Considering Clonazepam?

People suffering from anxiety can easily relate to how its symptoms interfere with daily functioning, including social activities, work, and relationships. Not only do these symptoms affect a person mentally, but can affect a person physically in the form of constant muscle tension, headaches, irritability, and sweating. In my case, when anxiety symptoms began to consume my everyday activities, I discovered they acted as an enabler for a larger health issue I was unaware existed. It was during a stressful semester prior to graduating from college that I learned I had Crohn's Disease. As if the symptoms of Crohn's are not socially embarrassing and anxiety inducing enough, it wasn't until years later that I learned anxiety was the very root of my flare-ups. To ease the anxiety all too common for Crohn's sufferers, my gastroenterologist decided to treat me with Clonazepam.

Clonazepam is from a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, and is similar to Xanax and Ativan. It is used to treat panic disorders, anxiety, and seizures by affecting those chemicals in your brain that become unbalanced when a person experiences symptoms of a seizure or anxiety. Due to the severity of my Crohn's at the time, my doctor instructed that I refrain from working or attending school, and explained this played a role in prescribing me to Clonazepam. The instrumental role my inactivity played in taking this drug wasn't apparent until after the first few doses. A few of the physical and emotional side effects I experienced were:

1. Engaging in activities requiring mental alertness (i.e., driving) was difficult at times, and felt similar to driving while intoxicated.
2. Similarly, when I made the mistake of drinking while prescribed to Clonazepam, all recollection from that night was blurry and borderline non-existent. It was as if I were functioning and carrying on conversations, but had no memory of doing so - all after only 1 or 2 drinks.
3. Daily, I was plagued with dizziness and drowsiness. Each time I stood up, I felt weak and saw black spots.
4. I felt a psychological dependence to Clonazepam - I believed I was defenseless against symptoms of anxiety without the assistance of this drug. Furthermore, the belief that I could not cope without this substance caused me to flirt dangerously with the beginnings of depression.
5. Although this drug was prescribed to prevent anxiety from plaguing my digestive system, a few of Clonazepam's side effects directly affected my gastrointestinal system, such as nausea and dry mouth.

Finally, when the side effects became more problematic than my anxiety or Crohn's Disease alone, I opted to cease treatment from Clonazepam. Discontinuing Clonazepam comes with its risks as well. My physician gradually decreased my dosage until the drug was completely withdrawn from my body. Abruptly quitting this drug can lead to adverse effects such as depression or seizures.