Ativan and Addiction: What Users Say

• Dru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 17, 2020

For Anxiety "Ativan does the job. But you do NOT want to go through the withdrawal. It's very bad. I have generalized anxiety and panic disorder to the point where I can't leave the house unless I really have to. And Ativan makes it a lot easier to leave the house. The withdrawal makes your anxiety come back with vengeance. It's bad. For the short term, it's great, but long term you become addicted and physically dependent on it. And you build a tolerance so it doesn't help you as much as initially taking it. I love Ativan and recommend it to anyone suffering from anxiety. Just make sure you wean off it, or you will feel like life becomes a nightmare."

• Jra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 17, 2019

For Anxiety "I like Ativan better than Valium but not Xanax. Be careful with any benzodiazepines. They will mess with your brain and cause memory loss. I've been on them for 20 years. There's no way I can go off them now. I'm in a tough spot. I tried to stop twice and it drove me insane. I managed to kick a 4-year opiate addiction with the help of Suboxone, and that was challenging. Getting off benzos is even harder than kicking opiates. Believe me, benzodiazepines are dangerous. My doctor never warned me about the addiction until I switched medications, after about 5 years. Isn't that nice? I rely on them to keep me calm. I suffer from very severe anxiety, but knowing what I know now, I would have preferred to have a shot of vodka a couple of times a day. I'm not a drinker, but it's better than dealing with the side effects of benzos. Moderation is the key."

• Anx...
• March 11, 2008

For Anxiety "Be careful when using Ativan. Do not take doses more than 1 or 2 mg. It is easy to get carried away and addicted to Ativan. I find that it is a very effective treatment for anxiety when the RECOMMENDED DOSES are used though."

• rip...
• October 25, 2021

For Insomnia "I have been using Ativan for nearly 18 years. I went for years sleeping 4 and a half hours a night. [daytime zombie] About 4 years ago, I was having short-term memory problems. I reduced from 1 mg to 0.5, and memory very much improved, and I still sleep 6-7 hours, but keep extra 0.5s if some nights I need extra, which isn't often. I would suggest that for first timers to start with 0.5, and it might be all you need. As far as 'addiction' goes, I am totally addicted to a good night's sleep. I am grateful to the lucky stars for Ativan. Do not use often for anxiety, although helpful from time to time. I am 78 years old. Only my story, everyone has their own experience with Ativan. Good luck and goodnight, you sleepy heads. Rip Van Winkle [almost twenty years.]"

• Kel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2016

For Anxiety "Ativan has been so, so helpful for anxiety and panic attacks. It can be addicting, so I try to only take it when I really need to, not more than a couple of times a week. But it definitely has helped me, and I would recommend it to those with bad anxiety."

• Anonymous
• November 10, 2009

For Anxiety "Overall, great medication. Keep it at a small dose and use it only when you really need it. First, try fighting your anxiety and then if that doesn't help, use your medicines. This drug has been proven to be addictive. I hope this has helped some out there like me suffering from panic attacks and anxiety."

• Can...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 19, 2017

For Anxiety "Hands down, the best immediate solution for anxiety or panic attacks. I prefer Ativan to other benzos, and it usually lifts my depression too, even suicidal thoughts (well, for the few hours that it works). Just be very careful not to become addicted, but this is extremely helpful as an occasional tool in stressful situations. Do not take every day for many days unless instructed to, but even then do your research."

• AnS...
• August 1, 2016

For Anxiety "I started off at 0.50 mg, then to 1 mg before bed. I had many issues going on in life, and I was having trouble falling asleep. This helped in the beginning, but my dose is going up and up. I admit, I take this more than I should, so I understand there's an addictive nature to this. Just be careful and talk to your doctor if you notice that. The best part of this drug: I get a good night's sleep, and I'm not waking up 3 times a night."

• Pol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 28, 2016

For Anxiety "An excellent medication, out of all meds I tried, none were as effective for managing my PTSD symptoms. Completely prevented flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety at night, and allowed me to fall asleep very calmly. However, I can't give it a 10 because I gained tolerance to the doses incredibly quickly, meaning I had to keep raising the dose to get the same effect, which is dangerous because it is a drug you can become physically addicted to. I would highly recommend this med to those seeking a short-term fix while they are becoming stable on another long-term med, but would not recommend it as a long-term fix due to tolerance and addiction possibilities."

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

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."

• Ben...
• February 13, 2018

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."

• Lau...
• June 25, 2018

For Anxiety "I used this after my anxiety got so bad that I had constant horrible, racing thoughts. Many involved suicide and death. The first time I took it, I felt like I grew wings, so relaxing. I started taking it every day because the calming effect was so comforting. I then started taking it at night - big mistake for me personally. I became addicted. If I didn’t take it for one night, I was awake for the entire night and became extremely paranoid. I had to see a doctor and admit to addiction, then was given a very slow tapering-off plan. It also made my hair fall out. Use with caution. Easily addictive."

• Kvo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 10, 2022

For Anxiety "I was put on Ativan 3x daily in the hospital along with my other meds for bipolar 1 disorder. It helped, and I went off it when I left the hospital. It gives relief, but I worried it was addictive, and I believed that the only reason I was put on it was to cope with the stress of the hospital and the ambulance ride over (as I was asked if I wanted Ativan for the ride from the ER to the hospital). So it was useful for the setting I was quickly being transferred into."

• Dia...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 9, 2018

For Anxiety "Prescribed by G.P. for anxiety, 4 mg a day, approximately 10 years ago, along with Zopiclone for 15 mg for insomnia. I started to abuse both about 2 years ago. Sitting in a treatment center for drug addicts while I type this. Do not take Ativan or Zopiclone, easy to become addicted to both. Went through hell detoxing, and it took 19 days to get off the Ativan. There are better medications out there for you."

• LG3...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2021

For Panic Disorder "This drug is amazing. I never foresaw myself taking any psychiatric drugs until I came to a truly terrible time in my life when I really did need them. Panic that would have me in tears from the fear, surroundings, and people feeling completely alien. This drug melts away the fear in 20 minutes. It is a godsend in those moments of panic. Don't be scared to try it even if you are wary of psych meds. Be careful, though, it can be addictive, and that's something you don't want to get into."

• Bon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 13, 2017

For Panic Disorder "I will always take Ativan for my mild-to-moderate panic. The only problem is, it can become addictive. So I try to use other methods for my anxiety before I reach for the Ativan."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 21, 2023

For Nausea/Vomiting "I have anxiety-related nausea and loss of appetite constantly and found that Ativan is the only thing that helps. The problem is, it can be addictive, so I only allow myself 0.5 mg every second day."

• hel...
• February 21, 2018

For Anxiety "OK OK, Ativan does work, especially when you're having a full-on attack in the psychiatric unit. But just like everything else, it does become addicting. Beware."