Ativan Addiction
Ativan is the
brand name for Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety agent. Ativan is a benzodiazepine and
mild tranquilizer, sedative, and central nervous system (CNS) depressant.
Ativan is very addictive. Ativan can cause psychological and physical
addiction. Individuals develop an addiction to Ativan because it produces
feelings of well-being. Once an individual has developed an addiction to Ativan
they will often get multiple prescriptions from different doctors to support
their addiction. Ativan activates the brain's reward systems. The promise of
reward is very intense, causing the individual to crave more Ativan and to
focus his or her activities around taking the drug. The ability of Ativan to
strongly activate brain reward mechanisms and its ability to chemically alter
the normal functioning of these systems is what produces an addiction to
Ativan. Ativan also reduce a person's level of consciousness, harming the
ability to think or be fully aware of present surroundings.
Withdrawal symptoms, similar
in character to those noted with barbiturates and alcohol have occurred
following abrupt discontinuance of Ativan. The more severe withdrawal symptoms
have usually been limited to those patients who received excessive doses over
an extended period of time.
Ativan Withdrawal symptoms
include but are not limited to:
" insomnia
" ringing in the
ears
" shaking
"
tremors
"
sweating
" nausea
"
convulsions
" abdominal and muscle
cramps
" vomiting