What You Need To Know About Lorazepam and the Dangers of Alcohol

In the third season of The White Lotus, Victoria Ratliff (played by actor Parker Posey) shows up at a Thailand resort with an alarming amount of lorazepam. She touts it as a miracle drug, taking it several times throughout the day. It seems to help her sleep, relax her nerves and calm her down whenever she’s confronted by a minor inconvenience.

But when she starts mixing the prescription medication with wine over dinner — and promptly passes out at the table — the audience is clued in that she may have a dependence on the drug and may not be using it safely. And the audience is right.

Lorazepam (Ativan®) is a fast-acting anti-anxiety medication that belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. It helps settle your nervous system and slows down brain activity to help you get through short-term situations like panic attacks, high-stress situations and whenever extreme anxiety strikes.

That means it shouldn’t be used recreationally or even long term. And you should never use it with alcohol.

Psychiatrist Hannah Snyder, MD, explains why you should avoid alcohol while taking lorazepam and how it should be used in short-term scenarios.

Dangers of mixing lorazepam and alcohol

You should never drink alcohol while taking lorazepam, despite what you may see on The White Lotus. Both alcohol and lorazepam have sedative and hypnotic effects. When you combine the two together, their effects become overpowering. Such a dangerous combination can lead to more severe side effects and life-threatening complications like:

• Slurred speech
• Lack of coordination
• Memory problems
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Fainting or lack of consciousness
• Difficulty waking up
• Shortness of breath
• Respiratory depression
• Death

Drinking alcohol while taking lorazepam can be life-threatening. If you have a lorazepam prescription, talk to your healthcare provider first before drinking alcohol, and avoid drinking for at least 48 hours after taking lorazepam.

“Alcohol increases many of the effects of benzodiazepines, and this can lead to worsened sedation, balance, reaction time and motor coordination,” clarifies Dr. Snyder.

“As a result, people who use benzodiazepines with alcohol are more likely to fall or be involved in motor vehicle accidents. People who use both substances are also more likely to experience mild to complete amnesia (blackouts) for events that occur while under the influence.”

If you’re feeling confused, uncoordinated or short of breath, you should seek emergency medical care. If you’re around someone who has used alcohol or benzodiazepines and you observe these signs — or if they’re difficult or impossible to wake up — call emergency services, too.

Long-term complications of lorazepam

Lorazepam is usually prescribed in short-term increments and isn’t recommended for long-term use. For starters, taking lorazepam long term can result in medication dependence and addiction. You can also end up experiencing symptoms of withdrawal, like tremors or panic attacks if you don’t wean yourself off the medication under medical guidance.

Additionally, long-term use of lorazepam can result in more severe and longer-lasting side effects and conditions. A 2024 study identified 174,145 reports linking lorazepam to nearly 1 million adverse events, including:

• Delirium
• Suicidal ideation and self-harm
• Abnormal fat metabolism and obesity
• Immunosuppression-related disorders like pemphigus
• Aspiration pneumonia
• Increased heart rate
• Pericarditis (inflammation of the area surrounding your heart)
• Cardiac impairment

If you experience any new or concerning symptoms and you’ve been taking lorazepam for more than a few weeks, talk to your healthcare provider. They may be able to provide a different medication that doesn’t run the same risks associated with long-term use of lorazepam.

Other common side effects

“Lorazepam can be a safe and helpful medication when used as directed and as part of a comprehensive treatment plan,” states Dr. Snyder. “Reach out to your doctor if you have any side effects, especially if they are new or worsening.”

Lorazepam affects everyone in different ways. But some of the more common side effects that can occur include:

• Drowsiness
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Euphoria
• Changes in appetite

How to take lorazepam safely

Despite its misuse in popular television satire, there are some benefits to taking the medication based on your healthcare provider’s recommendations.

Lorazepam is designed to help you think clearly during times of stress and help ease the physical symptoms of anxiety. You shouldn’t take lorazepam unless directed by a healthcare provider, and it may even be useful to find a therapist or consider cognitive behavioral therapy as part of your treatment plan with a psychiatrist. They’ll be able to help you determine when and how you should take lorazepam and how to utilize healthy coping mechanisms whenever anxiety strikes.