Benzos Lorazepam/Gaba/Alcohol

[coolestguyrl]

So about 2 years ago, I didn’t really understand the dangers of combining ativan with alcohol. I’m really happy i’m still alive now.
in 2017/2018 I would take 1.5 mg ativan and in 2018 i started drinking heavily on it.
It wasn’t everyday, just during work as i work in entertainment.
i definitely blacked out a few times, found myself in dangerous situations, but after realizing the combo was the cause, i just took ativan alone.
i took no ativan during covid (since i couldn’t work) but i’m back at work now and just take .5 mg of ativan 3x a week before my shifts for anxiety, however it’s not uncommon i’ll have a 1-5 shots with coworkers or a seltzer on a less social night.
with that amount i’ve never blacked out and i’ve been fully coherent, but i still really really worry, so how dangerous is this?
i also have gabapentin which i’ve taken 200 mg for anxiety for, but i’ve never drank on it. is this a safer alternative? i’m just in a place where i don’t wanna give up my lorazepam for anxiety or my alcohol for recreational, but the worry of something bad happening has gotten to me after an appointment w my therapist lol. any thoughts?

 

[negrogesic]

Depending on your alcohol tolerance, light to perhaps somewhat moderate drinking isn't particularly dangerous on that dose of lorazepam. But if you are driving on the combination you should rethink it.

 

[n0thanks]

what you're describing is not dangerous, it's pretty mild even for no tolerance. Don't push it.

I don't want to encourage bad behavior, but the danger zone is higher than you'd think, doesn't mean you want to find it. You're not close.

Try buspirone for existential, "what the fuck is the point of all this?" anxiety. Aside from occasional brain zaps, it's mild and very effective. It just isn't prescribed as much as it should be. Benzos kill acute anxiety and panic, buspirone helps with more general dread.

 

[simstim]

what you're describing is not dangerous, it's pretty mild even for no tolerance. Don't push it.

I don't want to encourage bad behavior, but the danger zone is higher than you'd think, doesn't mean you want to find it. You're not close.

Try buspirone for existential, "what the fuck is the point of all this?" anxiety. Aside from occasional brain zaps, it's mild and very effective. It just isn't prescribed as much as it should be. Benzos kill acute anxiety and panic, buspirone helps with more general dread.

I dunno about where you live but here it's much easier to get a buspirone script than benzos for anxiety. It's not a controlled substance.

 

[n0thanks]

I dunno about where you live but here it's much easier to get a buspirone script than benzos for anxiety. It's not a controlled substance.

it's super easy to get but it was nearly a decade before I even had a psych bring it up. No abuse potential or withdrawal for me.