# clonazepam (klonopin)



## outlaw (May 20, 2010)

Hey guys

I've been struggling with dp for a while now.. and I thought I was doing better.. but all of a sudden now, I'm having trouble sitting in the car for longer than 10 minutes.. and hanging out with friends. I took medication in the beginning but only a small dose..then for a month or two after I was finding the dp tolerable.

I started taking homeopathic medicine, I'm on week one, they said it takes a month to start working.. but I need some relief asap

the only problem is, I don't have anxiety where I panic and my heart starts to race.. I just feel lost as fuck in my mind, like I just feel so weird and off and like I'm gonna lose control or float away or disappear.. but I don't know if theres a point in takin meds for that. I mean can I take clonazepam (klonopin) for feeling messed up or should i only take it when I have an actual attack.. which I don't have.. i'm always on the brink of having one.. but usually it's just the feeling like I'm gonna lose it thats bothering me.

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks for reading!


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

outlaw said:


> Hey guys
> 
> I've been struggling with dp for a while now.. and I thought I was doing better.. but all of a sudden now, I'm having trouble sitting in the car for longer than 10 minutes.. and hanging out with friends. I took medication in the beginning but only a small dose..then for a month or two after I was finding the dp tolerable.
> 
> ...


Something to remember is that there is no medication proven to take away dp. There are medications that help depression, anxiety, ocd, etc that go along with dp but you should never go into taking a medication expecting it take away your dp, because it won't.

I have been on Klonopin for 11 months now and I would not recommend you taking it more than for the occasional panic attack. Klonopin ended up exaggerating the whole disconnected, spacey, foggy, numb feeling, which is really the point of benzos. They are tranquilizers. They make you calm and numb and aren't going to help those sensations.

Tommygunz came up with an herbal regemin that is supposed to help. An alternative to benzos that REALLY works for me is Chamomile tea. It really does calm me down.

I understand the feeling like you are going to float away or disappear. You just need to put both feet on the floor, remind yourself that it's all just a lie (your brain is getting false signals that make you feel like that. No one has ever just floated away or disappeared), take a deep breath, and look around. Feel yourself being grounded to the earth. Know that gravity in there to hold you down. Then refocus your mind on something distracting.


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## outlaw (May 20, 2010)

Thank you so much for your response!

I was doing well before learning how to cope with it, it's just this month it became really hard again and I don't know what to do. If it becomes unbearable I guess I will take the clonazepam. I really don't want to take medication.. especially because I have no problems with sleep.. sometimes its just getting to sleep that sucks and the waking up part, but my sleep is fine.. its just the rest of the day that's up and down. The "Not really here" feeling is really overwhelming sometimes.

And then my thoughts are all over the place and not making sense and then I feel like I just wanna bolt outta the room cept my hearts not racing.. so then I get confused if I should just soldier through or not.

I remember you saying your sister was cured from dp I think? Correct me if I'm wrong? What was she taking and what else was she taking the medication for?

I know medications are different for everyone but I'm being hopeful! I'm trying to be atleast.


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

outlaw said:


> Thank you so much for your response!
> 
> I was doing well before learning how to cope with it, it's just this month it became really hard again and I don't know what to do. If it becomes unbearable I guess I will take the clonazepam. I really don't want to take medication.. especially because I have no problems with sleep.. sometimes its just getting to sleep that sucks and the waking up part, but my sleep is fine.. its just the rest of the day that's up and down. The "Not really here" feeling is really overwhelming sometimes.
> 
> ...


My sister is on Celexa, Ativan, and some antipsychotic. I can never remember the name when I need to. Anyway, she claims that she is better but when I ask her is she is back in reality she says "I don't know. I haven't felt reality in 2 years". That to me says that she isn't actually better. I overcame dp once and you KNOW that you are back in reality. There is no maybe. Also, she still stays shut in her room all of the time and won't socialize, so that also makes me think she isn't cured. I think the medication made her feel better at first but now she isn't doing so hot.


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## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

Hey you are the first person I've heard post about this. I feel exactly the same way. I've never had a panic attack and usually feel like I can control anxiety to the point where I can get by. I never have physical symptoms of anxiety such as racing heart, panic attacks, etc. but rather feel as though my head is stuck in a panic attack that I can't get out of. I don't really fear having a panic attack because I feel like I am already in one. Which I guess we arguably are it's just more mental than physical for us for whatever reason. Anyways... the point is I can totally relate to what you are describing.

When I first got DP I was prescribed klonopin within the first couple months. It didn't really help me. Around that time I found this forum and read all about people taking klonopin and how much it helped. I ended up upping my dose and it still didn't really help me. I guess it was better than nothing at the time but ultimately it made me feel more out of it. Being the curious person I am I persuaded my doctor to up my dose all the way to 8 mg and at this time I had switched to xanax. I figured I must just need a higher dose even though 8 mg is a ridiculous amount. After a while I was basically just a zombie and slept all the time because I was on so much so I tapered off which wasn't fun because when you stop benzos anxiety gets worse since your brain is use to the drug handling the job of maintaining normal anxiety levels. I ended up going back on 1 mg klonopin because I couldn't handle being on nothing. Then last December I went through rehab because I had another drug problem and had to stop taking everything. I did 103 days totally clean but felt like killing myself. I ended up taking suboxone though and haven't gone back to the benzos since. Overall I am really glad to be off benzos today. I don't feel like they ever really helped me and the side effects made things harder, for example I had a lot less energy and sexual dysfunction from being on benzos. You will typically develop a tolerance to them as well and getting off of them in the long run is easier said than done. I'm just telling you these things not to scare you but rather so you know, as I wish someone had told me this stuff.

Ultimately it's your decision. If you are totally disabled by anxiety then maybe it's a good idea to give it a try. Living in constant fear is no way to live and if klonopin is what allows you to function then more power to you. Some people here swear by it, and it helps them tremendously. For me it didn't do the trick and your feelings of anxiety sound a lot similar to mine but who knows every person is different. Hope this helps some and good luck with whatever you decide to do. You can message me any time if you need to.


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## feministcat (May 4, 2010)

outlaw said:


> Hey guys
> 
> I've been struggling with dp for a while now.. and I thought I was doing better.. but all of a sudden now, I'm having trouble sitting in the car for longer than 10 minutes.. and hanging out with friends. I took medication in the beginning but only a small dose..then for a month or two after I was finding the dp tolerable.
> 
> ...


I feel the same way outlaw.. sometimes i do get a panic attack, but usually just what you are describing and ativan (which is like klonopin) doesn't do much for it except numb my thoughts a little so i don't think about it as much. I don't know that there is a medication to help with what you are describing. I'm seeing my psychiatrist on Monday to talk about this, and I have a feeling I will leave there with nothing new to tell. I may try Lamictal since people have said they have benefited from it for dp.


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## outlaw (May 20, 2010)

surfingisfun001 said:


> Hey you are the first person I've heard post about this. I feel exactly the same way. I've never had a panic attack and usually feel like I can control anxiety to the point where I can get by. I never have physical symptoms of anxiety such as racing heart, panic attacks, etc. but rather feel as though my head is stuck in a panic attack that I can't get out of. I don't really fear having a panic attack because I feel like I am already in one. Which I guess we arguably are it's just more mental than physical for us for whatever reason. Anyways... the point is I can totally relate to what you are describing.
> 
> When I first got DP I was prescribed klonopin within the first couple months. It didn't really help me. Around that time I found this forum and read all about people taking klonopin and how much it helped. I ended up upping my dose and it still didn't really help me. I guess it was better than nothing at the time but ultimately it made me feel more out of it. Being the curious person I am I persuaded my doctor to up my dose all the way to 8 mg and at this time I had switched to xanax. I figured I must just need a higher dose even though 8 mg is a ridiculous amount. After a while I was basically just a zombie and slept all the time because I was on so much so I tapered off which wasn't fun because when you stop benzos anxiety gets worse since your brain is use to the drug handling the job of maintaining normal anxiety levels. I ended up going back on 1 mg klonopin because I couldn't handle being on nothing. Then last December I went through rehab because I had another drug problem and had to stop taking everything. I did 103 days totally clean but felt like killing myself. I ended up taking suboxone though and haven't gone back to the benzos since. Overall I am really glad to be off benzos today. I don't feel like they ever really helped me and the side effects made things harder, for example I had a lot less energy and sexual dysfunction from being on benzos. You will typically develop a tolerance to them as well and getting off of them in the long run is easier said than done. I'm just telling you these things not to scare you but rather so you know, as I wish someone had told me this stuff.
> 
> Ultimately it's your decision. If you are totally disabled by anxiety then maybe it's a good idea to give it a try. Living in constant fear is no way to live and if klonopin is what allows you to function then more power to you. Some people here swear by it, and it helps them tremendously. For me it didn't do the trick and your feelings of anxiety sound a lot similar to mine but who knows every person is different. Hope this helps some and good luck with whatever you decide to do. You can message me any time if you need to.


Oh god surf, I feel for ya then man. This state is so fucking weird. At the moment, I feel like my chest is going to burst even though my heart isn't racing and getting all panicky, its so weird. Do you get that feeling too? I've beaten this feeling before but it's brutal now that it's back. I hear what you and fairy are saying about the klonopin. I am so damn lost. If this homeopathic medicine doesn't kick in then I have no choice but to try klonopin or something or hope i can beat these feelings on my own. It's the feelings that bother me more than the thoughts! I don't want to start from sq 1 again but I might have to.


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## outlaw (May 20, 2010)

feministcat said:


> I feel the same way outlaw.. sometimes i do get a panic attack, but usually just what you are describing and ativan (which is like klonopin) doesn't do much for it except numb my thoughts a little so i don't think about it as much. I don't know that there is a medication to help with what you are describing. I'm seeing my psychiatrist on Monday to talk about this, and I have a feeling I will leave there with nothing new to tell. I may try Lamictal since people have said they have benefited from it for dp.


Hey cat, sorry that you're going through this, I know how debilitating it can be! I did take avitan before for a few weeks I believe but honestly I don't remember if it helped? I just remember taking it as much as it said to on the bottle. I was off of it for a few months though and I was becoming tolerable of the dp so I'm not sure what happened. I don't know what the difference is between avitan and clonazepam.. I think clonazepam is a bit stronger? I haven't taken clonazepam before and because of how parranoid dp can make a persson, I'm scared to put any pill into my mouth. What is Lamictal? I'm scared to try any anti depressants because I had horrible side effects with paxil. It has scarred me from trying anything other than remeron, which just got me to sleep but honestly, I can sleep without the remeron now thank god!


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## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

outlaw said:


> Oh god surf, I feel for ya then man. This state is so fucking weird. At the moment, I feel like my chest is going to burst even though my heart isn't racing and getting all panicky, its so weird. Do you get that feeling too? I've beaten this feeling before but it's brutal now that it's back. I hear what you and fairy are saying about the klonopin. I am so damn lost. If this homeopathic medicine doesn't kick in then I have no choice but to try klonopin or something or hope i can beat these feelings on my own. It's the feelings that bother me more than the thoughts! I don't want to start from sq 1 again but I might have to.


Try to just go with the flow. If you need it then you need it and it's not a big deal. If you don't, cool. Right now I'm taking a medication and although I'd rather not I feel like I need to at the moment. Remember if you do take it, it's not forever. Nothing is forever. Try 'n just stay in the moment as much as possible and not worry about the future.


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2010)

Klonopin is a real hit or miss drug when it comes to DP. It saved my life, however, it's also destroying my liver, i take 5mg a day, i've been on it for over 4 years, but without it, i wouldnt be breathing to this day. If you can live without it, certainly don't take it, and if you take it and you don't feel any results, definitely don't take it, no point in taking something that doesn't help.


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## feministcat (May 4, 2010)

outlaw said:


> Hey cat, sorry that you're going through this, I know how debilitating it can be! I did take avitan before for a few weeks I believe but honestly I don't remember if it helped? I just remember taking it as much as it said to on the bottle. I was off of it for a few months though and I was becoming tolerable of the dp so I'm not sure what happened. I don't know what the difference is between avitan and clonazepam.. I think clonazepam is a bit stronger? I haven't taken clonazepam before and because of how parranoid dp can make a persson, I'm scared to put any pill into my mouth. What is Lamictal? I'm scared to try any anti depressants because I had horrible side effects with paxil. It has scarred me from trying anything other than remeron, which just got me to sleep but honestly, I can sleep without the remeron now thank god!


Hey outlaw, Lamictal is an antiseizure medication that has been used in conjuction with an SSRI antidepressant and Klonopin to help with DP symptoms. There are many people on here who take it. I have thought about taking it, but like you I am paranoid about putting any pills in my mouth. I don't know how I even started the antidepressant and kept taking it because it was hell at first. But now I think it does help with depression and panic.


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