This is a significant accomplishment for me. I’m taking a moment to celebrate it while at the same time trying to warn others about the highly addictive drug, Klonopin (clonazepam).

Mental healthcare in the United States can be great, once you figure out how to get it. It’s not talked about enough, it’s stigmatized, and it requires incredible courage to take the first step. But, it’s 200% worth it.

However, some doctors may not be keeping up with the latest knowledge about which drugs are effective for specific symptoms as new ones emerge and the industry replaces older ones. It happens. I knew this going in. But, I made one critical mistake that I want to highlight: I didn’t ask enough questions before my doctor prescribed it.

I know that sounds crazy to folks, but for most of my life, I have been cognizant about what medications I took and their side effects. But this one medication slipped under my scrutiny. The tapering process to stop this medication took an insanely long time:

2.5 years
30 months
130 weeks
914 days

That’s how addictive the drug Klonopin (clonazepam) is and how long it took me to get off it. I couldn’t miss a single dose because things would deteriorate quickly. For reference, I have a different personal story about another highly addictive medication I was on: morphine.

I left the US military in 2010. After jumping through hoops to get into the Veterans Administration (VA) medical system, the VA started trying to find a medication that would manage my pain. The VA had me on morphine in my early 30s. It took two months to get off it after an unpleasant trip to an emergency room, thanks to one of the side effects. Two months vs. 30 months is a big difference. Klonopin (aka clonazepam), my (new) psychiatrist warned, would not be nearly as quick as I wanted once we decided to replace it.

Nine hundred thirteen (913) days later, it appears to be a little-known fact that Klonopin is this addictive. I will always be a canary in the coal mine like this if folks don’t start talking about mental health more. I have shared countless notes about my experiences with the injuries I have had previously. However, rarely am I able to be as open about mental health with anyone outside of well-established friends.

Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to keep going. Thank you to the friends who are knowledgeable about this drug and guided or encouraged me on this very long journey. A very special thank you to the love of my life, Julie, for being such a supportive spouse and friend.​​​​​​ I never could’ve done this without you.