I think I'm addicted to Lorazepam

BubbaJack said:

I've been taking them for about 3 years now. I cut down to half a pill for a while and lately I've been biting a really small piece of the tablets, but I am having mad insomnia and brain zaps. Is this normal?

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Talk to a medical doctor

I've had a prescription for a year, but I try not to take then unless I have an anxiety attack.

BubbaJack said:

I've been taking them for about 3 years now. I cut down to half a pill for a while and lately I've been biting a really small piece of the tablets, but I am having mad insomnia and brain zaps. Is this normal?

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This is a highly addictive sedative medication called a benzodiazepine. It's effects the same part of the brain as alcohol. I can't say if you are addicted, only an evaluation can determine that. I do have some experience with addiction. Based on the small amount of information contained within your post, my instinct says this is difficult to determine. Mainly because one of the first signs of sddiction is the need for more and more to get the same effect. You seem to not be increasing your dose. However, the insomnia may indicate some physical dependence on the drug, at least as it relates to your ability to sleep. It would be a good idea to speak with the prescribing doctor about your symptom of insomnia when you don't take it. Some things to watch out for is, thinking about it excessively when you don't have it or watching the clock looking forward to taking it and increasing the dose when you take it. Those are sure signs of an addiction.

BubbaJack said:

I've been taking them for about 3 years now. I cut down to half a pill for a while and lately I've been biting a really small piece of the tablets, but I am having mad insomnia and brain zaps. Is this normal?

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If you take them continuously for three years, it can be hard to stop. The best thing is to talk to a doctor about getting onto a lower perscription, and finding other ways to deal with insomnia.

I take Zolpidem for insomnia but I save it for times I really need it.

BubbaJack said:

I've been taking them for about 3 years now. I cut down to half a pill for a while and lately I've been biting a really small piece of the tablets, but I am having mad insomnia and brain zaps. Is this normal?

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I don't think it is normal.

Is there anything that you have been doing different lately that could have brought on these other symptoms? Maybe try really hard to think about what is different, but do not be afraid to talk to a doctor, although if you complain they may start switching medication around which can be very difficult, coming off of old medications and beginning new ones.

I've been having mad insomnia, but I think my issue is caffine too late into the evening.

BubbaJack said:

I think I'm tolerant to it, so I wanted to get off and try something new. I don't find myself thinking about it, just noticing some insomnia and brain zaps, the latter not severe. But I read that withdrawals can be dangerous and can cause death. I don't care about the death part, but I don't want to wig out.

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If you do it under a doctor's care they know how to safely come off a medication. Yes, though, withdrawel symptoms can be very unpleasant so do it the right way and with your doctor.

I would also add I beleive that Lorazepham is a controlled substance because it is addicting, but if you are taking it through a doctor and following the doses recommended, than you are not abusing it.

Feel free to PM me. I take it also, but for anxiety.

BubbaJack said:

Nothing different.

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I would recommend meeting with your doctor and talking about medication. Then coming up with a plan to substitute something else for the Lorazepham. Coming off the Lorazepham safely and starting the new medication safely. It will probably take 3 -4 weeks at least they'll drop your dose gradually.

BubbaJack said:

I think I'm tolerant to it, so I wanted to get off and try something new. I don't find myself thinking about it, just noticing some insomnia and brain zaps, the latter not severe. But I read that withdrawals can be dangerous and can cause death. I don't care about the death part, but I don't want to wig out.

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You are not taking a very high dose so I wouldn't worry to much especially about death. The wigging out ot "Delirium Tremens" also are usually from detoxing from a higher dose. However you have been taking them for a long time and without a medically supervised detox there is a risk of seizure. Usually there are more problems when detoxing from a higher dose but like I said, the time you have been taking themis long enough that there are risks to stopping cold turkey.

BubbaJack said:

I think I'm tolerant to it, so I wanted to get off and try something new. I don't find myself thinking about it, just noticing some insomnia and brain zaps, the latter not severe. But I read that withdrawals can be dangerous and can cause death. I don't care about the death part, but I don't want to wig out.

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Study God's love for you would go along with the medicine well. Here is a website put out the scriptures about how God love you. Keep rooted in his deep love is all source of our well being including healing.

Home / Free Bible Studies / Self-Image / God’s Love for us

God’s Love for You, God’s Love for Me
Personal Bible study on God’s love for us
Doug Britton, MFT


I pray that you … may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Are you sure of God’s love for us — or God’s love for you?
(Note: This free online Bible study on God’s love for us is adapted from the Bible-based book Who Do You Think You Are?)

When counseling with people suffering from anxiety or depression, I often take them to one of my favorite passages in the Bible: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). I love this verse because it says why we can cast our anxiety on God — because he loves us. Imagine that! God, the creator of everything that exists, actually loves you and me.

Do you experience God’s love for us? Or do you sometimes think you are all alone in the world? Or that God doesn’t love you? If so, you are not alone. Multitudes of people today, Christians and non-Christians, have similar thoughts. This was also true when Paul was alive. Look at what he said when he prayed that the Ephesians would deeply know God’s love.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21)

The Ephesians did not fully grasp God’s love for us. If this is true of you too, prayerfully study the following Scriptures on God’s love for you. As you read, ask God to help you believe and accept the wonders of his mighty love for us.

Related: Bible studies to help you grow closer to God



Accept God’s love for us and the new life Jesus offers
Jesus offers each of us a walk with God and a fullness of life that is not possible without him. As he said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), and “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He also said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Jesus’ death, resurrection, and offer of eternal life is the greatest manifestation of God’s love for you.

Related: Bible study on conquering the fear of death and dying

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

If you have not been born again — that is, if you have not become a Christian — let me invite you to surrender yourself to him now, for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Give your life to God by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Let me invite you to read the following as a prayer:

Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, and I need your help. I confess I have sinned and failed you in many ways. I invite you to be my Savior and Lord, and I ask you to help me follow you the rest of my life. Thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and accepting me as your child.

Related: Bible study on salvation (or being “born again”)



Meditate on Bible verses about God’s love for you

Make it a project to grasp how much God loves you and how much he loves all of us. Read the following Bible verses slowly and prayerfully, and ask God to make his love real to you.

Write three of these verses on God’s love for youin your smartphone or write them on a piece of paper and carry it with you. Then read them from time to time, each time asking God to help you more fully understand his love for you. God created you to have fellowship with him. God loves you!

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7)

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. (Psalm 48:9)

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. (Psalm 52:8)

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:15)

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (John 15:9)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4-5)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)



Pray to know God’s love for us daily
In addition to meditating on the previous verses on God’s love for you, print the following prayer or copy it on a piece of paper, then read it as a prayer two or three times a day. (It is based on the prayer for the Ephesians about knowing God’s love for us that you read at the beginning of this study.) Read this and other scriptures on God’s love for you whenever you start to feel down.

I pray, Father, that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within me, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. [Adapted from Ephesians 3:16-21]

Keep praying this prayer until you grasp the reality and the wonder of knowing that God truly loves you.

Related: More Bible studies and verses on your self-image



Respond to God’s love for us
The greatest sacrifice someone can make for another person is to die for him or her. Jesus did that for you and for all of us so that we could fully know God’s love for us. Read this brief Bible study on becoming reconciled with God to better know God’s love for you. There’s nothing better than to bask in God’s love.

Related: Self-love — Does the Bible say I must love myself before I can love others?

why do you think so

BubbaJack said:

He doesn't like me.

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Once you learn how he love you personally, your life will be much easier.

BubbaJack said:

Mine is for sleep.

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I hear ya. When I take one before bed I sleep great, but I don't want to get hooked. My mom has a long history of taking and having adverse reactions to drugs that alter brain chemistry. My PCP wants me to take eacitalopram regularly for anxiety and I'm considering looking for new one based on that.

Seems normal for how long you've been taking them. Sounds like withdrawl which is common with benzos. I'd hold the taper right there until your body adjusted and/or see a doctor if you're really worried. All in all, brain zaps and insomnia seem common enough for psych drug withdrawl. A doctor might be able to make it more comfortable, might not. Depends what you want. Good luck.