I find xanax to be a short term drug only to be used be really needed. It kicks it quick and is great for fast relief but has a very short half life which leads to a "crash" and can make it addicting to those that have that kind of personality. Klonopin is much better for long term use as it has a much longer half life and a much smoother affect. Xanax basically treats panic attacks while Klonopin prevents them. I have been on 1mg of Klonopin 3 times a day (usually around every 8-9 hours but sometimes skip a dose) for over a year and have had no negative side effects nor have I built a tolerence and needed to take more. I still alos keep a prescription for Xanax but only take it a few times a year to deal with hard core stress. Haven't had a single panic attack since starting on Klonopin and I have a high stress job that requires a good amount of public speaking. Basically the Klonopin won't let your body go into full fledged panic mode. You still feel some anxiety but not the " I need to run out of the room" feeling. I will take it for the rest of my life if needed.

PS- I find most of the people who say benzos are bad or had bad experiences on them were abusing them. Alot of people mix them with illegal drugs and alcohol and then blame the benzos for their problems. Maybe if they weren't using it to come down from a coke high or enhance their binge drinking, they wouldn't have a problem.