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How Addictive Is Xanax? And How Different Is It From Klonopin?
Question: How addictive is xanax in your oppinion and how different is it from klonopin?
Brief Answer:
Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
Both Xanax and Klonopin are benzodiazepines. Both are used as anxiolytics and sleep inducing agents. 0.25 mg of Xanax is equivalent to 0.5 mg of Klonopin. But Xanax has shorter half life than Klonopin, which means that it leaves the body faster than Klonopin and has a shorter duration of action. It also acts faster than Klonopin. Because of these properties, Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin.
Since Xanax acts fast and also exits the body fast, the body feels a "need" for the drug and this causes rebound anxiety and insomnia. But Klonopin leaves the body slower and so the body does not miss the drug so much. That is why, Klonopin is less habit forming than Xanax.
However, the bottom line is that both are highly addictive and should only be taken as prescribed by one's doctor.
Hope this answers your query. Please feel free to ask if you want any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
Both Xanax and Klonopin are benzodiazepines. Both are used as anxiolytics and sleep inducing agents. 0.25 mg of Xanax is equivalent to 0.5 mg of Klonopin. But Xanax has shorter half life than Klonopin, which means that it leaves the body faster than Klonopin and has a shorter duration of action. It also acts faster than Klonopin. Because of these properties, Xanax is more addictive than Klonopin.
Since Xanax acts fast and also exits the body fast, the body feels a "need" for the drug and this causes rebound anxiety and insomnia. But Klonopin leaves the body slower and so the body does not miss the drug so much. That is why, Klonopin is less habit forming than Xanax.
However, the bottom line is that both are highly addictive and should only be taken as prescribed by one's doctor.
Hope this answers your query. Please feel free to ask if you want any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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