Lorazepam Abuse

Lorazepam (brand name: Ativan) is a benzodiazepine  medication that’s often prescribed to handle a selection of anxiety disorders and related problems. This drug isn’t typically suggested for long-term use–many professionals will limit prescriptions to many months, at most. But even after relatively short durations, individuals might become unable to function without the drug and start displaying symptoms of dependence. When taken as prescribed, lorazepam could be abused. Users may quickly develop tolerance and addiction and soon find themselves struggling with an addiction.

Abuse of lorazepam is connected with a range of health issues, which range from moderate skin irritation to impaired muscular coordination, accidental injury, deep memory loss and much more.

Signs and Symptoms

Lorazepam abuse is a critical issue in America. The Drug Enforcement Administration reports that over  20 million people have abused drugs such as lorazepam in their lifetime. Gaining awareness of the symptoms and signs can enhance your ability to handle your use.

Signs and symptoms of lorazepam abuse include the following:-

• Your prescribed dose no longer functions to supply expected symptom relief and you raise your dose on your own. With time, your body may develop tolerance to lorazepam. | This means you’ll require a higher dose of your medicine to experience the very same effects that you would normally encounter at your originally prescribed dose.
• You’re unable to function without the drug.   you might have started out taking lorazepam sometimes to help you cope with anxiety attacks and other anxiety symptoms, but in the event, you then progress to having it on a daily or more than daily basis, you might be dealing with addiction. Inability to function normally with no medication is a sign of dependence also.
• You are working to obtain more of the drug illegally.   People with benzodiazepine addictions often become desperate when their prescription runs out and might attempt to get the drug by any means possible. They may buy it online off the road, seek multiple prescriptions from physicians, or devise prescriptions to attempt and get more. If you’re engaging in such behaviors, you probably have a problem with the medication.
• You spend money you do not have on lorazepam.   Section of dependence is that you prioritize the continued and uninterrupted use of the drug above almost everything else in your life. If you fail bills or other significant financial obligations so as to buy lorazepam, you might need help.

Effects of Lorazepam Abuse

Many individuals become addicted to how lorazepam makes them feel as this medication causes individuals to become relaxed. This can be accomplished through lorazepam’s ability to improve the efficiency of a brain chemical called GABA.

Increased GABA can help calm brain activity, which leads to a more tranquil physical and psychological status.   Effects offered by a lorazepam high may incorporate:-

• Increased capacity to sleep.
• Increased feelings of satisfaction with life.
• Decreased stress and anxiety.

It is important to understand that effects are not all desirable. Furthermore, how a drug is legal does not mean it is safe–particularly when it’s abused.   Negative effects of lorazepam abuse include:

• Drowsiness.
• Impaired decision-making skills and bad judgment.

• Speaking issues.
• Memory difficulties.
• Character changes.
• Agitation, depression, and suicidal thoughts throughout comedown off the medication.

Over time, the compulsive cycle of abuse and intermittent withdrawal may also result in greater depression and worsening anxiety.

Lorazepam Abuse Treatment

Detox

Abuse of lorazepam is a critical issue that deserves professional therapy. | Many therapies for lorazepam abuse starts with a trip to a detox center.

Detoxification is a procedure where patients slowly withdraw from the medication while under the supervision of healthcare professionals. Professionals can help decrease withdrawal effects and help people feel as comfortable as possible during detoxification.

Medical supervision for lorazepam withdrawal is significant because individuals who abuse this drug may become physically dependent on the drug. Their bodies can’t function without the substance, and abrupt withdrawal of the medication can lead to serious physical and mental illness. Individuals that are physically addicted to lorazepam may experience the following withdrawal symptoms:

• Physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, seizures, stomach cramps, shakiness, fever and other unpleasant physical effects.|
• Mental health symptoms like depression, agitation, anxiety, mood swings, and extreme rage.|
• Increased cravings for the medication to end these signs.

These indicators are often very uncomfortable without assistance. Medical personnel can help track the symptoms and decrease these effects. They may prescribe different medications temporarily to maintain withdrawal effects in check.

Addiction Treatment

After completing detoxification, patients will probably transition into some sort of treatment program or be referred to a rehabilitation center.   Rehabilitation programs are housed in inpatient, residential settings–meaning that the patient will live at the rehab center so that they is able to make the most of extreme treatment for dependence on lorazepam. Rehabilitation programs may last anywhere from 30 days to a year — depending on the severity of an addiction — and during the treatment period patients experience both individual counseling and group therapy, and are given the chance to attend continuing support groups associated with their addiction.

After rehab, patients have a choice between going into a sober-living facility and returning home. Sober-living facilities assist their residents to transition back into a life beyond treatment. They generally provide more freedoms than rehabilitation programs but will still need them to follow house rules and submit to random drug tests. These are sometimes called halfway houses because they provide the consistency and structure of rehabs with a few of the freedoms of home. These programs are great options for people without strong supports or a history of relapse.

If somebody chooses to skip sober-living, they could engage in different procedures of aftercare–such as outpatient mental health follow-up, alcohol and drug counseling, and community-based therapy while they acclimate to life back at home. Beneficial outpatient treatment will concentrate on:-

• Identifying factors resulting in abuse of lorazepam.
• Addressing underlying mental health issues–such as non-pharmacologic procedures of anxiety management.

Lorazepam Statistics

Lorazepam is among the most frequently abused drugs as it is so often prescribed for anxiety and related disorders. In actuality, lorazepam was the most often prescribed benzodiazepine following alprazolam (Xanax) in 2011 with nearly  28 million prescriptions written and dispensed. Here are a few additional  facts and data about lorazepam abuse:-LRB-*****)

• Research indicates that 12.9 percent of individuals who mostly abuse lorazepam also misuse another medication, and 82.1% of individuals who primarily abuse another medication also abuse lorazepam.
• Between 1998 and 2008, the number of hospitalizations associated with lorazepam and other benzodiazepines increased by 300 percent, while the number of total hospitalizations in the USA increased by just 11%.
• Nearly 350,000 ER visits were associated with benzodiazepine medications in 2010 signaling a sizable growth from 100,000 visits in 2002.
• Of the 350,000 ER visits in 2010, lorazepam was responsible for greater than 35,000.|

The likelihood of having a medical emergency while on lorazepam increases substantially if you combine it with other materials. Since alcohol and opioids have similarly gloomy effects, combined use may wind in overdose, coma, or death.