Posted by Rick on December 22, 1999, at 0:38:16
In reply to Re: Klonopin? / what does it do?, posted by mat on December 21, 1999, at 16:02:04
Mat -
Klonopin (which many swear is more effective than the generic version, clonazepam) is a benzo (benzodiazepine). Simply put, benzos increase the effectiveness of GABA, a neurotransmitter in the brain which transmits "calm down!" signals.
Klonopin is a longer-acting benzo and thus provides "a more continuous calm", as the third link below puts it. Thus it is helpful for both "anticipatory" Social Anxiety and the "actual event".
Klonopin's only "official" designations are for epilepsy (yes, epilepsy) and panic disorder (which is in some ways a more acute kin to Social Anxiety), but it is used for many other mental and physical disorders.
The links below provide a good summary of (a) Klonopin's effectiveness in treating Social Phobia (b) its long-lasting effectiveness in doing so, and long-term safety and (c) a rational discussion of benzos. (There are many doctors as well as other people who are "benzo-phobic" and vocal about it, but most reputable research shows that benzos -- especially longer-lasting ones -- are ususally very safe if taken responsibly and discontinued responsibly. My own pdoc has been prescribing them for 20 years, and assures me that should I discontinue, withdrawal will never be a problem as long as I stay under 3 mg of Klonopin a day -- I take 2 mg -- and taper off very gradually.)
Good luck!
(P.S. If you are not in the U.S., you may find thar branded clonazepam has a different name. For instance, I think it's "Ritrovil" in Canada, or something like that.)
Rick
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/quer
y?uid=8120156&form=6&db=m&Dopt=bhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/quer
y?uid=9790154&form=6&db=m&Dopt=bhttp://panicdisorder.about.com/health/panicdisorder/library/weekly/aa082797.htm?rnk=r1&terms=benzodiazepines&PM=112_300_T
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> Thanks Rick
>
> So how does it work? Does it reduce the degree
anxiety when it normally occurs or does it reduce
the chances of its onset.
>
> I really think that if I could take care of the
social phobia the depression would fall into
place. The 2 things are not seperate. For instance when I was a kid I had social phobia for sure but
I was not depressed. Depression for me comes at
the realisation that I need to avoid social
situations to get by.
>
> mat
poster:Rick
thread:17153
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991212/msgs/17307.html