Ativan may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for.

government study of pharmaceutical-related ED visits by SAMHSA found that sedative-hypnotics in the United States are the pharmaceuticals most frequently used outside of their prescribed medical purpose, with 35% of drug-related emergency room visits involving sedative-hypnotics. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Lorazepam is sometimes used as an alternative to haloperidol when there is the need for rapid sedation of violent or agitated individuals, but haloperidol plus promethazine is preferred due to better effectiveness and due to lorazepam's adverse effects on respiratory function. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam enhance the effects of GABA at the GABAA receptor via increasing the frequency of opening of the chloride ion channel on the GABAA receptors; which results in the therapeutic actions of benzodiazepines. Five participants in a sleep study were prescribed lorazepam 4 mg at night, and the next evening three subjects unexpectedly volunteered memory gaps for parts of that day, an effect that subsided completely after 2–3 days' use. 5. You may also have seizures or withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Ativan. Partial, but incomplete tolerance develops to these impairments. Lorazepam was the third-most-common benzodiazepine used outside of prescription in these ED visit statistics.