking and in really serious cases, seizures. These symptoms can make it very difficult to stop taking clonazepam without medical help and often cause relapse when someone tries to quit on their own.
Emotional dependency
Emotionally, clonazepam can create a sense of reliance where you feel like you need the drug to cope with daily life or personal difficulties. This emotional dependence can be just as powerful as physical dependence and it is the two together that create clonazepam addiction.
