Clonazepam for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder User Reviews

• Mar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 25, 2024

"This medicine saved my life! I was depressed and suicidal because of severe OCD. I had excruciating headaches, 24/7 OCD, and the anxiety and thoughts were relentless. I tried 12 different medications which didn't help. When clonazepam was finally added, I literally woke up the next day (after twelve years of intense suffering) feeling completely normal. It was a miracle drug. I stayed on 3 mg a day for 20 years and never had another OCD episode until recently (after a period of high stress). The OCD is back again, though not as severe as before. I honestly believe a higher dose would help (after being on the same dose for 20 years, I've likely built up a tolerance), but, sadly, cannot find a doctor to raise the dose. Instead, I'm on several low-dose antipsychotics which have awful symptoms, including heart issues. I've had no health issues with clonazepam and wish I could try a higher dose."

• Anonymous
• February 26, 2022

"I've tried every SSRI, and even other meds like Anafranil, which proved to have better results than any of the newer antidepressants. Also, CBT and keeping a journal helps; but, from experience, I found out that Clonazepam or alprazolam are much more effective than antidepressants in the treatment of OCD. I think these meds work better because, while you still have uncomfortable intrusive thoughts (no med or therapy can change that, it's just the way the brain is wired, I think), they effectively neutralize the anxiety caused by them, and you're able to quickly dismiss them."

• eve...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2025

"This is a lifesaver! I’ve had anxiety since childhood (OCD, panic disorder, GAD, selective mutism). I recently started having severe panic attacks caused by existential OCD and couldn’t take it anymore. My heart rate would go up to 190 and I was on the verge of passing out from hyperventilating. I took clonazepam and my mind/heart was put to ease. I’ve had a hard time with SSRIs most of my life. Clonazepam is the medication that has worked best for me."

• Klo...
• August 24, 2013

"I have suffered from terrible bouts of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder my whole life. I have tried SSRIs such as Prozac and Luvox and at other times the supplement 5-HTP with good success. I wish a doctor had given me Klonopin earlier in life, however, because when I take 1 mg, it is as though I have no OCD at all. I do not take it every day because of its tendency to cause dependency, but I take it as needed. Roche has done a study showing Klonopin's success in helping patients with OCD while they wait for the SSRI to gain full effect."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2024

"Where do we start lol? Okay, I'll try briefly. I have been suffering from OCD for 10 years. A lot of problems with my parents, which is probably related to my situation today. Now I'm 21, living alone with no friends and only my older brother in my apartment. Two years ago, I started somatic OCD about eyes blinking and literally noticing every single blink all day long, 24/7. It's gotten to the point where I can't look people in the eye for fear they'll notice that I'm blinking weird or hard, and I think about it all day. It makes me anxious on a level that a stranger doesn't understand. So let's get back to the point, hahaha. After trying several different types of SSRIs like Prozac and Lexapro, my doctor put me on Seroxat (Paxil) so I'm only 2 weeks on it. For now, I feel nothing, maybe more anxious but not sure. A few weeks ago, I got Klonopin from the doctor because I asked for it specifically, and that makes me feel so good. I mean I like myself, I can talk to people like before, and my energy is great."

• Mat...
• October 29, 2023

"Clonazepam saved my life from a crippling Xanax addiction. I was on 6mg of Xanax, and I felt I just couldn't get off of it no matter what I did. My primary immediately gave me Clonazepam 1mg taken 3 or 4 times daily, and I feel normal again! I even quit taking Subutex! This medication saved my life for real! I will never go back to Xanax or Subutex! Thank you so much for this drug. It is life-saving!"

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 13, 2022

"Clonazepam is the only substance that has any effect at all on my severe obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) type 2 symptoms, besides cannabis. Clonazepam allows me to function like a normal adult without OCPD at all. I would rate it at 100% effective. I am also ADHD, and it treats those symptoms as well. My OCPD type 2 makes it impossible for me to take amphetamine-based ADHD medication, and I have not been a functioning adult for most of my life. Finally, it has given me a full, rich life, I run my own business and live off-grid on solar power. Thank God this medication exists. A large enough dose of cannabis gives a partial decrease in symptoms while at the same time increasing the cognitive impairment symptoms, while clonazepam does not. No other benzo works besides Valium, which also puts me to sleep and defeats the point. Clonazepam acts on me like an amphetamine would act on a normal person. My brain must be wired reverse of other people. It's like it was made just for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2022

"I suffered with severe postnatal OCD after the birth of both of my daughters. I voluntarily went into a MBU after the birth of my second child, and I was there for 8 weeks. I was very skeptical of medication, as I had found that antidepressants did not help my symptoms at all. I was given Valium, but again it didn’t really have much effect on me. I was finally given clonazepam, and it changed my life around within a week! I was also receiving counseling/therapy at the time also. Because of clonazepam, I was finally discharged from the unit. You can’t stay on it long-term, which is why it has to be treated with caution. I weaned my dose down and then stopped altogether. I was okay for a few weeks and then had a major setback and needed to go back on it again. Again, I went back on it for a few weeks and came off it again. Some high-intensity exercise really helped me stay off clonazepam for good. I hope you find this review helpful."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 20, 2021

"Clonazepam works brilliantly for my OCD and PTSD, both of which cause me insomnia. Before Clonazepam, my thoughts wouldn't stop. With it, I can relax and sleep. My dosage is 0.5 mg. I usually take Lunesta as well to help me shut the lights out in my mind."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 17, 2024

"I have a very good experience with Rivotril (clonazepam). I use it 3 times daily 0.5mg for a couple of years. For me, this medication saved my life. I have fewer side effects. It helped me a lot with my OCD and decreased my anxiety. I had a lot of SSRI medication before, but they did not do much for me. I am happy with Clonazepam. It made my life much better and worth living."

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 27, 2018

"I began taking Klonopin about a year and a half ago, 1 mg twice a day for OCD and the crippling anxiety that tends to come with the disorder. Clonazepam has changed my life for the better, yet it does have some potential for abuse, and I have found myself taking more than prescribed during times of high stress, but have since stopped that bad habit and started taking a dose every other day as needed. It is extremely helpful for a plethora of anxiety-related issues and is the least addictive and safest benzodiazepine that I have taken. (I've been prescribed nearly every benzo you can name). I would say you could potentially stay on Klonopin for a few years before you would have to taper down, unlike Xanax and Ativan with their short half-lives and extreme abuse potential. The only side effect I've encountered was some short-term memory issues that have since been resolved. Please keep in mind that Klonopin is still a benzodiazepine, only take as needed!"

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2020

"I take clonazepam 0.5 mg as needed, generally 2-3 times per week for OCD, anxiety, and panic attacks. No euphoria; it just quietly begins working within 1-2 hours. If I take it to help me fall asleep, I generally take 0.5 mg or 0.5 mg + 1/4 of another tablet. 30 tablets costs me less than $2. The only side effect I have is hair shedding. Initially, when I was having severe panic attacks and anxiety, I took 0.5 mg every day for three weeks before I finally calmed. The only side effect I noticed with daily use was that depression could set in, and I needed to increase my dose for sleep. But after a few weeks, I was able to alternate back to Lunesta, and occasionally I have a night where I can sleep without either. This should be an option for patients like me who don't tolerate the side effects of a daily SSRI and do not have addictive tendencies."

• ocd...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 11, 2023

"I have struggled with PTSD and OCD for 30 years, and I’m still only taking one quarter of 0.5 mg for anxiety related to intrusive thoughts. I don’t find any SSRI as complete an effective as this drug. I have low hormone levels now (at 48), and the waking anxiety is sometimes crippling. I couldn’t leave the house some days, even to take a walk, without it. I am very serious when I say it makes me feel “normal” and relaxed enough to live my life. I don’t drink alcohol or take anything else except 10 mg of Celexa. It also doesn’t have the side effects of taking a bunch of antipsychotics or antidepressants for me. This drug really saves my life on hard days."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2022

"Works well for OCD intrusive thoughts and fears, usually 1 mg for me. It is not a savior drug, and Valium competes quite well with it, but clonazepam is just a little stronger for the OCD. Anyhow, OCD is best treated by SSRIs and therapy. I still think diazepam fares better for general anxiety than clonazepam, but for the OCD, as mentioned, clonazepam is ideal, although it's not a ''cure.'' I am giving this medication a 7."

• dre...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 16, 2024

"This drug has been a lifesaver for anxiety and managing the anxiety or urges. I still, thankfully, use the Rivotril brand as others are not the same for me. It's a very good medication that 100% works for many conditions and helps with sleep."

• raj...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 29, 2024

"I am taking escitalopram 10 mg for my OCD. Clonazepam 0.5 mg has helped me get a good night's sleep. The only problem with this medication is that it can cause short-term memory loss. I want to reduce the dose to 0.25 mg daily."

• yea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 7, 2018

"Drug works well for OCD and other anxiety problems. In fact, it's the only pharma drug that helped me for OCD and anxiety (sometimes). Common problems for people include: a) needing to increase the dosage (after a while, the low dosage may stop working). b) Withdrawal may cause problems for some. c) Cognitive impairment long-term usage. I take it only several times a week (not daily)."

• Aan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2018

"It helped calm me down from 3-hour panic attacks, so that’s nice."

• Mma...
• January 20, 2021

"Clonazepam is a nice drug for OCD when taken with fluoxetine."

• von...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 4, 2024

"I've suffered with OCD for years. Clonazepam has been a life saver for me."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 17, 2023

"Works excellent, far better than any antidepressant I've tried, about 20 of them."

• Reg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 7, 2019

"It is very good for OCD in my experience, a wonderful drug. I have taken it long term, a small dose with no problems. I take it with vilazodone 20."

• Can...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 8, 2024

"Extremely good at treating my compulsions and is less addictive to me than Xanax. Recommended."

• rob...
• October 6, 2017

"Works great, but you build up a tolerance, and now I need 5 times as much (2.5 mg) to get the same effect as 0.5 mg used to give me. After 10 years."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 24, 2022

"Helps with flashbacks, dissociation, and helps with OCD symptoms. Usually take it when I relapse badly, OCD-wise, when I panic, or when waiting for an SSRI or antipsychotic to take effect."