How many times a week do you take it? I've read that physical dependence may develop after 2 or more weeks of daily use. I always figured if you only took it about 3 times a week you'd be OK.Danny, everyone is different. I also take 0.5 mg when I take it, and 1.0 mg if I really need to. I never felt addicted and recently I simply stopped taking it for a week with no ill effects. But that's me. Unfortunately when I'm having a HA episode, Ativan does nothing for me. Nothing other than let me sleep if I take a 1 mg. That must be the reason why I've never become dependent on it, since when I need it most, it doesn't help me.
I don't know the statistics, but I imagine the risk of addiction depends heavily on risk factors. Family history (especially a first degree relative), personal history of addiction, etc. I'd assume the addiction numbers are higher for those people.I read that only a relatively small percentage of people become dependant, of course the more you take the more likely you will be. For a while I took the 0.5 every day. I usually take it 3-4 times a week now.
Lorazepam is Ativan actually.Have any of you taking Ativan lorazepam or diazepam I take Ativan very sparingly only half a milligram at a time only and extremely high anxiety situations But I’m always scared to take more have any of you been on for a regular period of time
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theres ALWAYS going to be a friend, friend of a friend, etc. who has had a bad experience with some type of medication. The question is, does it work for each person? No, it won’t, however, it gave me a life again. I have withdrawn off of it, and it’s terrible. Very few people (psychiatrists included) know how to properly wean from benzodiazepines, and THAT is usually the problem that people have.I have a friend from high school who said klonipin messed him up and it was really hard to withdraw from. There's also that famous case of the singer Stevie Nicks who hated Klonipin. I wouldn't use it unless I had tried everything else first. I tried Valium but I didn't think it worked that well. It just made me sleepy.
And there's always going to be people who have a good experience with something that many others have bad experiences with. Cochrane says this;theres ALWAYS going to be a friend, friend of a friend, etc. who has had a bad experience with some type of medication. The question is, does it work for each person? No, it won’t, however, it gave me a life again. I have withdrawn off of it, and it’s terrible. Very few people (psychiatrists included) know how to properly wean from benzodiazepines, and THAT is usually the problem that people have.
when did I suggest that it should be a first alternative? Why don’t you google the long term effects of SSRIs?And there's always going to be people who have a good experience with something that many others have bad experiences with. Cochrane says this;
"Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed for long-term use despite recommendations of only short-term use. "
BJMP says this:
"Although prescriptions of benzodiazepines have declined substantially since 1988, there is an ongoing challenge within all sectors of the NHS to prevent benzodiazepine dependence. This can be achieved by adhering to official recommendations to limit prescriptions to 2-4 weeks, or for brief courses or occasional usage. "
And this study didn't say long term benzo use was supported by evidence:
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Benzodiazepines I: Upping the Care on Downers: The Evidence of Risks, Benefits and Alternatives
Benzodiazepines are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. These sedative-hypnotics can provide rapid relief for symptoms like anxiety and insomnia, but are also linked to a variety of adverse effects (whether used long-term, short-term, ...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"Due to the lack of evidence of efficacy and presence of evidence of many risks, BZD prescription is only recommended in severe, disabling anxiety or insomnia. Until questions about long-term BZD use are satisfactorily addressed, “the wise prescriber will limit his prescriptions in number to patients who are severely anxious or insomniac; in dosage to the lowest effective; and in duration to a few weeks rather than months or years” "
I'm glad it works for you. I'm just telling people that I think they should try all other alternatives first.