Benzos What makes Ativan so viciously hard to withdraw from

[EscapeFromFreedom]

Over the years, I've taken very small amounts of the following BZD's

Bromazepam - 1 week's worth over 2 weeks (smallest dose)
Prazepam - 4 weeks (smallest dose)
Oxazepam - 30 or so pills in 4 years (5mg dose)
Xanax - 1 week of .25mg

No problems getting any off of these, except for Lorazepam which was longer term, on/off use

But Lorazepam was a beast of it's own. Maybe it was stress & circumstances, but even taking 0.5mg dosages occasionally, made it so difficult to just completely stop. Yes, it was more sedating than the others, but I don't consider it all that euphoric.
It wasn't even the best panic-attack stopper. It sure helped in that sense, and it made me feel calmer, but it wasn't a miracle of any sort.

I keep wondering about its pharmacology. Whatever its pharmacology and compounds, it seems like an unusually strong anti-convulsant. I almost feel like when those effects were wearing of, the body would tense up, as well as random bouts of dizziness and feelings of dread would make me take it again. Seems like the anxiolytic action, combined with the convulsive action and vestibular suppression is what made it so hard to just be done with it. Any thoughts........

I guess there are all these theories how its high binding affinity to GABAa1 is what triggers the reinforcement behavior, but I feel there's so much more to that.....

 

[truenamebrand]

It sounds to me like something unique to your body chemistry. Lorazepam is actually one of the weaker benzos. There have been a few times in the past where I was forced to take it in place of (at the time) my diazepam script, and it was almost worthless.

This may just be me, but I've found when I've taken large doses of lorazepam, it has an almost dirty feeling compared to all other benzos I've ever taken.

 

[Eryximachus]

I'm at 3 months since my last diazepam dose (1.25mg), and I've prolonged the pain with occasional etizolam doses and I'm down to occasional phenibut at sub gram doses. I was on diazepam for 1 year before I started a long taper through January.

It's been bad, don't get me wrong. But, I haven't really felt any addictive cravings. If anything, I realize now how much these drugs negatively affected my cognitive ability and decision-making, I have zero interest to ever touch them again. Benzos are nasty drugs. This past week is the first time in a while I feel as I am feeling more or less normal.

Before that, I had used lorazepam a few times for 2 weeks or so. All times were for coming off other drugs. It helped immensely, but I didn't feel any craving. Both those times coincided with a strong desire to stay off drugs for good, so maybe it's that.

 

[d1nach]

I never understood my addiction to benzos. Like when id take amphetamine id feel good. Therefore, id take it again.

But with xanax id take it then
1. Fall asleep
2. Forget
3. Feel depressed
4. Feel less stressed but tired
5. Feel a very small slight mood boost that seemed way bigger in my head

 

[Erikmen]

It sounds to me like something unique to your body chemistry. Lorazepam is actually one of the weaker benzos. There have been a few times in the past where I was forced to take it in place of (at the time) my diazepam script, and it was almost worthless.

This may just be me, but I've found when I've taken large doses of lorazepam, it has an almost dirty feeling compared to all other benzos I've ever taken.

I agree. I have been in places where Lorazepam was sold over the counter. Compared to Valium or Zanax it's really weak from my experience. If you managed to get off all of the others, I have a feeling that you'll do it rather easily with Lorazepam. It's not as physically into you like the others you've mentioned. Try it over again.

 

[Dresden]

Like all benzodiazepines, Ativan is a tool of the devil unless used no more than 3 times a year, at a low dose, and when you really freaking need some temporary anxiety relief, like for example when your rebellious 13 year old takes 1200 ug of family acid for the first time and freaks the fuck out.

 

[EscapeFromFreedom]

Like all benzodiazepines, Ativan is a tool of the devil unless used no more than 3 times a year, at a low dose, and when you really freaking need some temporary anxiety relief, like for example when your rebellious 13 year old takes 1200 ug of family acid for the first time and freaks the fuck out.

Yes, I totally agree with you. Once I taper it off, I am not taking them ever again. The length of time it takes to get off of long term use and the amount of pain and suffering is not worth any kind of temporary relief it actually gives. I've had a pre-existing history of anxiety and panic attacks, and they are probably the worst thing to take for it.

 

[treezy z]

they usually give this to me in ER/psych ward when I'm hyped up on PCP, works well to calm me down (2mg)

 

[SKR]

Ativan has been great for me, I alternate between it and Valium. I'm scripted 150 2.5 mg Ativan every 6 weeks, then I switch to Valium, this way they both work well. It is not a euphoric drug in my books either but it works great for panic for me, and I get suicidal inducing panic attacks due to PTSD. In my state (As in where I live in Australia) it is easier to get scripted than Alprazolam so Lorazepam it is. But I do find it has a less abuse potential due to the lack of euphoria compared to Xanax, but If I want Euphoria I just IV big doses of Methylamphetamine which is the only thing that gives me any euphoria these days. I require too large a dose of opiates for it to be safe with respect to respiratory depression...my fucking receptors down regulate so much that I am denied any euphoria from opiates...which sucks cos I suffer from chronic pain, however, Meth euphoria takes my mind off the pain for an hour or so which saves me from wanting to blow my brains out. Yay for me. Woe is me. Time for some Valium and coffee. Nothing like a sedative and some weights to start the day. Take care everyone. I don't but someone has to.

 

[DayDreamer69]

IV never been a heavy user of Benzos. Nor have I particularly cared for them. Look up Benzo withdrawl .. .. using H... Under heavvy use.. your looking at 14-30 days max.. Benzos.. 30-90 days.. Hell, ask Stevie Nick's.. "Worse than Cocaine times 100"