Klonopin 4 anxiety in recovery?

[The_Seeker]

Hi,

I need a medical reason WHY a person with supposed anxiety who is also bi-polar cant be prescribed something other than a benzo type anxiety med.
The specific problem is she is also a member of narcotics anonymous and they abstain from all drugs in order to recover and so she is being told she isnt clean. (off all drugs.. I guess the classification of the klonopin as a narcotic has something to do with it) :confused:

I am her sponsor in the program but am unfamiliar with this type of a drug.... is there any reason why she cant take a non narcotic drug?
Would there be any reason why this isnt a remedy for the situation at all?
I am not a med proffessional and so I come here seeking advice, any help is greatly appreciated.

[kittenlittle]

Klonipin can be a useful tool as long as it's not abused. I was on klonipin for the first 6 months of recovery which I think was KEY to my recovery. I still have anxiety problems but try to deal with thm with relaxation tecniques. Recovery has not and is not easy but it can be done.

[The_Seeker]

thanx Kitten,

I should have mentioned that this woman is a member of Narcotics Anonymous and so now we are being told by the majority of people that she is not clean or wont be until she either uses a different med (non benzo) or abstains from "all drugs"........ its a heartbreaker because she is getting ready to celebrate that first year and is still on them and I have to admit that from what many people who have claimed to be on them that its NOT a drug which she has probably ever needed. When you mention recovery what type of recovery are we talking about??
The woman may be better off in say "Alcoholics Anonymous" where they bend a bit more on this issue because "Narcotics Anonymous" is pretty adamant on this issue and I can also see their point because they have a "clean date" which they hold dear and this is our problem...... I guess to these people she is not clean yet.........would you agree?

[kittenlittle]

I agree that she should be in AA. I agree that she is clean. I am a member of AA. I was put on klonipin when I was in the first few months of recovery because it is such a mild benzo. I'm not touting that every alcoholic should be on these but I drank because I had such anxiety issues. My late husband was in NA. They are VERY VERY VERY adamant about not taking anything. I wanted to pull my hair out because it was so frustrating sometimes. Listening to them, I mean. As long as she has a sponsor and doesn't abuse the medication, I see what you mean. There is a high relapse rate on both sides but that doesn't mean that we need to pour out our guts on the table for others to pick apart and make you feel horrible about yourself. If she could go to a therapist, she would have an unbias, nonjudgemental person listening to her without telling her that she can't recieve her just reward for being clean and sober. It's tough to call....

[The_Seeker]

This is the best that we came up with, yes AA would be the fellowship because K-pin is classified as a narcotic, I also have to pass on what I have learned, MOST Psychiatrists agree that there would be no need that anyone using this drug cant use a non-benzo type drug for panic attacks or anxiety disorder and in fact that they ALL did agree (the 3 I spoke to) that almost certainly theres no use for it at all, the one instance where they could understand it would be when ALL other means of addressing the issue were dealt with, I myself have now told her to seek the advice of a psychiatrist who is alo an addiciton specialist so she can get the help she needs, because she is still seen as "dirty" by the fellowship of NA.

[lauraroll]

funny how everyone knows about n a although no one is an active member. if they were they would know we do not tell another person WHAT to do or WHERE they need to go. we share our own expierence. if we do not have any. we shut up.:cool:

[sukie]

Hi,

I need a medical reason WHY a person with supposed anxiety who is also bi-polar cant be prescribed something other than a benzo type anxiety med.
The specific problem is she is also a member of narcotics anonymous and they abstain from all drugs in order to recover and so she is being told she isnt clean. (off all drugs.. I guess the classification of the klonopin as a narcotic has something to do with it) :confused:

I am her sponsor in the program but am unfamiliar with this type of a drug.... is there any reason why she cant take a non narcotic drug?
Would there be any reason why this isnt a remedy for the situation at all?
I am not a med proffessional and so I come here seeking advice, any help is greatly appreciated.

Klonopin is a serious mood altering drug.

[sukie]

klonopin is a serious mood altering medication and requires strict monitoring. and has addictive properties

[Roshni]

Sad to hear all this I dont know too much of it but i think others know and they are telling it is bad!!!

So avoid the same..