Posted by med_empowered on March 9, 2005, at 20:53:19
In reply to I just read an article on GAD... » krybrahaha78, posted by Colleen D. on March 9, 2005, at 20:42:12
hey! Well, there is the whole problem with "abuse" of benzos, especially short-acting ones. (Just from what I've seen, some people who "abuse" benzos are actually just trying to get relief from severe, debilitating anxiety--with benzos that have short half-lives, there seems to be an additional problem with the drug wearing off quickly). In addition, drugs wax and wane in terms of popularity among docs, and this is definitely true of the benzos. For a long time, Valium was the undisputed benzo champion; then came Xanax and Ativan, which for a while dominated the field. Now, psychiatrists have switched back into MANAGING chronic anxiety rather than TREATING EXTREME EPISODES. So, now, shrinks will RX Klonopin at fixed rates for daily use instead of RX'ing a bottle of Ativan for "as needed" use. Klonopin is also a good choice because there isn't much drug-induced euphoria (Xanax has a reputation for this), its CHEAP (developed in the 1970s for seizures, so its available as a generic), and the sedative effects seem to wear off quickly, so there may be less drug-induced impairment. From a personal perspective, Klonopin is also great b/c it provides long-lasting relief of the first rumblings of mania (racing thoughts, increased anxiety, etc.). Other benzos can also do this, but they tend not to last very long so re-dosing is a problem. Also, since Klonopin only has to be taken 2-3 X daily, its easier to remember to take it, so you don't have those "where the hell is my xanax!?!?" moments.
poster:med_empowered
thread:468965
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