Onfi Addiction and Abuse

Onfi Info

• Onfi Addiction and Abuse
• Onfi Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Onfi Treatment and Rehab
• Onfi Withdrawal and Detox

What is Onfi?

Onfi is a brand name of the medication, Clobazam, and is typically prescribed for the treatment of seizures and management of ailments such as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). It is a benzodiazepine that affects the central nervous system, as well as chemicals in the brain by acting as a depressant.

In the UK, Onfi is classified as a Class C controlled substance, which indicates that the drug has advantages in clinical medicine. However, the use of Onfi is restricted due to its addictive nature, which is due to the presence of benzodiazepine (its primary active component). You can only access Onfi legally for treatment if prescribed by a licensed medical professional. In order to minimise the risk of addiction, Onfi is generally prescribed at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest possible duration.

If you or a loved one have been using Onfi for more than six weeks, contact us now on 0800 915 9402 for a free assessment and to discover if you’ve developed a physical dependence.

Other names for Onfi

Onfi can be legally found on the market under the brand names Frisium, Urbanol, and Tapclob. All these drugs are benzodiazepines and are all forms of Clobazam.

What is Onfi Used For?

It is marketed as an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant. Onfi is generally prescribed for a short period of two to four weeks for the treatment of various ailments. The drug can be used to treat epilepsy, severe anxiety, agitation, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. It is also used for the management of symptoms during alcohol withdrawal.

Causes of Onfi Addiction

A variety of factors contribute to the development of Onfi addiction. Some predominant ones include:

• Genetics: According to the APA (American Psychiatric Association), your genetic makeup plays a key part in determining the development of addiction to substances like benzodiazepines. If you have a family history of abusing benzodiazepine or some of other form of addiction, the risk of you developing substance dependence when using Onfi is much higher.
• Environmental: APA also points out that individuals who live in an environment which gives them greater access to benzodiazepines – or people who are frequently surrounded by others with an addiction – are more likely to engage in similar behaviours.

Other factors that can lead to the development of an Onfi addiction include:

• Suffering from a mental health condition
• Using benzodiazepines for longer than prescribed or in higher doses than prescribed
• Self-medicating with Onfi or other benzodiazepines

Furthermore, according to APA, females are more likely to develop an addiction to prescription medication such as Onfi.

How addictive is Onfi?

As with all other benzodiazepines, Onfi is highly addictive. This is because of how it affects the brain and nervous system by causing a surge in the production of neurotransmitters. Frequent and extended use of the drug will lead to your brain adapting to the high production of neurotransmitters and thus being unable to keep up such high production in the event you suddenly quit.

Methods of Onfi Usage

Onfi is available only in tablet form and is administered orally.

What Does It Mean to Be Addicted to Onfi?

Addiction to Onfi is typically first signified by an increased tolerance for the drug. This means that you will need ongoing higher doses in order to achieve the desired effect.

The best way to use Onfi and avoid the development of physical dependence is to use the drug only according to prescription and never to mix it with stimulant substances, including alcohol. The shorter the period you use Onfi, the better.

Spotting Onfi Abuse

Signs of Onfi abuse can be behavioural, psychological or physical. Because of the potential danger of addiction that accompanies physical dependence on Onfi, it’s important that you’re able to spot signs of abuse. If you notice the following symptoms, substance dependence related to Onfi abuse has probably already taken hold:

• Greater tolerance to the drug and subsequent increase in dosage.
• Failed attempts at quitting Onfi.
• Using false pretences to get more of the drug or ‘doctor shopping’ with the goal of obtaining more Onfi prescriptions.
• Lack of interest in things you once enjoyed – especially activities not revolving around using Onfi.
• Dereliction of home, school or work responsibilities and duties.
• Significant weight loss.
• Sudden mood swings.
• Continued abuse of Onfi, even though well aware of its negative effects.
• Developing new, risky habits and behaviours, such as driving whilst under the influence.
• Spending more time with others who are known drug abusers.

If you or a loved one are exhibiting any of the above signs of Onfi abuse, please promptly contact us at Addiction Helper for an intervention.

Onfi Abuse: Signs and Symptoms

Signs of Onfi abuse can be physical or psychological in nature. If you’ve already developed a physical dependence to Onfi, you will likely begin to manifest the following side effects and symptoms of abuse:

Physical symptoms

Psychological symptoms such as the following can also begin to manifest:

Health Risks from Onfi Addiction

Onfi addiction can jeopardise your overall health in a number of ways. Elderly people and adolescents are at the greatest risk when abusing the substance. Some of the health risks you face when continuing to abuse Onfi include:

There is also the potential risk of coma or even death – especially from an overdose. This is most likely if you are combining Onfi with other substances – for example, taking it with alcohol.

If you are experiencing any of the above, please contact your doctor immediately or call our helpline by dialling 0800 915 9402.

Short-Term Effects of Onfi

Potential short-term effects of abusing Onfi can include:

Long-Term Effects of Onfi

Potential long-term effects of abusing Onfi can include:

You could also develop suicidal behaviour and ideation if you fail to use Onfi according to prescription.

Withdrawal Effects of Onfi Abuse

If you have developed a physical dependence to Onfi and fail to take a fresh dose after the last one has left your system, you’re likely to experience a variety of withdrawal symptoms. Such symptoms can range from mild to painful in terms of discomfort. If you’re not careful and addiction is severe, withdrawal symptoms can even prove fatal.

Withdrawal symptoms can also be triggered if you take a dose of Onfi that is less than what your body has grown accustomed to. Generally experienced symptoms of withdrawal include:

Co-Occurring Disorders

If abusing Onfi, it’s possible you’re also simultaneously suffering from a co-occurring mental health condition. If a co-occurring disorder is present whilst you’re going through addiction, it becomes difficult to make a full recovery without also treating your co-occurring disorder. This is because co-occurring disorders often contribute to substance abuse, and failing to treat this can in time result in a return to drug abuse.

The following disorders have been noticed among people experiencing Onfi addiction:

Who is at Risk of Onfi Addiction?

Notably, people with mental disorders are often at a higher risk of abusing Onfi.

Teen Onfi Abuse and Addiction

Adolescence can be an emotionally challenging period in life and teens might abuse Onfi with the aim escaping their everyday stresses. This is more likely if a teen has easy access to Onfi, either from the medicine cabinet of a parent or another easily obtainable source.

Teenagers might believe that Onfi – or other prescription medications – are safer than street drugs. However, prescription medication is actually just as dangerous, especially if mixed with painkillers or alcohol. If abused frequently, Onfi can become habit-forming or addictive and lead to physical and psychological dependence. Because of its potency, Onfi shouldn’t be used to manage anxiety or stress.

Cost of Onfi Addiction

The cost of Onfi addiction treatment will vary, based on a number of factors. For instance, severity of addiction and how long treatment will last both help determine cost. Whether treatment is received on an outpatient or inpatient basis will also be a consideration. Treatment at an inpatient facility generally costs more than what is provided at an outpatient facility, due to the added cost of boarding and intensive round-the-clock care. However, the cost can be minimised if your insurance policy covers addiction treatment and if the relevant facility accepts insurance as way of payment.

Aside from the financial aspects of Onfi addiction, there’s also a price to pay in relation to how it affects your relationships and professional career. When a drug habit takes control of your life, it can make you negligent in your relationships and field of employment. This can result in problems at home, distancing from friends, and possible failure in the workplace or school.

The Effects of Onfi Abuse on the Brain and Body

Compared to many other benzodiazepines, Onfi possesses a relatively long half-life. The drug functions as a central nervous system depressant by increasing levels of GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid) in the nervous system. In the spinal cord and brain, GABA is a principal inhibitory neurotransmitter. Its function is to regulate or reduce central nervous system activity. Onfi’s effects on GABA make it useful for the treatment of health conditions influenced by hyperactivity in the spinal cord or brain. Examples of such conditions include anxiety disorders, seizures, issues with insomnia and muscle tension.

Relationship between Onfi and Other Substances

If combined with certain other stimulating substances (especially alcohol or opiates), Onfi can lead to dangerous side effects and health complications.

Using Onfi alongside other substances that slow your breathing or make you sleepy can result in mild or severe side effects, including death in worse case scenarios. If you are already taking Onfi, it’s prudent to consult your doctor before using any sleeping medication, prescription cough medicine, narcotic pain remedies, muscle relaxants or other substances for depression, anxiety, or seizures. Such drugs may interact with Onfi in a manner that leads to negative effects.

Over-the-counter medicines, herbal products, and even vitamins can interact negatively with Onfi. Therefore, to safeguard your health, keep your doctor updated about any medicine you’re using, about to start using, or have stopped using if Onfi is to be part of your treatment medication.

Onfi Overdose explained

Overdosing on Onfi can lead to central nervous system depression, resulting in drowsiness, confusion, lethargy, hypotension, respiratory depression, and possibly coma or death in extreme cases. The chances of fatality are heightened if Onfi is combined with the use of other nervous system depressants, including alcohol.

Overdose occurs if you consume more Onfi than your body is capable of metabolising. An Onfi overdose can never be taken lightly and should always be treated as a medical emergency. Signs that indicate a possible Onfi overdose include:

What to Do If You Need Help Quitting

If you’ve been abusing Onfi for some time and would like to quit, please don’t try and do so on your own. Withdrawal symptoms upon quitting benzodiazepines can be complicated and it’s best if treatment is undertaken in a professional treatment setting. For more information about addiction treatment facilities in your area (or abroad), please contact Addiction Helper today via our confidential helpline on 0800 915 9402.

Onfi Withdrawal

Because Onfi is a habit-forming benzodiazepine, it can lead to the development of a physical dependence and/or psychological dependence, which can develop after using the drug chronically for only a few weeks. In the event you try quitting after you’ve developed an addiction/dependence, withdrawal symptoms will occur. This is the body physically reacting to your system expunging all traces of Onfi.

Depending on the severity of your addiction, withdrawal symptoms can either be mild or very uncomfortable.

Symptoms of Withdrawal

Commonly experienced Onfi withdrawal symptoms that can manifest during detoxification include:

Week 1 : For some people, withdrawal can begin anytime within 24 hours of their last Onfi dose. For others, it can take up to a week or a little more to experience the first effects of withdrawal. The initial withdrawal signs can include anxiety, increased heart rate, agitation, loss of appetite, and profuse sweating.

Weeks 2-3 : Weeks two and three are when withdrawal symptoms often peak. Symptoms such as depression and insomnia are not uncommon at this stage, and you might also experience psychosis and seizures.

Weeks 4-6 : By this time, physical symptoms should begin fading and become easier to manage. Symptoms will completely disappear over the course of the coming weeks.

Weeks 7+ : For people recovering from an acute addiction, psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety or cravings may continue for months afterwards. Protracted withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety can also reappear after all other symptoms have cleared. However, with prolonged abstinence, such symptoms will eventually dissipate.

Onfi Addiction Treatment

Withdrawal symptoms from quitting Onfi can be medically dangerous if not properly managed. A medically assisted detoxification can help reduce the discomforts of withdrawal, as well as minimise risks and avoid any health complications. This can be accomplished by monitoring your vital signs and providing a safe, structured environment, where you can make a full recovery from Onfi addiction.

Upon completion of detoxification, you can receive further treatment via the following:

• Inpatient treatment: This is intensive short-term care that focuses on stabilising a recovering addict medically and psychologically.
• Outpatient therapy: Different types of treatment are used to aid recovery and you can leave the drug rehabilitation centre each day after receiving treatment.
• Residential recovery assistance: This is a longer-term form of treatment that’s delivered in a safe and comfortable environment.
• Recovery housing: An example is a sober-living house, where rules are less rigid and you can easily make the transition back to independent living whilst recovering.

If you’re interested in receiving comprehensive addiction treatment, call 0800 915 9402 to get started with an Onfi addiction-free life.

Therapy for Onfi Addiction

Because of physical and mental health complications that can arise during Onfi withdrawal, it’s best to seek help from a medical professional or addiction recovery specialist before attempting to quit. With the help of addiction recovery specialists like us, you can have access to a medically assisted withdrawal management programme that will make your journey to recovery much safer, as well as effective.

During medically supported treatment/medically assisted detox, your physical and mental health will be professionally monitored by qualified personnel, while medication can be administered to ease your withdrawal symptoms. Often, medication (such as longer-acting benzodiazepines) is applied to gradually wean recovering addicts off Onfi. Such medication will be provided on a tapering schedule to minimise withdrawal symptoms. Other types of medication (such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants) can also be prescribed to manage symptoms during the withdrawal process.

However, a medically assisted detox alone isn’t enough to make a full recovery from Onfi addiction. A formal substance abuse disorder treatment programme is also required. This can include individual therapy, support groups, counselling, and psychoeducation.

Complete treatment for substance abuse and dependence is a long-term process. As there is no absolute cure for addiction, said treatment must be ongoing to keep a recovering addict abstinent long-term. This treatment is often provided via support groups and aftercare services to help manage your life in a healthy fashion post-addiction.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

If you notice higher doses of Onfi are required to achieve the desired effect, it means you’ve begun to develop a tolerance to the drug and are becoming physically dependent. In such a scenario, do not hesitate to relay your situation to a doctor as soon as possible.

Contact a medical professional or call Addiction Helper if you notice any of the following symptoms of Onfi abuse:

Onfi Recovery Plan

An effective recovery plan for Onfi addiction is tapering, which involves a gradual reduction in dosage until you are completely weaned off the drug. Onfi can also be substituted for a longer-acting benzodiazepine before tapering commences.

Detox is a crucial first step in making a full recovery, but the detox process is infinitely safer and effective if directly supervised by a medical professional – one who has the expertise to recommend medication as necessary and at appropriate dosage to minimise withdrawal symptoms. A doctor can also offer tapering treatment that weans you off Onfi.

Tapering is generally performed via either of the following methods:

• An Onfi taper: reducing Onfi dosage gradually until completely weaned off.
• Replacement medication taper: this first replaces Onfi with long-acting medication like diazepam or phenobarbital, before gradually reducing the dose of the replacement medication.

The tapering duration is mostly dependent on the severity of your addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

Finding help for Onfi withdrawal can be challenging, but by talking to Addiction Helper, we can get you all the assistance you need as quickly as possible. If you or a loved one are in need of addiction treatment, call us now on 0800 915 9402 to speak with one of our specialists.

Medical Detox for Onfi

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that medication is used during 80% of all detoxifications to minimise symptoms of withdrawal. If symptoms are mild or at least tolerable, medication might not be used as part of treatment.

When considering the treatment of Onfi withdrawal, a variety of medication is available to help care for symptoms, including:

• Anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine, which minimise the risk of seizures and similarly dangerous symptoms.
• Clonidine and sedating antidepressants such as trazodone to make patients less uncomfortable.
• Phenobarbital or diazepam (Valium) can be used to substitute Onfi during tapering treatment.

Onfi Addiction Statistics

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) states that benzodiazepines are the most commonly abused form of prescription medication. This is likely due to their relatively easy accessibility compared to the difficulty of obtaining opioid drugs. In the United States alone, between 11% and 15% of the adult population are said to be on some type of benzodiazepine. Between 1% and 2% of these adults have been abusing benzodiazepines recreationally for a year or more.

FAQs

If you or a loved one are addicted to Onfi, get in touch with us at Addiction Helper today. We have a variety of specialists available who can guide you on the path to making a full recovery, with no complications. We can do it quickly and discreetly. Contact our 24/7 helpline on 0800 915 9402 for confidential advice. You’ll be glad you did!