Ativan (Lorazepam)
When you can't sleep or eat or breathe without feeling like you're about to die, you'll do pretty much anything to make it stop. Benzos really are a miracle drug in that moment - Harriet Brown
HWN Suggests
My Ativan Addiction
I started having health-related panic attacks in the fall of 2016. My doctor asked me if I wanted a short term solution to the problem, or if I wanted to start taking medication that I may have to be on for the long term. I was scared and afraid of the stigma of taking medication to help with my mental health issues at the time, so I said please just prescribe me something to help me get by in the short term. I thought that there was no way I was going to need to go on medication for anxiety permanently. Hahaha. I was so wrong.
Articles of Interest
Ativan: What You Need to Know About Chris Cornell’s Anxiety Pills
Ativan is the brand name for lorazepam, a type of benzodiazepine medication used foremost to treat severe anxiety and panic disorders in the short term. Benzodiazepines – or “benzos,” as they’re commonly called – are a broad class of highly-addictive sedatives that “have some effective medicinal uses,” said Dr. Joseph Lee, medical director of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Youth Continuum. (The experts interviewed by Rolling Stone spoke generally about Ativan, suicide and their alleged link. None of them have reported a connection to the Cornell family.) In addition to anxiety, Ativan and other benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium can be used to treat seizures and substance withdrawal symptoms, as well as help with sedation during medical procedures, Lee tells Rolling Stone.
Christine’s Story: Ativan, Withdrawal, Akathisia And Suicide
Ativan helped the symptoms for which it was prescribed, but after 2 months of taking it as prescribed, Christine developed a new cluster of symptoms. Her husband recalls she was not acting like herself and wondered if these new symptoms could be a result of the drug.
I Tried to Get Off Ativan
I felt a deep sense of shame about using lorazepam, despite the fact that I'd taken it only as prescribed. I'd never upped my dose or popped a handful for fun or gone doctor-shopping for more. I didn't particularly like the way it made me feel. I didn't think it was doing much for my anxiety, either; an antidepressant now took care of that. I went online to find out how to get off the meds, and what I read freaked me out.
Taking lorazepam for anxiety: Ellie’s story
Lorazepam is definitely a ‘last resort’ medication for me. Most of the time my anxiety can be helped by doing some mindfulness activities or talking to people, like my care coordinator, who has been brilliant at helping me cope with my anxiety. Lorazepam just helps when the above strategies don’t work.
Valium vs. Ativan: What’s the Difference?
Many people wonder—What is stronger, Valium or Ativan? Based on research and current understanding, both Valium and Ativan are equally effective in treating anxiety symptoms and other conditions. The choice between one or the other drug will depend on the condition being treated, your tolerability of the negative side effects, and the efficacy of the medication.
What in the World is Lorazepam?
Lorazepam is a fast-acting medication and is most commonly used to treat acute anxiety, anxiety disorders, or anxiety associated with depression in end-of-life care. It is also a very effective medication for the treatment of seizures. This medication can be used alone or in combination with other medications to treat nausea and vomiting. Though it can also be used to treat severe agitation, Haldol continues to be the medication of choice for management of this symptom.
Resources
StatPearls
Lorazepam is FDA-approved for short-term (4 months) relief of anxiety symptoms related to anxiety disorders, anxiety-associated insomnia, anesthesia premedication in adults to relieve anxiety or to produce sedation/amnesia, and treatment of status epilepticus. Off-label (non-FDA-approved) uses for lorazepam include rapid tranquilization of the agitated patient, alcohol withdrawal delirium, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, insomnia, panic disorder, delirium, chemotherapy-associated anticipatory nausea, and vomiting (adjunct or breakthrough), as well as psychogenic catatonia.
