Teva 833 is not Xanax, but it’s closely related. The green, round pill stamped with “TEVA” on one side and “833” on the other contains 1 mg of clonazepam, a generic version of Klonopin. Both clonazepam and Xanax (alprazolam) are benzodiazepines, meaning they belong to the same drug class, work on the same brain chemistry, and carry similar risks. But they aren’t interchangeable.
What Teva 833 Actually Contains
The Teva 833 pill is a 1 mg clonazepam tablet manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Clonazepam is the generic form of Klonopin, a Schedule IV controlled substance. It’s a mottled green, flat, round tablet with beveled edges. If you’ve found this pill and are trying to identify it, that’s exactly what it is.
How Clonazepam and Xanax Are Similar
Both drugs work by boosting the activity of GABA, a chemical in the brain that slows down nerve signals. This produces a calming, sedative effect that reduces anxiety, relaxes muscles, and can stop seizures. Because they share this mechanism, clonazepam and alprazolam feel broadly similar: both ease anxiety and create a sense of relaxation.
They also share the same risk profile. Both are controlled substances with the potential for physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms can develop after just four weeks of regular use, regardless of which drug you’re taking. Those symptoms range from mild (anxiety, insomnia) to moderate (tremor, nausea, headaches, poor concentration) to severe (seizures, psychosis in rare cases).
In terms of potency, 1 mg of clonazepam is roughly equivalent to 1 mg of alprazolam. So the Teva 833 tablet you’re looking at is comparable in strength to a 1 mg Xanax pill.
Key Differences Between the Two
The most important practical difference is how long each drug lasts. Clonazepam is classified as an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine, while alprazolam is short-acting. Clonazepam’s effects stretch over a longer period, which means it doesn’t wear off as quickly and doesn’t need to be taken as frequently throughout the day. Alprazolam hits its peak blood level in about 1 to 2 hours, while clonazepam takes 1 to 4 hours to reach peak levels.
This difference in duration matters for two reasons. First, people taking clonazepam often experience a smoother, more gradual effect rather than a sharp onset followed by a noticeable drop-off. Second, and more importantly, shorter-acting benzodiazepines like alprazolam tend to produce more intense withdrawal symptoms. The VA specifically notes that withdrawal seizures are more likely with alprazolam than with other benzodiazepines, and that tapering it requires extra caution. Patients on shorter-acting drugs also have higher dropout rates during tapers because the withdrawal discomfort is harder to manage.
Different Approved Uses
Their approved uses overlap but aren’t identical. Alprazolam is approved for generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults. Clonazepam covers panic disorder and anxiety as well, but it’s also approved for seizure disorders, which Xanax is not. This is why clonazepam is sometimes prescribed for epilepsy and certain movement disorders, while Xanax is used almost exclusively for anxiety-related conditions.
If someone has been prescribed one and is wondering whether the other would work the same way, the answer depends on the condition being treated. For panic disorder, both are options. For seizures, clonazepam is the appropriate choice.
Withdrawal and Dependence Risks
Both medications carry real dependence risks, but the pattern of that dependence differs slightly. Because alprazolam leaves your system faster, the brain notices its absence sooner, which can trigger rebound anxiety between doses and make withdrawal feel more acute. Clonazepam’s longer action provides a more gradual decline, which generally makes it somewhat easier to taper off, though stopping either drug abruptly is dangerous.
Protracted withdrawal from any benzodiazepine can last months. Anxiety typically takes up to a year to fully resolve after stopping. Insomnia often persists for 6 to 12 months. Cognitive effects like memory problems and difficulty concentrating improve gradually but can linger for a year or more, and in some cases don’t fully resolve. Physical symptoms like muscle pain, tingling, and gastrointestinal issues can also persist for over a year.
Can You Substitute One for the Other?
You should not swap clonazepam for alprazolam (or vice versa) on your own, even though they’re in the same drug class. The difference in how long they last, how they’re dosed, and how withdrawal behaves means switching requires a careful plan. Switching too abruptly from alprazolam to another benzodiazepine, for example, can trigger withdrawal seizures. The milligram-for-milligram equivalency is roughly 1:1, but individual responses vary enough that any transition needs to be managed carefully.
If you found a Teva 833 pill and are comparing it to a Xanax prescription, the bottom line is this: it’s the same type of medication working on the same brain system, but it’s a different drug with a different duration, different approved uses, and a somewhat different risk profile. They’re cousins, not twins.