How to avoid getting addicted to ativan?

[Courtneykinns]

Ive had bad anxiety for 2 months, i went through it for 2 months with no medication. I finally cant do it anymore, i was prescribed, ativan 1mg to take every 8 hours or whenever needed. I usually only take .5 at night & it lasts me all night, my question is, can i take .5 every night? Or will i eventually get addicted & have withdrawals when i stop? Im really confused on how this works.

[Saldav]

You take it as needed and since it's only .5mg you shouldn't worry to much. I take 2mg of ativan as needed, sometimes even 3mg but thats when my anxiety is high. Do you take an AD too?

[Saldav]

In other words only take if you really feel you need it, if you feel sleepy try and just fall asleep without taking one.

[Courtneykinns]

You take it as needed and since it's only .5mg you shouldn't worry to much. I take 2mg of ativan as needed, sometimes even 3mg but thats when my anxiety is high. Do you take an AD too?

Do you have withdrawals when you dont take it? Or do you feel crappy?
& is .5 enough to have withdrawals?

[Saldav]

Do you have withdrawals when you dont take it? Or do you feel crappy?
& is .5 enough to have withdrawals?

No withdrawals I just take them when I really need them, they'll be times where I go weeks or months without taking one, but on my bad days I play around with my doses, for example my anxiety is worse in the morning I'll take one pill if I feel that one pill wasn't enough I'll wait 8 hrs and take 2 pills before bed, and next morning depending how high my anxiety is, and usually it shouldn't be that bad cause of the 2 pills I took before bed. So I'll just take one. I try and change it up so I know I'm not taking more than I should cause that's when addiction kicks in.

[Courtneykinns]

No withdrawals I just take them when I really need them, they'll be times where I go weeks or months without taking one, but on my bad days I play around with my doses, for example my anxiety is worse in the morning I'll take one pill if I feel that one pill wasn't enough I'll wait 8 hrs and take 2 pills before bed, and next morning depending how high my anxiety is, and usually it shouldn't be that bad cause of the 2 pills I took before bed. So I'll just take one. I try and change it up so I know I'm not taking more than I should cause that's when addiction kicks in.

Oh okay i get what you're saying! So if im doing .5 at night every other night for a week or two, i should not experience withdrawals?

[jamus75]

Courtney if you could find another daily option I would. Ativan is a controlled substance and wouldn't recommend it daily unless needed. I wish I never stated it daily sometimes. Feel it doesn't help that much but does help for attacks. Just not my daily anxiety as it doesn't last long enough. I'm currently looking into taking something else daily and keep the Ativan for attacks. 1mg is what I have now. Problem with it is it makes you drowsy so hard to be productive and take them daily unless u do so before bed like I do. They give me a peaceful relaxed sleep though.

[Courtneykinns]

Courtney if you could find another daily option I would. Ativan is a controlled substance and wouldn't recommend it daily unless needed. I wish I never stated it daily sometimes. Feel it doesn't help that much but does help for attacks. Just not my daily anxiety as it doesn't last long enough. I'm currently looking into taking something else daily and keep the Ativan for attacks. 1mg is what I have now. Problem with it is it makes you drowsy so hard to be productive and take them daily unless u do so before bed like I do. They give me a peaceful relaxed sleep though.

I do okay during the day, i more need it for night time. So i was thinking of doing .5 every night for about a week or two. But im really unsure.
Im trying to get into therapy but that hasnt happened yet & i have really bad anxiety at night, so thats usually when i need them. But ive heard all these horror stories about having really bad withdrawals & i dont want that. So im really unsure what to do

[a l i c i a]

I do okay during the day, i more need it for night time. So i was thinking of doing .5 every night for about a week or two. But im really unsure.
Im trying to get into therapy but that hasnt happened yet & i have really bad anxiety at night, so thats usually when i need them. But ive heard all these horror stories about having really bad withdrawals & i dont want that. So im really unsure what to do

I'm the same way. My anxiety is horrible at night. I took .5mg for about two weeks and now I've gone about a week without them and I feel fine.

[trinidiva]

Really great advice from forwells. Also, at least for me, exercise really helps. You are so tired by the end of your workout, you will sleep well. I usually work out, shower, drink a cup of camomile tea, and I will usually have a very good night. Exercise doesn't always have to be in the gym or running on the treadmill....if you have something like Wii, they have good dance games that will give you a good workout....be creative.
Ativan is good if you are having a serious panic attack.....but although I have a prescription for generic xanax, I really try to limit taking it unless I am having a really bad panic attack.

[nf1234]

When I was first prescribed Klonapin, basically the same drug, I took it the first 3 nights in a row and then about 3-4 nights a week. I did this for a few months and never got addicted to them. I find that when I take before bed I sleep well and wake up with a calm feeling that last some of the next day. You doctor or a pharmacist should be able to tell you more but my doctor told me I would be fine taking mine 3-4 nights a week. I rarely take them anymore.

[Courtneykinns]

I really dont want to buy into the drug debate other than to say watch taking too many .

What i would like to say is that i am surprised at the number of people here that are just waiting to get into therapy . Dont wait start yourself .

Do your research , read the stickies .

The only thing your therapist is going to do is take history and teach you about anxiety and how to relax and reduce it . This is all good but there really is no reason in todays world of massive information on the web that you cant start this yourself

Ive tried all the internet stuff, it just doesnt work for me. If it was really that easy i feel like a lot of people wouldnt be dealing with the anxiety problems they have. It helps for some people, but its more complicated for others.

[a l i c i a]

Ive tried all the internet stuff, it just doesnt work for me. If it was really that easy i feel like a lot of people wouldnt be dealing with the anxiety problems they have. It helps for some people, but its more complicated for others.

I agree. I've had panic disorder for 18 years. I've educated myself about it but I'm still just as anxious and panicky as I was all those years ago.

Courtney, have you tried EMDR? I started doing it with my psychologist not that long ago and it really helps me. You should look into it!

[Courtneykinns]

So are you saying that you have read every single page on anxiety on the Net ?

Obviously not everything.
Sorry but im not gonna sit & waste my time on looking for stuff to "relax" on the web.
Ive tried it before & its not working for me.
Just because it works for you, doesnt mean its for everyone.

[jamus75]

Courtney there is no quick and easy fix. Believe me I wish there was. You have to try different things and see what works for you. So far I have found nothing works for me except telling myself NO. I'm not gonna panic over this. It works on some and can stop some from happening. Maybe 50% of the time. About 15 minutes ago I had a skipped heart beat that I haven't had for a while. I felt a thump in my chest. In the past they have sparked panic attacks. This one I recognized it and said its no big deal and its not gonna hurt me. Worked.

[Saldav]

Courtney there is no quick and easy fix. Believe me I wish there was. You have to try different things and see what works for you. So far I have found nothing works for me except telling myself NO. I'm not gonna panic over this. It works on some and can stop some from happening. Maybe 50% of the time. About 15 minutes ago I had a skipped heart beat that I haven't had for a while. I felt a thump in my chest. In the past they have sparked panic attacks. This one I recognized it and said its no big deal and its not gonna hurt me. Worked.

Haha that's the same shit I do, it's Like you realize what's going to happen if you let it progress. So you just put a stop to it, simply because we've been there so many times. The mind is so tricky it tricks itself.