Question about klonopin and Benzos

Why is it that it seems (from reading the posts here) as though klonopin is so often prescribed amongst the benzos? I seem to recall reading in the past about treatment programs for drug addicts where klonopin patches were used during withdrawal from heroin booze or whatever. Why klonopin rather than lets say valium or Xanax, ativan etc?

I have found Xanax quite effective for relieving feelings of panic or anxiety as well as having a mild anti depressant quality. The only other benzo I have any experience with is valium which i took in the past, up to 80 mgs per day but found it much less effective than xanax. I took it for about a year and i don't recall any horrible withdrawal reactions when I stopped pretty much cold turkey.

I have been taking Xanax daily for many years. I helps me get a good nights sleep and also I like the way it makes me feel when I am tense or DPed.

I don't want to take a "steady state drug" you know a drug that builds up in your body and 24/7 is effecting your conciousness one way or another as then there would be no contrast or relief to look forward to when you take the drug as its effect would be a constant. (for better or for worse)

I am trying at this time to taper down my xanax dosage and perhaps someday even wean myself off of it entirely. Not because I am dissatisfied with the drug and its effectiveness but I am sick of having to participate in the medical system in order to acquire it.

At this time I am taking 1.75 mgs per day down from 2.25 two weeks ago. ( a reduction of (.50mgs or about 20%) Contrary to some of the horror stories I have read here and the contents on some of the extremist benzo phobic web sites, I feel great! I mean at least as of this time I don't feel any sort of withdrawal reaction. My immediate goal is to cut the Xanax down to about 1.25-1.50 by Christmas. And then to a daily dose of about 1mg per day by Easter. Ultimately I want to get it down to where i just take as needed, rather than in regular scheduled doses. I want the control of where and when and how much I take to rest entirely in my hands and not with a doctor or the directions on some medication bottle. I would like to find a natural herbal alternative to begin tapering in as I taper down or off the Xanax but am uncertain about combining the Xanax with herbal remedies. I need to study a bit more.

I still have some DP/DR but it is in the manageable range. When the thoughts come I just let them pass through my awareness without clinging to them. It takes some practice to do this, but I have had years to practice in. Of course sometimes it works better than others.

Also there are two other points to consider. Perhaps when the original reason for taking a benzo has been improved, it is easier to stop taking it than if one still had the symptoms which they were taking the benzo to treat. And also in my case i am taking a beta blocker for hyper tension called atenolol and i have read that beta blockers are sometimes prescribed for anxiety and panic attacks. Perhaps because i am taking this drug I don't feel the impact of the reduction of Xanax as much as i would without it. In that case it seems a beta blocker would be prescribed in treating withdrawal symptom from benzos. Is it? Or perhaps .50mg or about 20% is really not that much of a reduction. Well we'll see what happens.

Anyway back to the original question. Why does it seem that klonopin is the most frequently prescribed benzo around here rather than say valium, Ativan or Xanax?

thanks for your thoughts
john