Klonopin is under the drug class of benzodiazepines, which is mainly used to treat panic disorders (with or without agoraphobia) and seizures. It is a prescription drug with a generic brand name Clonazepam, and you need to abide by your prescription to avoid serious side effects.

Despite its benefits, it poses health consequences like drowsiness and tiredness, which can worsen when you take it in large doses. In this article, we are going to talk about the issue of depression when you take Klonopin. Continue reading to find out more about it.

Does Klonopin Induce Depression?

Once you take this drug, it targets your brain particularly the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which relaxes your brain activity, making you feel more relaxed and calm. Alongside this, depression is one of its minor side effects, which can amplify when you take it in large doses.

Eventually, when you develop depression due to Klonopin, we call that a substance-induced depressive disorder. Substance abuse is one of the culprits for the increasing mental disorder among adolescents (9.7%) in the United States.

Moreover, Klonopin is 90% potent and quick in its effects, so you can readily feel its calming sensation, which is beneficial for treating panic attacks and convulsions. Nevertheless, you need to watch out with your dose to avoid developing tolerance and then later an addiction.

How Serious is Depression in the United States?

Approximately 18.1% of the general population in the U.S. are suffering from anxiety and depression, which is due to many factors including substance abuse. To illustrate how serious this problem is, below are some statistics to describe its situation year on year.

• During 2017-2018, around 19% of the adult population are suffering from mental disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. This is incredibly 1.5 million higher than the previous year’s incidence.
• A major depressive disorder is the greatest reason why 1 million Americans age 18 years and older are disabled. This result is equivalent to 6.7% of the U.S. population.
• Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is when a person suffers from depression for two consecutive years. In the U.S., around 1.5% of the adult population are experiencing this condition, and sadly, only 61.7% of them are undergoing treatment.

What are the Common Side Effects of Klonopin?

This medicine is fast-acting due to its potency, so you can feel its maximum effects within the first four hours after your oral ingestion of Klonopin. Besides its health benefits, you will feel the following minor side effects of this drug.

• You will feel dizzy and tired.
• You will experience a slight decline in your body coordination and fine motor skills.
• You cannot focus well on any task.

What are the serious side effects of Klonopin?

It is a prescription drug, which means there’ll be serious adverse health effects when you abuse this substance. Moreover, its 90% potency and fast-release action make this drug dangerous to abuse. Below are the dangerous health consequences of overdosing Klonopin.

• You will have a slower breathing pattern.
• You will experience sluggish speaking skills.
• You will experience depression and anxiety disorder.
• Being highly irritable and restless
• You can experience serious allergic reactions like face swelling and redness.
• Short-term memory loss
• Suicidal or risky behaviors

What is the risk of using Klonopin with Opioids?

Mixing Klonopin with opioids is a dangerous idea since you will experience severe sedation and depression on your brain, breathing, and muscle coordination. Opioids are used as pain relievers, which means they can relax and slow down your brain and body activities.

Meanwhile, Klonopin also provides a sedating effect for patients, so when you take both at once, you are at risk for lung depression, coma, or even death.

Besides that, here are some other substances which you need to look out for when medicating with Clonazepam. Before you take any of these drugs, be sure to consult your doctor first to avoid complications.

• Oxycodone, morphine, and hydrocodone
• Antihistamines
• Cough syrups
• Sleeping pills
• Any anti-anxiety drugs

How will you know if you are undergoing depression?

Typically, if your sad emotion lasts for a couple of weeks, then you are having a depressive disorder. Furthermore, here are a few other symptoms you can observe.

• You get easily irritated by simple mistakes.
• You tend to be restless and anxious.
• You are having problems controlling your anger.
• You tend to lose interest in a lot of things.
• You have thoughts of committing suicide.

When you experience any of these signs, it’s about time you consult with your counselor or psychologist. They will help you understand your condition and give you the right advice to overcome it.

What’s the right dosage of Klonopin?

The two main diseases treated for this prescription drug are panic attacks and seizures, and you only ingest it when your doctor prescribes it to avoid the dangers of overdose. Moreover, following your proper dosage will reduce the risk of getting depression and anxiety as its side effects.

Treating Seizures

For adults, your initial dose starts at 1.5 mg per day and then divides that into three doses. You can increase your dose 0.5 to 1 mg every three days as long prescribed by your doctor. Then for your maintenance dose, the recommended is around 20 mg daily.

Conversely, children aged 10 or having a body mass of 30 kgs will have a standard dose of 0.01 to 0.03 mg per day for every kilogram of body mass. Their maximum dosage is at 0.05 mg/kg/day, and then you need to divide that into two or three doses a day.

Treating Panic Disorders

The initial dose for adults is at 0.25 mg per day, then you can increase that to 1 mg daily after three days. If you plan to increase your dose to 2,3, or 4 mg daily, then you need to have a prescription from your doctor, yet most clinical studies showed no significant improvements from these higher doses.

Conversely, there is no medical studies regarding Klonopin used on children with panic disorders.

When Do You Seek Medical Help?

Klonopin is known for its effectiveness in treating seizures and panic disorders, yet it also showed risks for you to develop depression and anxiety. Technically, that’s ironic because it is used to treat those diseases, however, it can also induce them if you don’t follow your prescription.

With that being said, you need to strictly follow your doctor’s advice and if you develop signs of tolerance or addiction, then seek medical help as early as today. Don’t hesitate to talk to a doctor or an addiction specialist near your town.