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How to Help a Lorazepam Addict

Lorazepam addiction can be hazardous. Fortunately, a multitude of programs exist for those suffering to find help.

How to Approach a Lorazepam-Addicted Loved One

Few things are more difficult than watching a friend or family member suffer from drug addiction. If someone you care about is abusing lorazepam, you may want to consider ways to support them in seeking treatment. The most important thing you can do is make the person feel cared for and loved since they are likely going through many emotional and physical challenges related to their addiction to lorazepam.

Approaching the person with compassion can help you understand what they are feeling. Remaining non-judgmental may help them feel safe. While it is important to recognize that you cannot fix someone else’s problems, there are things you can do to help them stop abusing drugs and lead healthy lives.

  • Show support: Let your loved one know it takes courage to seek help.
  • Remain positive: Emphasize that people recover from addiction every single day.
  • Be consistent: Assure your loved one that you will remain supportive, even if they need to make several attempts at recovery. (NOTE: Support does not equal enabling. Offer healthy support, but don’t continue behaviors that help them continue their use).

Resources for friends and family members of addicted individuals include:

Lorazepam Addiction Treatment

Because of the serious withdrawal symptoms associated with its use, many addicts continue using lorazepam despite negative physical, mental, and social consequences. A structured addiction treatment program can promote successful recovery and relapse prevention by providing supportive and medical care during the process of withdrawal.

In treatment, your dosage of lorazepam will be decreased gradually under medical supervision. It is important to detox under medical supervision given that abrupt withdrawal can cause serious side effects, including seizures.

Treatment does not stop at detox, however. When you enter a treatment program, you will work with the medical staff to develop an individualized treatment plan. For a lorazepam addiction, this should include at least a combination of supervised medical detox and clinical or professional therapy. Ongoing treatment can take place in an inpatient rehab center or through a more flexible outpatient program. Treatment for lorazepam addiction can include, but is not limited to:

The severity of your addiction, your commitment to recovery, your support network at home, and your personal responsibilities will all factor into which type of program is right for you.

To find out more about how to begin the process of recovery, call for free at now.

Is Lorazepam Addictive?

Lorazepam is the generic name for a drug also sold under the brand name Ativan. Used in the treatment of severe anxiety disorders, some users abuse the drug because it results in calm and mellow feelings. Doctors also prescribe the medication for the treatment of other disorders, including insomnia, alcohol withdrawal, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Lorazepam is part of the benzodiazepine drug family and is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. The drug essentially slows down nerve signals in the brain, which can produce feelings of calm and euphoria; these positive effects can lead to the abuse of this drug by those seeking these feelings.

Because lorazepam causes feelings of sedation and relaxation, it can become addictive for those taking it, even when they do so legitimately. A common misconception is that users cannot become addicted to prescription drugs like lorazepam; however, this is not the case, and addiction can develop among those with a legitimate need for the drug.

As a user develops a tolerance to lorazepam, he or she might take a larger dose or take the medication more often than the doctor prescribes. In fact, most doctors will not prescribe the drug to patients who have a history of past drug or alcohol abuse because this can increase the risk of the patient developing an addiction to lorazepam.

Learn more about the effects of lorazepam use.

What Are the Signs of Addiction?

When someone takes lorazepam, it causes certain changes in that person’s behavior and health. The effects of certain types of medications—particularly psychiatric medications—can compound these changes.

Signs of lorazepam abuse include:

  • Weakness.
  • Impaired judgment.
  • Trouble breathing and swallowing.
  • Slurred speech.
  • Skin rashes.
  • Extreme drowsiness.
  • Dizziness.
  • Tremors and confusion.

Abusers of Ativan often feel varying levels of drowsiness and relaxation, which can lead to addiction. The patient eventually feels like he or she cannot handle daily tasks without using the medication.

Am I Addicted?

If you think you have a problem with lorazepam, you should look for some of the common signs of addiction in your own life. Chronic use of lorazepam can cause anxiety, weakness in one or more limbs, fatigue, headaches, and insomnia.

In a small number of cases, users suffered from anorexia caused by the medication.

Occasionally, a user might overdose, and signs of lorazepam overdose include fainting, comas, and severe confusion. If you notice one or more warning signs, get help immediately.

If you notice the many signs of addiction in yourself or someone you care about, call for free at to receive information about treatment centers that focus on this type of addiction. There are also free drug abuse hotline numbers you can call.

You can also quickly and easily check your insurance coverage for free by filling out the form below.

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