Lorazepam and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2023

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I am 67 years old. I was prescribed Ativan in the early 1980s. I got addicted and after 5 months was taking 12 a day instead of the prescribed 6. I threw them down the toilet, then ended up at my GP with acute withdrawal symptoms. He did a six-week withdrawal plan. I lost the memory of that 6 months. I also lost a lot of my memory up to that point. As a person who has suffered memory loss and lack of emotion for the last 40 years and my life wrecked, I implore people not to take this drug."

• Onl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 18, 2023

For Anxiety "Works great until it doesn't, and you are pitifully addicted. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, let a medical professional tell you that Ativan (lorazepam) is not addictive or doesn't cause dependency if used 'as prescribed.' This drug is being prescribed completely inappropriately. ALL the prescribing literature says to use it for '2 to 4 weeks.' PERIOD. Regular use after this point could lead to dependency/addiction. The withdrawal is nearly unbearable. Stopping abruptly causes withdrawal that can be deadly. It took me 8 months, using the life-saving 'Ashton Manual,' to slowly wean myself off Ativan after 15 months of daily, physician-prescribed use (0.5 mg TID/3x per day). The interdose tolerance started very quickly, and the need for it skyrocketed."

• Dra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 18, 2022

For Anxiety "This gets a negative 10 from me. I only took it a short while and suffered breakthrough panic attacks, or more like terror attacks. Never, ever again. If you can handle it, good for you. I wouldn't wish my withdrawals on my worst enemy."

• Tru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2021

Lorazepam for Anxiety "After an operation, he was great for 3 days. Became upset with nurses waking him for this or that, told them in no uncertain words to leave him alone and was shaking. They assumed he was an alcoholic and he was having withdrawal from not being able to drink in the hospital. On the 4th day and for 3 days later, couldn't talk, move on his own, or walk. Now in rehab, why would you give Ativan to someone who you thought was a drunk."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2020

For Anxiety "Ativan worked a little bit the first time I took it, and I only took it in emergencies when my anxiety was really high. But it lost its effect after a while to the point where it did absolutely nothing for me. I didn't have any issues with withdrawal or side effects, no drowsiness. I wonder if I even took the pill correctly! Anyway, I'm on a different medication now, so hopefully that actually works for me."

• Tom...
• October 3, 2019

For Status Epilepticus "I have seizures, and afterwards, it leaves my brain utterly scrambled. It can take weeks before I feel normal. My doctor prescribed Ativan, taken as needed, to help me relax postictal (after seizure). I had no idea how addictive it was, but when I discovered how much it helped me fall asleep, I started taking 1 mg every night. It wasn't until I tried to stop that I realized how addicted my body had become. Been taking 1 mg a night for years. Earlier this year, I had a bad seizure that took weeks to recover from and was taking x2 a day which left me 14 short. When I went to refill it, the pharmacy refused because it was too early. I ended up in the ER. I have never felt the pain of withdrawals before, it was enough to make me decide to stop. Been tapering for a couple of months, just tapered down to 0.25 mg a night. So far, no big issues. A week after each taper, I've been taking melatonin to help me sleep. I think that has helped. I would advise people to stay away from benzos. Like me, one day you may be cut off."

• Tin...
• July 15, 2017

For Anxiety "I was given a double dose of Ativan IV in the hospital and 1 mg dose pills for home! Only took .25 on occasion, and now I'm having withdrawal symptoms! Can anyone answer my question about Ativan being addictive with only .25 mg occasionally?"

• Ben...
• July 5, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "You would have to be crazy to take Ativan. I took 1-2 mg 2x a day for 6 months and had withdrawal symptoms for almost 4 years after stopping over a 2-week period per my doctor. If you think your life is bad before taking Ativan, just wait until you experience the withdrawal and aftereffects of this poison. After 2 years, I still had vibrating, hypersensitive vision and hearing. Burning in your nerves, especially in your feet. Forget sleep, all you do is lie in bed awake for me, almost 2 years dreaming while awake. That part was the most torturous part of the med. The FDA needs to remove Ativan from FDA approval immediately."

• Anonymous
• June 9, 2017

For Insomnia "Stay away from this drug, it builds up tolerance, and then you'll have excruciating withdrawals."

• Gat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2017

Lorazepam for Anxiety "This drug is the devil. The first few doses work like magic. After 1 week, a hellish withdrawal starts kicking in about 2 hours after taking each dose. Impossible to wean off of without a doctor who's familiar with this highly addictive drug."

• Des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2017

For Anxiety "I've been struggling with depression but mostly anxiety for 16 years. I take an antidepressant, and last year I tried to change it three times. During this time I began to use Lorazepam daily and began to increase it when it wasn't working for me. Needless to say, this was the worst year ever. My anxiety symptoms were hell. After reading about Lorazepam and the problems with tolerance, rebound anxiety, looping, and withdrawal, I realized my problem was not the antidepressants but Lorazepam. If you take it once a month or several times per year, it could help and shouldn't hurt you, but if you take it every day, you are asking for trouble. My recommendation is to avoid Lorazepam at all costs."

• Ben...
• July 6, 2016

For Insomnia "DO NOT take benzos for insomnia - they work great, until you reach tolerance, and then you go into full withdrawal unless you up the dose considerably. By then you probably will have already found the dirty underside of this terrible drug, which is agoraphobia, brutal insomnia, loss of motivation and stunning depression. Next, you'll find out that you cannot withdraw from this drug in a reasonable manner, and the required tapering-off methods could take years. During withdrawal you will have the worst insomnia imaginable, for months on end, and nothing will relieve it, except more benzos than any doctor will prescribe. Don't even start on this evil drug. If you think this is an overreaction, Google 'benzodiazepine withdrawal'."

• Mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 29, 2015

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I took lorazepam for 19 days at .5 mg as needed. I was taking them in the afternoon around 4:30. The doctor only gave me 20 pills for anxiety and sent me home. While taking them, I was feeling even worse, I couldn't sleep, I would wake up shaking and scared, and couldn't eat until I took the pill. I decided to stop taking them because I was getting more anxiety and wired thoughts and was shaking all day. So, I quit cold turkey - I didn't know I was to taper off. On the second day of not taking it, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, walking around feeling like I'm going crazy, a lot of anxiety attacks and panic attacks. I don't feel joy or happiness. The only thing I could think of is I'm having withdrawals. I stopped taking it on December 9, 2015, it is now December 29, 2015."

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2016

For Anxiety "I took the first 0.5 mg lorazepam, and it got me super sleepy in the evening while watching TV. Lucky it was night because I was zonked. The next day, I right away experienced withdrawal, yuck. I hate that feeling. I would have had to take another one just to get rid of the withdrawal from the first one. And maybe after a few days, the withdrawal symptoms would settle down, but I didn't think I should be getting withdrawal immediately like that. And I certainly didn't want to think about going through it in the future, even stronger symptoms. So the first one was all I took. I wised up quickly and didn't continue taking them. I felt dizzy and crappy for two or three days just from that one pill. Unreal."

• bra...
• December 18, 2015

Lorazepam for Anxiety "This drug is highly addictive, and due to it being short-acting, it is nearly impossible to wean off of this drug in a conventional manner. It is very effective in relieving anxiety, but should not be taken for any extended period of time or you will be hooked into an agonizing withdrawal. To get off of this short-acting drug without the painful withdrawal, switch to a long-acting benzo like diazepam that is available in multiple and larger doses and can be cut into smaller amounts to wean off gradually."

• Eur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2021

Lorazepam for Anxiety "This pill works, but is not a solution. Be wary even if you don’t have an addictive personality. I don’t, but using this only 3 days in a row, then stopped, caused me physical withdrawal symptoms! I only took 1 mg each day. After 3 days, I had rebound anxiety, tense, painful shoulders and back, neck/head pain, teeth grinding, and achy. Also, this medication makes my hair shed!! and makes me feel stupid and foggy for days after! This is definitely NOT a drug you want to play around with! My husband was prescribed this years ago, and he said also, he became “dope sick” after using just for a couple of days! Withdrawal from benzos can be really hard, so if you are trying to get off of them, consult your physician. I couldn’t imagine how bad withdrawals would be if you were on these long-term. I will keep them on hand for extreme, rare emergencies. But in the meantime, I will stick to hypnosis and taking lemon balm or passionflower herbs."

• Lad...
• October 11, 2018

Lorazepam "I was given Ativan for anxiety due to TMJ (temporomandibular disorder) chronic pain. It ended up taking away the pain itself. However, being in the mental health field, I'm well aware of the addictive qualities of this drug. I was appalled at how quickly I was put on 1 mg/day for 3 weeks and given a renewed prescription without question every time I went in. Users must beware of the high addictiveness and that it can take years to taper off this medication and years for the brain to return to a normal state. Severe withdrawal can cause psychosis, depression, seizures, and death, and rebound symptoms are very common even at low doses (rebound symptoms is when you go off or taper down the medication, you experience a worsening of the condition it was intended to treat in the first place). If you've been prescribed this by your GP, please do your research and talk to a specialist about it and follow their advice. Benzodiazepines have ruined many lives and are still continuously over-prescribed."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2011

Lorazepam for Anxiety "I have been on Ativan since January 2011, started out with 0.5 mg, then went to 1 mg, and have felt better. I used them not only for my anxiety but also to sleep because I have a hard time sleeping at night. I now feel that I can stop taking the medicines for the anxiety, have not had an attack for months, but take the medicines to sleep at night. I tried to stop taking Ativan, and the withdrawals were so bad I had to start taking them again, and now going to see my doctor to help me come off them."

• mus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2022

For Anxiety "So I was in a bad car accident back in July of 2021. I still am not back to my normal self due to the memory loss, lack of sleep, and overall issues with basic life tasks. It's been causing me major anxiety, frustration, and every emotion under the sun. My doctor put me on lorazepam for 10 days, ten days only to help sleep. My doctor didn't want me to stay on it because this can be an addictive drug. I didn't think it was an issue. It did what it was supposed to do. It was 0.5 mg and it did help me sleep. The first night I took it, I noticed a lot of heavy chest deep breathing, but the other 10 days I was fine. It was the withdrawal for me, which is why I do not recommend it. I do not drink, smoke, or do drugs. I do not have an addictive personality. The first day off of this thing, I cried and cried and cried. So emotional. The littlest things bothered me. I was shaky and irritable. I took everything out on everyone else. I would much rather take something else."

• Poc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2019

For Anxiety "Doctor prescribed me 1 mg x 3 per day. First week was fine, but soon after I developed a tolerance and between-dose withdrawal. Much to my dismay, my doctor kept me on this for 4 long months. The pills were working against me, actually causing me anxiety. Now I am in the process of tapering off. If only I was prescribed a longer-acting benzo for a much shorter period."

• Lor...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 9, 2018

For Insomnia "I have been taking lorazepam for many years. I started with the highest dose. My doctor began to lower it until I was taking just half of 0.5 mg. I am afraid, am I going to have problems? But I have been wishing to leave it for a long time. Am I going to have withdrawal? Please let me know."

• Ben...
• February 13, 2018

Lorazepam for Anxiety "Be careful with this sneaky drug. At first, it works great, but very quickly, I mean within days, it is highly addictive. Before you know it, you’ll be using it daily, and withdrawal syndrome associated with benzos is horrible. Use with caution."

• Pau...
• December 28, 2016

For Anxiety "I've been taking Cipralex 20 mg in the morning and 15 mg Remeron at night and would take from 0.5 mg to 1 mg of lorazepam in the morning as this is when my anxiety is worst. Since my anxiety was not improving, I decided to get off the Remeron to reduce the serotonin. Remeron was great for helping me sleep, but the withdrawal was awful. I decided to use lorazepam to help me sleep, which worked well for a while. Without the Remeron, my morning anxiety became better, and I started to have better days. This only lasted about a week. Pretty soon, I was having sleeping problems, and the lorazepam didn't help my daily anxiety either, and in fact, at times I felt worse. This is the downfall of lorazepam. You build up a tolerance and have to increase the dose."

• nor...
• November 10, 2009

For Anxiety "I am 28 years old and have been taking Ativan for 7 years now for anxiety and panic attacks. I started at 0.5 mg at bedtime, and over the years have needed constant increases. I am now taking 2 mg three times a day. The pill does its job, but if I am even an hour late taking it (from when I usually do), I start developing severe mood swings, agitation, anxiety, and a total feeling like I am going crazy. I take the pill, and in about an hour, I am feeling normal again. This has caused a lot of stress in my relationship. My wife knows exactly when I need my pill, and even my oldest son started saying, 'I think daddy needs his pill.' I have tried to taper in the past, but the withdrawal side effects were bad. I hope one day to come off this drug."

• Chr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 8, 2025

For Insomnia "In 2004, I was leaving work and had my first severe panic attack (although I didn’t know it was that at the time). I was fortunate that my ER nurse immediately recognized what I was experiencing and gave me IV Ativan (lorazepam). My PC physician later prescribed Klonopin (clonazepam). It helped, but after taking it for 18 years, its effectiveness wore off. About 15 months ago, I started having “sleep anxiety” and would go four days, at times, with not even a second of sleep. I saw a psychiatrist, who switched me to Ativan, a faster-acting benzodiazepine, and I’ve been taking that for the past 15 months. It helps me with sleep-onset latency, most of the time, but as we tried to taper me off it, I experienced severe withdrawal (rebound insomnia and debilitating anxiety). Ativan might be ideal for short-term or occasional use, but I don’t recommend taking it every day."