Long-Term Effects of Ativan

Ativan is a sedative prescribed predominantly to treat anxiety. Ativan is also used less commonly to treat insomnia as well as to help minimize the symptoms associated with severe alcohol withdrawal. It is also prescribed to help with the vomiting that often accompanies chemotherapy. Ativan is intended for short-term use not to exceed four months in duration, in large part due to long-term effects that come with extended use.

Withdrawal Symptoms

• Often sold under the generic name lorazepam, Ativan patients have been known to experience physical withdrawal symptoms when using Ativan for more than four months. Symptoms include insomnia, ringing ears, tremors, sweats and nausea. While the effects are not considered dangerous, it is still recommended that Ativan should be gradually decreased rather than stopped cold turkey.

Tolerance

• The class of medications known as benzodiazepines, of which Ativan is one, usually cause a person to feel sleepy and uncoordinated at first. After a while, however, your body will become accustomed to these side effects and you should benefit from taking this medication. The problem with Ativan and other benzodiazepines is that if used after the recommended length of time, your body will develop a tolerance for it. This means you must take larger doses to achieve the same results you got once your body got used to the initial side effects, and to achieve the success you were looking for when your doctor originally prescribed it.

Psychological Dependence

• Ativan has a high potential for addiction according to Narconon Drug Rehab and Addiction Treatment Center in Southern California. This means that in addition to tolerance and physical addiction, there is a high risk for psychological dependence. Ativan is easy to become addicted to because, as Narconon explains, it activates your brain's reward system in order to give you a feeling of well-being. The drug achieves this success by chemically altering your brain's normal functioning, which after an extended period of time can make your brain crave the drug to continue receiving a reward.

Effects on the Brain

• Like other depressants that work on the body's central nervous system, Ativan works by slowing down the activity in your brain. If you take them for a long period of time and then stop taking them, brain activity can respond by racing out of control. Consequences of this include seizures.

Potential for Overdose

• Because Ativan is known to have the potential for psychological and physical dependence when taken for longer than its intended four-month period, overdosing is more likely since patients develop a tolerance and must take more to feel its effects. The dangers of overdosing on Ativan cannot be overstated. Symptoms of overdosing include drowsiness, difficulty breathing and stupor. Patients have even been known to fall into a coma from Ativan overdose. These symptoms are much more likely if the Ativan is taken in conjunction with alcohol or other drugs.