Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications How Long Does Withdrawal From Klonopin Last? By Corinne O’Keefe Osborn Corinne O’Keefe Osborn LinkedIn Corinne Osborn is an award-winning health and wellness journalist with a background in substance abuse, sexual health, and psychology. Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 17, 2023 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Daniel B. Block, MD Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD LinkedIn Twitter Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Bailey Mariner Table of Contents View All Table of Contents When Do Withdrawal Symptoms Start? Signs of Klonopin Withdrawal Why Does Klonopin Withdrawal Occur? Coping Treatment Klonopin (clonazepam) withdrawal symptoms can last for days to weeks and, in some cases, longer. They may begin within hours of the drug leaving your system and may come and go at times. Klonopin, a member of a family of drugs called benzodiazepines, is commonly prescribed for treating anxiety and insomnia. Withdrawal from Klonopin typically includes a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, such as anxiety and irritability. In some cases, symptoms can include life-threatening seizures. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict exactly how Klonopin withdrawal will affect you. Even if you’ve gone through it before, your next time could be completely different. Read ahead to learn about Klonopin withdrawal symptoms, why Klonopin withdrawal occurs, and treatment options for Klonopin withdrawal. When Do Symptoms of Klonopin Withdrawal Start? Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine whose half-life is about 18 to 50 hours. Therefore, it can take a while for the signs and symptoms of withdrawal to begin. And Klonopin withdrawal symptoms can start anywhere from two to seven days after your last dose. According to experts at the World Health Organization (WHO), acute symptoms typically continue, on and off, for two to eight weeks. Signs & Symptoms of Klonopin Withdrawal Among people using benzodiazepines for more than six months, about 40% will experience moderate-to-severe withdrawal symptoms. The other 60% will still have symptoms, but they will be milder. Abrupt discontinuation of Klonopin can cause symptoms such as: IrritabilityHeadacheSweatingInsomniaDepressionConfusionNightmaresBody aches and weaknessHallucinationsTremorsSeizures Klonopin Withdrawal Symptom Severity If your Klonopin dosage is slowly tapered off, your symptoms are much more likely to be mild. Why Does Klonopin Withdrawal Occur? Klonopin is intended for short-term use. This is because, after several weeks, most people develop a physical dependence. So, when someone is dependent on a drug like Klonopin, they will experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking it or reduce their dose. Some people take their medication exactly, or almost exactly, as directed by their physician. Others acquire them illegally or intentionally take them more often or in larger doses than they should. You Can Experience Withdrawal Even If You Take Klonopin as Directed Anyone taking benzodiazepines for longer than three to four weeks, even people taking them exactly as directed, can experience withdrawal symptoms. How to Cope With Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms The best way to successfully quit Klonopin is to follow a slow tapering schedule. Tapering, which means gradually reducing your dose over time, is also the best way of preventing severe withdrawal symptoms. It’s tempting to want to quit cold turkey as soon as you find the motivation or desire to do so, but it’s in your best interest to resist this temptation. In fact, the longer you draw out your Klonopin taper, the less likely you are to experience any withdrawal symptoms at all. Tapering your Klonopin dose is a way of tricking your body into thinking it’s not in withdrawal. It is not an exact science, which means your tapering schedule should be updated as you go along. You will need to work closely with a doctor who can adjust your dose every few days or weeks, as necessary. If your withdrawal symptoms become too much to handle, your doctor can slow down the taper and even increase your dose. The dose reductions are so small though, that you may not even notice them after the first couple of weeks. Withdrawal Coping Tips If you are currently in Klonopin withdrawal, you can do a few things to find relief. First and foremost is to find the help of a professional. Other ways to reduce your discomfort and make withdrawal easier include the following:Ask someone for assistance: If you are tapering on your own, give your bottle of pills to someone you trust. Have them dispense them to you one (or one-half) at a time.Try over-the-medications: If it’s alright with your doctor, you can treat headaches and muscle aches with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers.Let your loved ones know what's going on. Ask that they cut you some slack if you become easily agitated or annoyed.Focus on getting quality sleep. Try a natural sleep aid, like melatonin or a soothing sound machine.Exercise. This will help you burn off your restlessness and calm your mind.Try relaxation techniques. Consider meditation, yoga, or a warm bath. Klonopin Withdrawal Treatment Treatment for Klonopin withdrawal may include the following. Psychotherapy The long-term success of Klonopin withdrawal depends on a successful taper. Some studies suggest that withdrawal is more successful when done with psychotherapy (talk therapy). Other studies show that the results are about the same. If you are struggling with psychological or addiction issues, therapy is a primary component of long-term healing. Without therapy, people struggling with addiction often relapse. The ideal duration of your taper will depend on several factors, including your starting dose and your primary goals. Studies in primary care settings have found that a gradual taper over the course of at least 10 weeks is most successful. Some people continue their taper for a year or more. There is no universal tapering rate. The research suggests that, generally speaking, slower tapers are more successful. If you are doing a slow taper, your doctor will only reduce your dose every two or three weeks, and the reductions will be small. People taking high doses of benzos may start with a quicker taper and slow down once a lower dose has been achieved. Treatment Resources If you are interested in stopping or reducing your Klonopin intake, then the best place to start is with your primary care doctor. If you don’t have a primary care doctor, but you do have health insurance, check your insurance company’s website for a list of providers. If you do not have health insurance, you can go to a community clinic in your area. Community clinics will treat you, regardless of your ability to pay. To find a community health center near you, use this search directory from U.S. Health Resource and Services Administration. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. A Word From Verywell Klonopin withdrawal is no picnic. In fact, people who have withdrawn from both benzos and opioids often say that benzo withdrawal was the worse. But this stage passes. Soon enough, you will realize how much of yourself was lost to Klonopin. At that point, you will start to feel like your old self again. You may even realize just how much you actually liked that person. 8 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Icro Maremmani AG, Rovai L, Rugani F, et al. Clonazepam as Agonist Substitution Treatment for Benzodiazepine Dependence: A Case Report. Case Reports in Psychiatry. 2013. Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. 4, Withdrawal Management. Hood SD, Norman A, Hince DA, et al. Benzodiazepine dependence and its treatment with low dose flumazenil. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2014;77(2):285-294. doi:10.1111/bcp.12023 Basit H, Kahwaji CI. Clonazepam. [Updated 2022 Sep 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022. Nardi AE, Freire RC, Valença AM, et al. Tapering clonazepam in patients with panic disorder after at least 3 years of treatment. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2010;30(3):290-293. doi:10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181dcb2f3 Brett J, et al. Management of benzodiazepine misuse and dependence. Australian Prescriber. 2015;38(5):152-155. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.055 Parr JM, Kavanagh DJ, Cahill L, et al. Effectiveness of current treatment approaches for benzodiazepine. 2008;104(1):13-24. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02364.x Liebrenz M, Gehring MT, Baudze A, Caflisch C. High-dose benzodiazepine dependence: a qualitative study of patients' perception on cessation and withdrawal. 2015;15:116. doi:10.1186/s12888-015-0493-y Additional Reading Lader M. Benzodiazepine harm: how can it be reduced? British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2014;77(2):295-301. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04418.x. Vikander B, et al. Benzodiazepine tapering: a prospective study. Nord J Psychiatry. 2010; 64(4):273-82. doi:10.3109/08039481003624173. By Corinne O’Keefe Osborn Corinne Osborn is an award-winning health and wellness journalist with a background in substance abuse, sexual health, and psychology. 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