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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by btnd on February 21, 2003, at 9:35:35
Ok I know this sounds weird, so I'm checking if it's not a placebo effect. I've been using Klonopin 2mg alone for some time and every time I take it I get instant anti-depressant effect and my motivation is significantly higher than normally (I'm dysthymic with social phobia). Klonopin does wonders for my social phobia, but is it possible that it's AD?
Posted by Phil on February 21, 2003, at 18:31:26
In reply to Klonopin 2mg - anti-depressant and ..., posted by btnd on February 21, 2003, at 9:35:35
I don't doubt at all that Klonopin alone can relieve depression. Seems there was a post recently about that.
Klonopin is often cited to increase depression in some individuals but from my reading here, it helps much more than it hurts.
But you say you take it and gives you instant AD effects?
Whatever the case, I love Klonopin and if that's all it takes to fix you up, I'm happy for you.
Brain chemistry is such a mystery still.
I recently bought a jar of cinnamon, kinda high end cinammon. I think if I could strap that bottle under my nose, I'd have less depression but maybe a few more social probs.Phil
Posted by HIBA on February 21, 2003, at 23:26:58
In reply to Klonopin 2mg - anti-depressant and ..., posted by btnd on February 21, 2003, at 9:35:35
Yes, and you are one of the luckiest psychiatric patients. Alprazolam, Adinazolam and clonazepam these three benzos have shown marked antidepressant effects in many patients and most physicians are not aware of it. Alprazolam (Xanax)takes huge amounts to show the antidepressant effect, but klonopin seems to work in fairly low doses as 1 to 2 mg. (Adinazolam is not available in US).
It is definitely not a placebo effect. Studies have proven the antidepressant efficacy of klonopin. Stick with it as long as it works. Consider yourself lucky because klonopin doesn't have those horrible side effects of conventional and newer antidepressants. Dependence is a possibility, but it is possible with antidepressants also, regardless of their age and class.
Good luck to you, take care
HIBA
Posted by viridis on February 22, 2003, at 0:40:26
In reply to Klonopin 2mg - anti-depressant and ..., posted by btnd on February 21, 2003, at 9:35:35
For me, Klonopin is unquestionably an AD, but I think a lot of it depends on the source of your depression. For unipolar depression without substantial anxiety, maybe it wouldn't be so great, and some people even report that it makes their depression worse.
Most of my depression is anxiety-based and doesn't respond well to "standard" ADs such as SSRIs (which actually make things worse). By alleviating the anxiety, Klonopin seems to take care of the worst of my depression, and I consider it my primary AD.
I think that there are various "flavors" of depression, and the wide range of responses (even just to different ADs) is consistent with this idea. Unfortunately, many doctors don't understand this. My GP, for example, says that there's no such thing as an anxiety disorder; all anxiety is just a manifestation of depression, so the newer ADs will almost invariably solve anxiety problems. The fact that they don't for me supposedly indicates that I have a "psychological" problem (and the occurrence of side effects must be my imagination, since ADs can't cause side effects). Of course, this is ridiculous, but it just shows how some doctors think (or don't).
My psychiatrist says that in his experience, for people with anxiety problems, benzos like Klonopin can be very effective antidepressants. And, as Hiba pointed out, there's some evidence that benzos may also boost levels of some of the same neurotransmitters that ADs target (particularly serotonin).
With Klonopin alone, I still had some "residual" depression, much milder and more transient than before, but still unpleasant when it hit. It was definitely a different kind of depression from that which I associate with anxiety. When I added Adderall (for ADD) most of this cleared up. So even for one individual, there may be different types of depression occurring, for different biochemical reasons.
Anyway, Klonopin and other benzos certainly can act as antidepressants for some people and are worth a try, especially if there's a substantial anxiety component. One nice thing is that you'll know pretty fast (within a few days at most) whether benzos are right for you, instead of the 4-8 weeks it takes with most "real" ADs.
Posted by JohnL on February 22, 2003, at 9:40:10
In reply to Klonopin 2mg - anti-depressant and ..., posted by btnd on February 21, 2003, at 9:35:35
Klonopin can cause depression or make existing depression worse. Klonopin can also elinimate depression. It all depends on the unique brain chemistry, what's wrong with it, and how well the drug targets that particular chemistry causing the symptoms.
> Ok I know this sounds weird, so I'm checking if it's not a placebo effect. I've been using Klonopin 2mg alone for some time and every time I take it I get instant anti-depressant effect and my motivation is significantly higher than normally (I'm dysthymic with social phobia). Klonopin does wonders for my social phobia, but is it possible that it's AD?
This is the end of the thread.
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