I have been taking Klonopin for anxiety for about six months (0.5mg) once maybe twice a day, and although it works great for anxiety..I notice I feel down a few hours after taking it. I am currently on Remeron for depression and have increased the dosage. I am wondering if Klonopin can cause someone to feel down or depressed. I remember that when I used to take GABA (natural remedy) for anxiety, It worked very well, however, I would feel down or depressed as well. Thanks for listening.

i have read that it can induce depression, i do take it but not like i was prescribed. you may need to switch to something like buspar, talk to ur doc about it.i spoke to mine about the grogginess from klonopin and its effect on my job, so i got a prescription for the lowest does of buspar. ill post how it works.

klonopin is the strongest benzo there is. it should never be taken daily as it is highly addictive and almost impossible to get off of. i have taken it and felt like a zombie on it and yes, it can cause depression. in england klonopin is only prescribed for people with severe seizures and nothing else. i have just spent 6 months of my life getting off of benzos and i would hate to see anyone else go through this.

p

Oh gosh..I am only on 0.5mg of Klonopin, and my Psychiatrist told me it was the least addictive out of all the substances. I highly doubt I am addicted to it...especially on such a small dose. I know several people on it, and they have had no problems going off of it...but then again, they are on the smallest dose like I am on.

I have heard bad things about Busphar..and heard it only works well if someone is on SSRI's..and the antidepressant I take is not an SSRI..however, I may look in to it. Thanks for the replies.

First of all, benzos and SSRI's are both "addictive", except benzos don't have all the other nasty side effects that SSRI's do. The way its been explained to me is that benzos create dependence, not true addiction. The difference being that with addiction, you need more and more and more....Dependence means you simply need it to function. A lot of people have a problem with this, but a diabetic can't function without insulin, we all can't function with food, water, etc. I really think that the media has unfairly villified these drugs over time, when in fact they have some clear advantages over SSRI's.

A few years back when Xanax launched its XR formulation and the SSRI's were getting a lot of negative press, doctors were switching back to the more traditional approach. I, myself, have been on both, and have weaned off both....I found it was easier cutting down on the benzos. I believe the bigger problem is the manner in which many people taper down the drugs. So many of us feel like we have to go off of the drug NOW, and that can create a myriad of issues...seizure, depression, worse anxiety, etc.

I've been to some docs that swear by SSRI's and others that won't touch them with a 10 foot pole. I think this is why they say that "finding help is 90% of the battle with anxiety." It can really be difficult to buy into a program, when there are so many different attitudes and approaches....something that us anxious people don't need! :-)

This is really true about drugs such as xanax. I could never take an SSRI...they made me crazy. Thank goodness I have a doctor who prescribes xanax and doesn't have a problem with it. I take it as needed...a low dose...and have been on it for many years off and on. It has been a lifesaver for me. Its when people start talking about addiction that give these meds a bad name. Truth of the matter is that when taken properly they are probably the best drugs for anxiety. SSRIs only worsen anxiety in myself.

I agree the meds we need have a bad rap. I try not to mention my medication to people anymore so I won't be judged unfairly.

Okay..lol..now I am really confused..I did not know Xanax was an SSRI. I thought only antidepressants (Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Zolft, etc) were SSRI's, I did not know anxiety medications were also SSRI's? I had a horrible time with SSRI's (antidepressants), which is why the Psychiatrist put me on an older medication - Remeron - along with the Klonopin..is that an SSRI too? I have heard so many different opinions from people and Doctors, my head is spinning. I don't know what is true anymore. I guess I should just be thankful that the Klonopin is taken in moderation and the Remeron is helping with depression and leave it at that. Thanks everyone.

What? Xanax is not an ssri.

Hi Rianna,

Xanax and Klonopin aren't SSRI's they are Benzos.

Paxil, Zoloft and the like are SSRI's.

The best thing to remember is that everyone reacts differently to any medication.

Some people take SSRI's with no problem while others ( like me ) just can't take them.

Some people take Benzo's with no problem...which I did for years and when I didn't need them any more I weaned off with no problems at all...while others have a problem with them.

I've seen this posted several times on this board and it's so true..."What's right for one isn't always right for everyone, and what you had a problem with maybe the only thing that works for someone else."

Like I said, nobody will react the same to any of these medications.

There might be some science behind feeling depressed when taking Klonopin.

Klonopin is the only benzo that is known to decrease the release of serotonin...which might explain why you feel more depressed. It's the only benzo that is known to do this.

If you're feeling depressed on Klonopin, it might be worth it to check out Xanax or Ativan, which aren't known to decrease the release of serotonin.

Klonopin..decreases the release of Serotonin.are you sure? Where did you find this information at? I would be really interested in reading it. That is so weird, and why it might explain why I am feeling a bit depressed after taking it. I need all the Serotonin I can get..lol. I wonder why Psychiatrist give Klonopin to people who are depressed then..confusing! Maybe I will see about the Xanax. Isn't Ativan a sleep aid? Anyway, thanks for clarifying for me.

Ativan is another "benzo". It can be used for sleep, as can Xanax and Klonopin and Valium.

Klonopin "can" be worse for depression, because it "can" decrease the release of serotonin.

I can't post articles on this forum of where I read the information. I'm sure if you search around on the net a little bit, you'll find something similar.
I also speak to a well known psychiatrist that speaks around the country (USA), and he told me the same exact thing, because I was curious after reading it in a published medical article.

If you're feeling more depressed on Klonopin, I wanted to give you the "reason" behind it, and that Klonopin might/could actually be to blame. It doesn't always make people feel more depressed, but if you're already suffering from depression and you're feeling MORE depressed, it might be wise to look into Xanax or Ativan (which are both very similar--Xanax is twice as strong as Ativan; .5mg of Xanax=1mg of Ativan).

klonopin is the strongest benzo there is. it should never be taken daily as it is highly addictive and almost impossible to get off of. i have taken it and felt like a zombie on it and yes, it can cause depression. in england klonopin is only prescribed for people with severe seizures and nothing else. i have just spent 6 months of my life getting off of benzos and i would hate to see anyone else go through this.

pCorrection:
Klonopin is NOT the "strongest benzo there is" and it is also NOT "almost impossible to get off" :nono:

Okay - I'll check in to the Ativan or Xanax..thanks for the clarification.

When responding to a post please be sure the thread is still an active one.
This one is not, it hasn't been active in well over 2 years and is now closed to posting.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Ms_Mod