There’s a brand new crew of characters in HBO’s hit collection The White Lotus, however persons are already obsessing over one particularly: Victoria Ratliff. On the present, we see the rich and often anxious Victoria, performed by actor Parker Posey, present as much as the resort with an enormous tablet container of lorazepam, a drugs she name-checks and pops like sweet all through the present.
Victoria makes use of lorazepam to assist her sleep and even takes the medicine earlier than having what must be a calming therapeutic massage. However Victoria can be seen mixing the prescription drug with wine at dinner, inflicting her to closely slur her speech—and even go to sleep on the desk—elevating a whole lot of questions on what lorazepam is, what it’s meant for, and how you can take it safely.
When you suspect that lorazepam isn’t designed for use this manner, you’re on to one thing, Thea Gallagher, PsyD, scientific affiliate professor at NYU Langone Well being and cohost of the Thoughts in View podcast, tells SELF. “Victoria just isn’t utilizing this medicine the best way a prescriber would need you to make use of it,” Dr. Gallagher says. So what really is that this drug and what’s the suitable means to make use of it? We requested medical doctors to clarify.
What’s lorazepam?
Lorazepam, often higher identified for its model identify, Ativan, is a prescription medicine that’s used to deal with anxiousness problems. It’s in a category of medicines known as benzodiazepines, which act as sedatives and hypnotics, in response to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Fellow drugs inside this group embrace Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin.
Lorazepam interacts with an space within the mind known as the GABAA channel, which slows exercise within the mind and helps individuals loosen up, Jamie Alan, PhD, an affiliate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State College, tells SELF. “This exercise can lead to muscle leisure, sedation, and a lower in seizure exercise,” she says. “It could possibly additionally promote sleep.”
In contrast to drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, that are used long-term to deal with anxiousness problems and melancholy, lorazepam is designed to be taken on-demand and goes to work inside a couple of minutes.
Okay, so what’s lorazepam used for?
Victoria’s habits means that lorazepam can be utilized for absolutely anything, however medical doctors say it has a particular objective. “Lorazepam is mostly utilized in very short-term conditions for remedy of issues like anxiousness, panic assaults, and alcohol withdrawal,” Ryan Marino, MD, an assistant professor within the departments of emergency medication and psychiatry at Case Western Reserve College Faculty of Medication, tells SELF. It can be used to deal with insomnia that’s associated to anxiousness or momentary stressors.
However short-term is the important thing half right here, with the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) recommending that lorazepam solely be prescribed for durations of two to 4 weeks.
“It’s not one thing that you have to be persistently on, for all times,” Dr. Gallagher says. She lists attainable situations for utilizing this drug, like serving to somebody with extreme flying anxiousness get on a airplane, or an individual with a dental phobia really feel snug sufficient to undergo a tooth cleansing. “It’s supposed for use for conditions while you’re feeling particularly anxious and activated as a ‘bridge’ medicine that can assist you handle that,” she says. As soon as that acute, anxiety-provoking state of affairs ends, so ought to your use of the drug.
What are lorazepam’s negative effects?
Lorazepam may be actually useful in sure situations, nevertheless it’s meant for use short-term as a result of it does include the danger of a handful of negative effects. Everybody reacts to lorazepam barely in a different way in response to Dr. Marino. Whereas greater doses are inclined to have extra of an affect, even low doses could cause a variety of results, from serving to individuals really feel relaxed to creating them belligerent, he says.