Lorazepam Detox Centers
Lorazepam, better known by its brand name Ativan, is a benzodiazepine used to relieve anxiety. While it can be taken safely when prescribed by a doctor, lorazepam is often abused for its ability to create an intense high when taken in large doses. Those who use or abuse the drug for more than a few weeks are also likely to experience withdrawal if they suddenly stop taking the drug.
Call 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?) now to find a detox center where you can safely withdraw from lorazepam and begin your recovery from the use or abuse of this intense and often dangerous medication.
How Lorazepam Detox Works
Lorazepam detox works by using medications to minimize the symptoms commonly caused during withdrawal. Then, if the individual requires addiction treatment as a follow-up, they will often receive help making the transition from detox to rehab. According to the National Library of Medicine, individuals who begin taking this drug as a treatment for anxiety are urged not to stop taking it suddenly. This is why the medication itself is usually tapered during withdrawal. However, other treatment options may be utilized during this program as well.
Lorazepam Withdrawal
Withdrawal from lorazepam can be a dangerous syndrome, and some of the symptoms can even be deadly. According to the medical journal Addiction, the common symptoms include:
- Sleep disturbance
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Hand tremor
- Sweating
- Difficulty concentrating
- Nausea
- Some weight loss
- Palpitations
- Headache
- Muscular pain
Paranoia, hallucinations, and a full-blown psychosis are also possible effects of lorazepam withdrawal. Some individuals experience seizures as well, and while there is no surefire way to predict if someone will or will not experience this symptom, it is more likely to occur in those who were using the drug as a treatment medication for seizures.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the severity of one’s benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms is often “dependent on the dose, duration of use, and drug used,” but unfortunately, one’s symptoms could worsen at any time without warning. This is why the proper treatment is so necessary during lorazepam detox.
Symptoms of Lorazepam Withdrawal Treated in Lorazepam Detox
In a detox center, most patients are slowly weaned off lorazepam or another benzodiazepine in order to minimize their symptoms across the board. However, other options are utilized as well to treat different symptoms as they appear.
- Antidepressants are often used during lorazepam detox. Many individuals experience severe depressive symptoms during this time, and it is important that antidepressants are not withheld, even if these symptoms are a temporary product of one’s withdrawal syndrome.
- Anti-psychotics may need to be used if an individual is suffering from severe psychotic symptoms. These will usually begin to subside after the individual has been in treatment for several days, but it is important that they receive medication when necessary, as well as treatment in a calm, dark room that provides little stimulation and, therefore, little that could intensify their symptoms.
- Behavioral therapy can also be used during lorazepam detox as a treatment for either of the issues listed above as well as for anxiety, panic attacks, and other psychological symptoms. While this option helps patients view their withdrawal symptoms in a new way and learn to cope with them, it also prepares them for addiction treatment, which is often necessary for those who have been abusing this medication.
Is It Safe to Detox at Home?
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be dangerous as well as unpredictable. It is difficult to know for certain if one’s symptoms will intensify and whether or not psychosis, seizures, and/or other symptoms will surface during detox. In addition, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior states that many individuals who become addicted to these drugs often suffer from an additional comorbid disorder that will cause them to require more intensive treatment. Therefore, it is unsafe to consider going through detox at home and especially without some sort of professional help.
How Long Will Lorazepam Detox Take?
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines should take at least a week or two if not longer. If your withdrawal is complicated, you are more likely to require a longer treatment program. However, it is difficult to state with certainty how long any one patient’s detox program will last, especially before a consultation and thorough examination has been completed.
Help Me Find a Lorazepam Detox Center
We can help you find a lorazepam detox center that will allow you to recover from your withdrawal symptoms and transition into addiction treatment. Call 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?) today.