I have recently started reading the Atlantic Magazine and came upon an article about insomnia and how prevalent it has become in our country and around the world.
The reason I bring this up is many times the taking of Klonopin and other benzodiazepines comes up and so many people are trying to wean themselves off these drugs.
The article mentioned a study in Denmark where over 7,000 Danes who were taking Klonopin reported taking it for long periods of time and only 7% increased their dosage.
The point I am trying to make is that the drug was effective whether treating panic attacks, anxiety or depression. I don’t believe it is regulated there like it is in the United States and for 93% of the people in the study it was a way to deal with crippling insomnia.
My point is if you are dealing with crippling anxiety or depression and it can help you live a normal life why do we demonize it so much in this country. We take statins to control our blood pressure and metaformin to prevent full onset diabetes. Now people take various weight loss drugs to lose weight knowing that for them to be effective they must continue to take them the rest of their lives.
This brings me back to Klonopin and other benzodiazepines that are demonized on this site. If they can improve the quality of your life and let you live a normal life in combination with an SSRI why has the medical community in this country condemned them?
Many people have found an SSRI that works for their depression and anxiety and know they probably have to take it the rest of their life. Why can’t we just call depression a disease no different than diabetes and start treating it as such.
The stigma is finally starting to lift in this country as more and more prominent people are going public with their struggles.
The point being made in the article was that if they medications can help you lead a normal life are they worse than dealing with crippling insomnia, anxiety and depression the rest of your life. We know opioids kill thousands and thousands of people every year. How many SSRI’s or benzodiazepines kill people every year? I would say the answer is none.
What kills people is suffering from depression and anxiety to such an extent that it causes them to take their own life.
Just something to think about. Many will vehemently disagree with me but if this just helps one person live a better quality of life it will be worth it.