do we think im going to have ativan detox??

First off, are you okay? second off, if you have taken a med for a week and typically don't take it for 3-4 days, then it makes sense that you are relying on it so much

I am okay (i think 😭) thank you for asking! Probably wont know the extent of the 9 days damage until tomorrow when i attempt to stop again. Just want to be off of it entirely

It's going to be okay, i promise

It’s a very insidious drug and doesn’t always like to cooperate with our plan to stop. I remember when I first started taking this drug, I could take it on and off without any problems and I even stopped taking them for a while but before I knew it I started feeling physically ill and I wasn’t even sure what was causing it until one day I took an Ativan and everything went away, I should have stayed off them but I just couldn’t cope anymore…that was over twenty years ago. My advice to you is start now with your withdrawal, you’re in a good place to begin a slow taper, you mentioned that your dose is 0.5 mg. so I would recommend cutting it down to 0.25 mg and adjust to this for perhaps 4 weeks or more depending on how you feel, the main thing is to go very slow to avoid relapse. There’s also lots of good info online that can be very useful. I think that you have a good chance to get off them and perhaps if needed ask your doctor to give you something else that’s not addictive to help you cope if needed, best wishes for your recovery.

@jebz88 First, I'd like to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see you have already received support that you've found helpful. I understand the struggle with anxiety and trying to figure out what works best.

While I mostly understand how benzodiazepine medication such as Ativan works I can only comment on my own experience. As @frouke commented, this class of medications is insidious. You are very wise to be concerned with tapering off and how to do that. For now, and from what you've written the anxiety and panic attacks you experience ramp up at times. I went through that same scenario when I first experienced panic attacks. This was over 30 years ago and I worked with a psychiatrist who helped me find an antidepressant (desipramine but there are better antidepressant medications with fewer side effects now available) medication that worked to bring down the anxiety and the depression I was feeling so I could better cope. Since I took the antidepressant daily I didn't have to "react" and worry about panic attacks. I learned coping skills for when I did feel anxious.

Are you already taking antidepressant medication that works for depression and panic attacks? There are many medications that your doctor can try with you to see what works best. It takes patience on your part to go this route as it takes time to get to the dosage level that works best for you and for your body to adjust.

Here is information from Mayo Clinic:

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI):

--https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/snris/art-20044970

Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors:

-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825

There are other medications too that are not in the above classes that work for anxiety and depression.

Are you seeing a mental health therapist who can help you develop coping skills and help you with the stress you are experiencing?

Naturegirl,

I would have to agree with you. I also struggle with the same thing. I have also struggled with anxiety for about 3-4 years now.

to answer any questions, no I am not.

Thank you so much for your suggestions and input! So i did do some research on the ashtons manual after yesterday’s experience. I was convinced my body had entered fullblown withdrawls because the panic was so intense and it was somehow coupled with this dark sense of impending doom and depression which i dont typically suffer from. Not sure if it was withdrawals or rebound anxiety or what?! That was 25 hours ago. I havent used anything since and my plan is not too. I have had minor bouts of anxiety throughout the day but been able to redirect my thinking thus far. Made it to the gym this morning which i imagine can only help throughout this process— i go 5-6 times a week and will be CRUSHED if physical symptoms from stopping this crap deter me from making it. My thought process behind not tapering is that i wasnt a daily user (albeit the past 9 days) .. and given the low dose i was hoping i could get away with just stopping. Am i crazy for thinking this is possible? Im open to cutting in half and tapering if absolutely necessary but havent felt that necessity today (yet) fingers crossed

@ginnysnow

You wrote: "to answer any questions, no I am not."

Are you referring to the questions I wrote to @jebz88? I don't understand. To answer which questions? And no, you are not what? Seeing a mental health therapist?

Thank you for your input and suggestions! I am not on a daily med and my overall goal is to stop this and not start anything new in the process. I dont want to rely on a med to feel “normal”. Im not totally against it but want to try this approach first - get a therapist and continue using the gym and implement meditations more and see if that can get me back to my baseline. Prior to this medication i would go through phases of panic attacks that could occur on and off for days — sometimes up to a week. BUT these periods would only happen a handful of times a year— 2 or 3 max. I definitely have social anxiety and my bodies fight or flight/ adrenaline seems screwed up at times - but with that being said i feel this med has become a crutch and is being used for some its intended purpose of panic attacks but also being used for general anxiety and stressors. Which was never the plan. I dont like the feeling of relying on meds for internal peace if that makes sense? Sorry for the long winded answer 😂 i will definitely be seeking a therapist for coping mechanisms. Thank you!!!

I can relate to what you’re saying, you can try it out and see if you can cope, I agree that it’s been a very short time that you have taken them and not on a regular basis. If you do feel uncomfortable then you can get something mild to help you through it, only you can really determine what to do because it’s your body, also it takes Ativan two weeks of consistent usage to get dependent on them and you didn’t take them every day, best wishes and good luck.