The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Klonopin and When to Get Help
You are taking a big risk with your health when mixing Klonopin and alcohol together. If you are dealing with a Klonopin addiction and have started to use alcohol at the same time, getting addiction treatment as soon as possible is critical.
Some people are prescribed Klonopin and then wind up developing an addiction later. For others, it’s a drug of abuse right from the start. Whatever the case for you, this is a problem that can quickly spin out of control, especially when it is paired with an alcohol addiction.
To confront the problem of using both alcohol and Klonopin at the same time, you’ll want to put experienced professionals on your side. That’s exactly who you will find at Ingrained Recovery in Eastman, GA. With a team of knowledgeable professionals who are dedicated to the recovery of every client, you can be sure you’ll be in good hands. Call today to get started.
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What is Klonopin on a Chemical Basis?
The drug sold under the brand name Klonopin is actually clonazepam, which is one of many drugs called benzodiazepines on the market today. This is a medication that can be prescribed to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks. It also may be used to deal with certain types of seizure disorders. When used properly and under the direction of a doctor, it can effectively calm abnormal electrical activity in the brain and deliver sedative effects.
There is a strong potential for dependency with Klonopin. As with so many other drugs, users will develop a tolerance over time and will gradually need more and more of the drug to achieve the same calming effect. As the cycle of taking Klonopin continues, the addiction can become stronger and will quickly be very difficult to break without experiencing painful withdrawal symptoms.
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How Alcohol Interacts with Klonopin
Klonopin and alcohol are both central nervous system depressants. They will each depress the function of the central nervous system on their own, and when paired together, that effect is even more powerful. CNS depressants, when used alone, can usually produce a mild sedation or calmness that is generally safe. That’s not the case when they are grouped together recreationally.
In this case, serious symptoms can develop quite quickly. One is extreme drowsiness to the point of falling asleep in the middle of the day or in the middle of a noisy room. Other complications of this combination of drugs include confusion, impaired coordination, and slowed breathing.
It would be easy to think that you could stay safe from the more serious complications of mixing Klonopin with alcohol simply by keeping the dosages low. That’s not the case, however. Respiratory depression can occur just as a result of the timing of your alcohol consumption and Klonopin use. So, even if you don’t use a lot of either, this type of substance abuse can still be quite dangerous.
Why People Mix Klonopin and Alcohol
Some people like the way that they feel while drinking alcohol and think that adding Klonopin to the equation will only improve the effects. So, they intentionally take this benzodiazepine medication while drinking and use the combination to deal with feelings of anxiety or depression that are existing in their brains.
In other cases, the mixing of Klonopin and alcohol can be accidental. A person might have already taken too much Klonopin, only to consume alcohol later without really thinking about what could happen. It doesn’t even need to be binge drinking or anything like that. As both Klonopin and alcohol will depress the nervous system, coma or even death are possible when these two start to mix in the body.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of K-Pins and Drinking
The class of drugs called benzodiazepines can have both short and long-term effects, and the same can be said of alcohol. So, this type of substance abuse is likely to impact your life in the near term as well as down the road.
First, let’s discuss the short-term effects. You’ll likely experience impaired judgement and slurred speech with this substance use disorder, as those are common symptoms of drinking alcohol. It’s also possible that you will have slowed reflexes, nausea and vomiting, and even blackouts. Consuming Klonopin and alcohol together is simply a dangerous combination and going through these short-term impacts should make that very clear.
The Health Risks of Alcohol and Klonopin Taken Chronically
But what about longer term alcohol abuse and Klonopin addiction? These issues are likely to be even worse. You might learn from your healthcare provider that you have chronic liver damage, or are facing cardiovascular complications. There are treatment options for those kinds of conditions, of course, but the eventual outcome might not be a good one.
You’ll also face the possibility of lasting cognitive impairment. There is an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts, or other mental health issues. The long-term brain chemistry changes that can occur from even small doses of these two substances together could leave you a shell of your former self. You might not be able to function normally without both substances, facing drug and alcohol withdrawal, and it could become nearly impossible to experience pleasure.
Warning Signs of Dependency or Polysubstance Addiction
Developing an addiction to the mixing of Klonopin and alcohol is another one of the health risks you face when engaging in this behavior. Each of these substances is addictive, so when you put them together it’s not a surprise that so many people have a hard time quitting.
Watch for the signs below to determine if you might be developing an addiction. Of course, seeking addiction treatment right away is the best course of action to turn this pattern around in your life.
Taking Higher Doses
You should seek treatment quickly if you find yourself constantly looking for higher and higher doses to achieve the same feeling. Every medical professional would identify this as a classic sign of addiction. Even if you have difficulty breathing and other problems connected with your substance abuse, you may just keep pushing the limit – possibly up to potentially fatal levels.
Drinking to "Take the Edge Off"
Another way to spot that you have a problem with alcoholic beverages is when you are drinking to take the edge off on a regular basis. This indicates that you aren’t able to deal with the mental health challenges you are facing all on your own and the alcohol is seen as a necessary form of self-medication.
Hiding Usage from Friends or Family
When you don’t want your family members to see you drinking, or using Klonopin and alcohol together, that’s another sign of a problem. You wouldn’t be hiding these substances if you felt good about the role they are playing in your life. You already know that mixing clonazepam and alcohol is a bad idea and you don’t want others to see it happening with their own eyes.
Opting for a Professional Detox Process
We will be upfront with the reality that detoxing from Klonopin and alcohol is going to be a challenge. It’s with that in mind that we would like you to consider going to a treatment center to work through this process. A treatment center that knows how to deal with alcohol use detox, and can support your mental health along the way, is the right choice for a successful detox.
Trying to get off the alcohol Klonopin combination on your own is sure to be an uphill battle. You won’t have anywhere to turn when things get tough, so you are likely to go back to drinking alcohol or using drugs. Position yourself for success by using a professional medical detox to stack the cards in your favor and make it far more likely that you’ll get to the other side of the process successfully.
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A Klonopin and alcohol addiction is not something that will be easy to break on your own. In fact, just alcohol use disorder is hard enough to leave behind, not to mention the complicating factor of also using Klonopin at the same time.
All hope is not lost, however. Far from it. To turn your life in a new direction, call Ingrained Recovery today to address your Klonopin addiction and alcohol addiction head-on.
We are ready to serve you at any time of day or night, but it’s up to you to make that first call. Make today the day that you turn things around for good.