I think that rebound anxiety is a very real thing and doctors don't acknowledge it much. Why else would I feel really relaxed at night when I take Klonopin but then in the morning as it wears off my anxiety rises? I had to cut off a quarter of my Klonopin today in hopes that it would bring my anxiety down some. I feel a little better.

Yes, Xanax definitely causes rebound anxiety. I know from personal experience, and it's the reason that I cannot take it on a regular basis. Also, studies have demonstrated that short-acting benzodiazepines like Xanax cause rebound anxiety. Klonopin is considered less likely to cause rebound, although it's still possible. Here's a link to the abstract of one study that compared both medications:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2889722

I'm unaware of whether Xanax can cause depression. I didn't experience any, but everyone is different.

Hope you find the right med for you!

I noticed this rebound affect too but wasn't sure if it was a real thing or just me. Thanks for posting this.

Anxiety is such a weird disorder. If you think something is going to cause you anxiety it will. I found the best relief for my anxiety was changing the way I thought.

I haven't experienced that with my occasional klonopin, but it makes sense that could happen with benzos, especially with regular use. I think chronic long-term use of benzos can increase or worsen depression, but honestly I don't remember where I read that. But I think it can happen. That's one reason why benzos shouldn't take the place of SSRIs if depression is an issue too. I liked prozac because it took away both anxiety AND depression, whereas the klonopin only addressed the anxiety.

I have not experienced rebound anxiety with either Xanax or Klonopin. However everyone's body is different and so is the body's interaction with any of these meds. It's also hard to determine rebound anxiety if you're feeling anxious all the time. Currently my anxiety never completely goes away even for a short period of time. It's always there it just ranges from heavy in the morning to lighter during the course of the day. I always feel better after exercising and I exercise everyday. Those endorphins really work at raising your serotonin levels sometimes better than any of these meds.

I have discussed the fact that Benzos are a "depressant " with my doctor. he says they can make depression worse but it's a risk vs reward for people who really need them because anxiety can also make depression worse.

The rebound anxiety is real and its one reason that you have to be careful with the amount and frequency of Benzo doses. They are "addictive" in the sense that you have to keep increasing the dose
to get the same calming effect if taken too frequently.

I have been on a bedtime dose of 0.5 mg [ the minimum dose] of Klonopin for 5 years. If I stay up later than normal, delaying the small dose , I start to feel off ..a little bit bad..nothing specific , just general malaise. I suspect it is from my body wanting / expecting the Klonopin.
And again , this is on the minimum dose.