Clonazepam and Depression: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Iri...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 23, 2017

For Panic Disorder "This medicine saved my life. I lost all my family between 18-21 years old, other than one brother. I'm about to be 34, and needless to say, it has saved me from waking up daily, soaked in sweat, panicking, and depression. Those doctors that won't prescribe it and my opioids to me, and now I am going through cold turkey, right? They don't realize how bad this impacts a person's life. I'm probably gonna lose my job because of opioid withdrawal for two weeks. Ten years use of oxycodone prn 4 a day, ten mg from a drunk driver hitting me. I'm lucky to have my foot. Fifteen pieces of hardware later, I'm still here. Clonazepam and all drugs need to be legalized. These new laws the government makes up. 'We The People' are supposed to be in control, this has really mucked up my life and others' lives."

• Bar...
• May 20, 2017

For Periodic Limb Movement Disorder "Started on 0.5 mg at bedtime for possible restless leg syndrome, developed flat affect, lack of emotion, somnolence. Reduced to 0.25 mg at bedtime. Kept on this med by another neurologist who diagnosed tardive dyskinesia. The third neurologist increased to 0.5 mg at bedtime in an attempt to promote better sleep (had restless sleep to this point). Found not helpful with sleep, still woke up many times and restless with increased somnolence the next day, so decreased back to 0.25 mg. The med was somewhat helpful in decreasing uncontrolled movements of TD, but not a lot. While not effective in my case in promoting better sleep, it was somewhat effective in reducing some of the uncontrolled movements of tardive dyskinesia, for which there are few effective meds."

• Bar...
• May 20, 2017

For Periodic Limb Movement Disorder "Started on 0.5 mg at bedtime for possible restless leg syndrome, developed flat affect, lack of emotion, somnolence. Reduced to 0.25 mg at bedtime. Kept on this med by another neurologist who diagnosed tardive dyskinesia. The third neurologist increased to 0.5 mg at bedtime in an attempt to promote better sleep (had restless sleep to this point). Found not helpful with sleep, still woke up many times and restless with increased somnolence the next day, so decreased back to 0.25 mg. The med was somewhat helpful in decreasing uncontrolled movements of TD, but not a lot. While not effective in my case in promoting better sleep, it was somewhat effective in reducing some of the uncontrolled movements of tardive dyskinesia, for which there are few effective meds."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 17, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "Works as designed, every time. Saved me from a lot of what could be bad days. Only thing is they make me a little sad, but a lot happier when it kicked in and my anxiety faded into the mist as quick as it came. The tiredness and sluggishness that you get sucks if you have to get things done. Keep this to yourself and don't tell anyone you take this because they will judge and call you something stupid. They don't understand how it is to live with mental illness, especially bipolar. Anxiety and panic attacks are real things we deal with in this specific illness and can be debilitating, to say the least. Klonopin is a good med, a lot better than alprazolam in my opinion. Way better than SSRI or mood stabilizer garbage."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 31, 2022

Clonazepam "I have been taking Klonopin for over fifteen years. It worked well for about ten years on my sleep disorder. Now I am 63 years old, and I wish I had taken a different path. I feel like a zombie, irritated, bored, losing my family, depressed, and it’s not easy to stop. I have tried to get off gradually without success. I am on my third try and have been told to take six months or longer to succeed."

• Sum...
• December 22, 2015

For Anxiety "I started taking Clonazepam a week and a half ago for my generalized anxiety disorder. Let me tell you, it is WONDERFUL. It took my anxiety away almost from the first day. I take 0.5 in the morning and 0.5 at night and have not had any anxiety in a week and a half, which is a miracle for me since I have had anxiety since I was a teenager. Now, the bad news is that it's causing a lot of weight gain for me, 10 lb in a week and a half. It's not OK with me. I have been struggling with my weight forever and had finally gotten to where I am a little comfortable with it. I am 39 and do not need to gain weight. It's making me depressed. I really love having no anxiety but absolutely hate the weight gain."

• cdk...
• July 6, 2009

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "I have had severe panic attacks since high school. I cannot be in or on anything that moves. I have been on 4 mg Klonopin a day for almost a year, and I still have 2-3 panic attacks a day. Plus, it has made me extremely irritable, agitated, angry, aggressive, and depressed. I have been on every benzodiazepine, tricyclic, SNRIs, and most SSRIs, always in combination 2 or 3 at the same time. Some worked for a short time, some not at all. The best combination was Xanax, Zoloft, and Imipramine for five years, then it quit working. I've even tried cognitive behavioral therapy with no luck. The only thing I've not tried is Paxil and Prozac. I have a doctor's appointment next month to discuss other medicines. Maybe I need a new doctor."

• Sea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I've been taking clonazepam .25 mg with an SSRI more meant for depression. I have been diagnosed with panic disorder, depression, and social anxiety disorder. I have been on the clonazepam with citalopram (20 mg), and that was great for the anxiety, but awful for depression. I switched to Wellbutrin due to the side effect of lowered libido, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. I've been on the clonazepam for almost 4 months, and I've noticed with the Wellbutrin it has caused insomnia, irritability, lowered libido, increased derealization/depersonalization, lack of motivation, and also I have started to build a tolerance to it, so the anxiety is starting to become a menace once again. Clonazepam is great for the short term, especially if you're trying to get off Xanax or Ativan, but in the long term, I would not suggest it."

• PTS...
• October 18, 2021

For Benzodiazepine Withdrawal "I have used clonazepam on and off for the last 4 years, each time not using it for any longer than two and a half months and tapering at the end of each session, approximately two or three times a year. It addresses my anxiety and anger issues, however, after 2 months or so, I feel emotionally numb, which isn't healthy. I finally sought out a psychiatrist and, after lengthy discussions, had a diagnosis of PTSD, OCD, anxiety, and insomnia. I explained how I had been treating myself, and he advised Remeron/Mirtazapine. This kicked in after two weeks, and my PTSD episodes and OCD were controlled and remain controlled. For the anxiety, they do work quite well, however, I have had to resort to Klonopin when I have had 'breakthrough anxiety attacks.' I am now facing tapering the Klonopin, I am not apprehensive, especially as the Remeron will assist during the reduction process. I have had 15 mg a day, so the process (for me) is 7.5 for 4 days and 3.25 for 4 days. After which I will be good."

• pep...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2015

For Panic Disorder "I had started taking this medication after I slowly went off lorazepam since it stopped working for my panic attacks. I found that clonazepam took time in the beginning to work since it's a long-lasting one. After a couple of hours to days, it started working for my panic attacks and insomnia issues. It helps my pins and needles issues too, and my blood pressure is normal too. The only problem is it makes my depression sometimes worse. I also get a little bit oversleepy, like in the daytime, I feel a hangover of sleepiness, and sometimes I feel a bit dopey, so I take two 5 mg of it at nighttime, but if I feel it too much, I sometimes take 1.5 to limit too much sleepiness. I also am afraid to lose my brain because I tend to forget where I put things."

• Ree...
• November 2, 2011

For Panic Disorder "I had my first out-of-body experience at 14. After that, I would be terrified to sleep because I would become paralyzed and could not talk during these episodes. It was severe, I became very depressed. I am now in my forties and have tried A-Z medicines. Thus far, this medicine has been remarkable."

• ind...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2016

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "I was taken off of Ativan 1 mg x3 per day and switched to Klonopin. This drug made me ache all over and my joints, had crying bouts and severe depression with very dark thoughts. I finally got switched back. I hate this drug. Made me want to sleep all the time as well, zero energy and aggressive."

• Ant...
• February 13, 2012

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "Clonazepam makes me dizzy, sick, chilled, headache, constipation, depressed, antisocial, and constant nasal drip from my nose to throat. Not to mention starving all the time. I asked my doctor because I go into fits of rage if there was something that she could give me to instantly calm me down. I've been on several mood stabilizers, and they just aren't working like they used to. So she prescribed me this."

• Tod...
• January 3, 2021

Clonazepam for Panic Disorder "I’ve been taking Klonopin for just over a year now for panic disorder and epilepsy, along with Valium for epilepsy, and temazepam and Ambien for sleep. Klonopin is great for me at preventing panic attacks as I normally get on average 4-5 per week instead of 20 or more before I started it. However, this medication has made me antisocial. I have intermittent explosive disorder now and it makes me aggressive and I have rage attacks. I take 10-12 mg per day. I’m giving the medication a 3 because even though it helps my anxiety and epilepsy, I have become emotionally numb and cannot empathize with others at all."

• Anonymous
• December 31, 2019

For Anxiety "Wish there were negative numbers to rate clonazepam. HORRIBLE stuff. Have been having anxiety and panic attacks over real situations (not just imagined). Took it once and felt like all the life had drained out of the world, not to mention staggering across the room. Cut dosage for second pill in half and felt nothing. Next morning, I woke up and felt the worst depression and brain fog I have experienced in my whole life. PLUS extreme anxiety over feeling this way! It CREATES anxiety, plus depression, brain fog, and lack of coordination. I'd rather have a 'normal' panic attack and anxiety. This stuff is HORRIFIC. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. (To top it all off, people get addicted to it and can't come off it? What kind of bad joke is this stuff? Who paid off the FDA to approve it?!!)"

• Anonymous
• August 25, 2009

Clonazepam for Restless Legs Syndrome "This medicine stopped the restless leg issues, but it made me extremely groggy and a bit depressed."

• lau...
• November 7, 2016

Clonazepam for Anxiety "Stay away from this nightmare drug. It can most likely cause depression and more. It's dangerous. I had withdrawals for months. Horrible."

• kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2019

Clonazepam for Seizure Prevention "I really liked this medication at first. No bad side effects, way better than other meds I had tried, but after a few weeks, started to get very depressed. Don't know if it's worth taking."

• Anonymous
• December 27, 2014

Clonazepam for Anxiety "Makes me feel very depressed, anxious, and agitated. It makes me feel suicidal, and I can't sleep."