Clonazepam is available by prescription only and comes in the form of tablets and wafers (orally disintegrating tablets). The drug is taken by mouth, usually two or three times daily. For the medicine to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Clonazepam may cause serious problems if you take it in higher dosages or for a longer period of time than your healthcare provider recommends
(see Klonopin Addiction).
Clonazepam is part of a group of medications called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines have various effects on the body, including:
- Reducing anxiety
- Causing sleepiness
- Relaxing muscles
- Stopping seizures
- Impairing short-term memory.
Benzodiazepines work in the brain by enhancing the effects of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (
GABA), a brain chemical that is naturally calming. GABA can slow down or stop certain nerve signals in the brain.
(Click Clonazepam for more information on what clonazepam is, to find out when and how to take this drug, and to learn about the warnings and precautions associated with this medicine.)
