Anxiety symptoms can be very debilitating, but you can overcome them. Ativan is a helpful medication that helps one manage anxiety symptoms.
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Anxiety disorders affect millions of people every year. While anxiety is a normal part of life, those who struggle with anxiety disorders deal with symptoms that are more intense and last for a longer time. Anxiety can be debilitating to someone’s life, but it can be treated. Taking Ativan for anxiety can be a good short-term treatment option while working on a long-term anxiety management plan.
Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress. Anxiety is common when you have a feeling of fear, apprehension, or nervousness. While anxiety can be a normal part of everyday life, some people may struggle with severe, long-lasting anxiety that can interfere with their daily functioning. Forms of anxiety that are more intense and long-lasting are known as anxiety disorders.1
Anxiety disorders can be very debilitating and can negatively affect someone’s life in many ways. If left untreated, the symptoms of anxiety can continuously worsen. However, anxiety can be successfully treated, and you can learn to cope with the symptoms to live a normal and healthy life.
It is not always easy to tell if someone is fighting with anxiety. There is a stigma that surrounds mental health issues that might make someone want to cover up the fact that they are struggling. However, if you think you or someone you know may have an anxiety disorder, there are some signs you can look for. Common signs of anxiety disorders include:
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If you are trying to determine if you or someone you care about may be struggling with anxiety, you can look for some of the common symptoms of anxiety. Common anxiety symptoms include:2
There are certain risks associated with prolonged anxiety without proper treatment and support. These risks can lead to many long-term health issues that can negatively affect someone’s life in many ways. Common risks associated with anxiety include:
When someone struggles with anxiety, there are some common types that someone is likely to struggle with.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive worry or fear about everyday life events for no obvious reason. People with GAD symptoms will tend to worry frequently about ongoing daily activities. These intense worries may seem irrational or irrelevant to others from the outside looking in.3
Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder that causes fear in social settings. People with social anxiety disorder have trouble talking to people, meeting new people, and going to social events. It often stems from a fear of being judged or scrutinized by others.
People who have high functioning anxiety will experience many of the common symptoms of anxiety but may not appear to struggle with anxiety in social settings, at work, or in other aspects of their lives. Since those who struggle with high functioning anxiety may appear to be doing well in everyday circumstances, their anxiety may go undiagnosed or unrecognized by others in their lives.
Ativan is a benzodiazepine drug used to treat anxiety. Ativan for anxiety works by affecting the brain and central nervous system to produce a sedative effect. The calming sedative effects that the drug has are what make Ativan for anxiety an effective treatment method.4
The anxiety medication Ativan may also be referred to by the generic name lorazepam. If you take the generic version of lorazepam, you will receive the same anti-anxiety effects as taking the brand–name version of the drug.
The duration that Ativan anti-anxiety medication will last will vary depending on the individual, the type of Ativan taken, and the dosage. Ativan can be taken as a pill, a liquid concentrate, or by injection.
With the tablet or liquid form of Ativan, the effects are usually seen within two hours and will last for twelve to twenty-four hours. In the injection form, Ativan will take effect much quicker (in about fifteen to thirty minutes) and last approximately the same amount of time.5
Like any medication, there may be some side effects that occur when taking Ativan for anxiety. Ativan side effects may include:
If any of these Ativan side effects last for a long time or become worse, you should talk to your doctor about adjusting the dosage or stopping the medication.6
While Ativan is usually used as an anxiety medication, it can also have different uses.
Ativan is FDA-approved for managing anxiety disorders and short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. Ativan may also be used to treat anxiety that is associated with depressive symptoms. Generally, those who need to take Ativan for anxiety struggle with symptoms that range from moderate to severe.
Ativan for anxiety should only be taken for short-term anxiety relief while you work with a medical professional on a long-term anxiety treatment plan.
Ativan for anxiety should not be used for long-term anxiety treatment or the treatment of everyday anxiety symptoms. Use of this drug should only be for those with moderate to severe symptoms where other medications or treatment options haven’t been effective.
Ativan may also be prescribed for some off label uses. Ativan is sometimes used as a short-term treatment for the symptoms of vertigo. Treatment of vertigo with Ativan should only be for short-term management of symptoms and when other medications have not been effective.
When someone takes Ativan anxiety pills or the liquid concentrate form, they will usually begin experiencing the effects within two hours of the first dose. The Ativan injection form will take effect on the body much quicker, in about fifteen to thirty minutes.
Ativan has a relatively long half-life of about twelve hours, so it stays in the body for a longer duration of time. This half-life means that you may not feel Ativan’s full anti-anxiety effects until you have taken the drug for a week or longer.
When taking Ativan for anxiety, your prescribed dosage will depend on the individual and form of the substance being taken. Ativan for anxiety is usually prescribed in 0.5, 1, or 2mg doses that would be taken two to four times a day depending on individual factors and the severity of a person’s anxiety.7
Drug interactions may change how effective Ativan is for anxiety treatment or may increase the risk of serious side effects. You should talk to your doctor about all medications you are taking before taking Ativan.
Since many people struggle with both depression and anxiety simultaneously, they may take SSRI inhibitors that are used as antidepressants. Some antidepressants can have an interaction with Ativan.
Common antidepressants that are known to have an interaction with Ativan are Zoloft, Cymbalta, and Lexapro. Taking Ativan with any of these antidepressants can lead to adverse effects. If you are taking these medications or any other antidepressants, consult with your doctor before taking Ativan.8
Ativan may have an interaction with stimulants such as Adderall. Ativan is a sedative medication that has calming effects. If it is taken with stimulants such as Adderall, the effects of both drugs can offset one another and lead to both being less effective.
Taking central nervous system depressants such as lorazepam or diazepam with opioids can lead to adverse effects. The combination of benzodiazepine medications and opioids can increase the central nervous system depressant effects and lead to severe dizziness, confusion, and drowsiness.
Sedative hypnotic drugs slow down the activity in the brain. When sedative hypnotics are taken with a depressant like Ativan, it can lead to adverse effects due to heavy sedation.
Ativan and alcohol can be a dangerous combination. Both substances are depressants and when taken together it can heighten the depressive effects of both substances. This combination can lead to dangerous consequences that may even be deadly by severely slowing the central nervous system, heart rate, and breathing.
Anxiety can have many negative effects on someone’s life, but you don’t have to go through it alone. If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, there are many treatment options available.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven to be effective for the treatment of anxiety disorders. CBT helps patients analyze how their thoughts affect their behaviors and emotions.
By analyzing thinking patterns, patients can begin to get an idea of what thoughts or situations are triggering anxiety. Once patients recognize these situations that trigger anxiety, they can begin to develop coping mechanisms to deal with the everyday stresses of life in healthy ways.
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