Ativan

Ativan, or lorazepam, is frequently prescribed for anxiety disorders. A member of the benzodiazepine family, Ativan is a mild tranquillizer and sedative and acts as a central nervous system depressant. Among the symptoms of anxiety disorder are fear of losing control, fear of death, a pounding and racing heart, shaking, nervousness, tenseness, a knot in the stomach, fear of particular places or activities, and abnormal sweating or trembling. Ativan can aid in the control of these symptoms.

Off-label uses include treatment for alcohol withdrawal, agitation, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, spastic disorders, and as sedation for patients on ventilators.

Ativan is highly addictive, both physically and psychologically, and regular use can lead to dependency. Tolerance develops more commonly in those who take regular, large doses over a long period of time. When dependency occurs, higher and higher doses are needed to acquire the initial effect of the medication.

Ativan works by strongly activating the brain’s reward system, inducing feelings of well-being. This promise of reward is very intense. Ativan chemically alters the normal functioning of the reward systems, and ultimately produces addiction. A person taking Ativan may have a reduced level of consciousness with a lowered ability to think or be totally aware of his/her surroundings.

What are the symptoms of addiction to Ativan? Drowsiness is the most common symptom, but other symptoms may be present. Clumsiness, visual problems, depression, amnesia, insomnia, agitation, and headache are some of the effects of Ativan addiction. An overdose of Ativan will induce drowsiness leading to coma, and without medical intervention, death.

When dependency occurs, a fear of withdrawal symptoms may cause an addicted person to continue taking the medication. Frequently, doctor shopping and multiple prescriptions will make higher doses possible to meet the increasing demands of the addiction.

Ativan is commonly used as a replacement drug for addicts whose drug of choice is not available. Others use Ativan to bring them ‘down’ after taking stimulants like cocaine or ecstasy. Still others use it to enhance the effects of alcohol.

Available in pill form and as an injectable liquid, the latter can cause more side effects than the pill form. Sedation, irrational behavior, panic attacks, and hallucinations can occur when the drug is taken by injection. Blood glucose levels can be raised or lowered when taking Ativan in either form. Memory, or the ability to save newly acquired knowledge into long-term memory areas of the brain, is often impaired. Acute amnesia can also occur. Other side effects can include unsteadiness, weakness, depression, nausea, abdominal discomfort, tachycardia, disinhibition, agitation, dizziness, and disorientation. All these symptoms seem to be usually dose-related.

When Ativan is used in conjunction with other drugs or alcohol, ataxia (lack of coordination), hypotonia (decrease in muscle tone), hypotension (low blood pressure), hypnotic state, stage 1 to 3 coma, and death can occur.

Abrupt cessation of Ativan causes withdrawal symptoms similar to those in barbiturate and alcohol withdrawal. These symptoms are more severe in those who have taken large doses of Ativan over an extended length of time. Withdrawal symptoms can include tremors, vomiting, nausea, shaking, convulsions, abdominal cramps, muscle craps, spasms, and sweating. These symptoms are sometimes life threatening.

To date, using cognitive and behavioral therapies have proven to be successful treatments in some cases for Ativan addiction.

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