Doctors give trusted answers on uses, effects, side-effects, and cautions: Dr. Pappas on valium vs lorazepam: Klonopin (clonazepam) is longer acting but takes just slightly longer to start working. Ativan works quicker but clears from your system quicker then Klonopin (clonazepam) although it can stay in your system for a while. Be aware of the effects of mixing lorazepam and alcohol before you take a drink while on this medication. Lorazepam interacts negatively with alcohol; if you drink while on this drug, your heart rate can slow down, you might have trouble breathing and you can collapse or die. Lorazepam is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines and is used to treat anxiety disorders. Learn about side effects, interactions and indications. Ativan (generic name lorazepam) is used to treat anxiety and other medical conditions. Like other medications within the benzodiazepine class, it’s widely abused, a practice which leads to addiction, withdrawals (including those which can be deadly) and in certain cases, overdose. Hey Mahdi! I happen to have some in the house and was so frustrated with my tinnitus that i decided to try 1MG of Lorazepam to see if it would make a difference, and it did. How Our Helpline Works. For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, the DrugAbuse.com helpline is a private and convenient solution. Science provides all manner of possibilities, and an intriguing one is whether animals can get addicted to substances in the same way humans do. Ativan (lorazepam) for Anxiety: With diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety, major/clinical depression, adult onset ADD with BPD on the side, ativan has been in my life for a while and I have never had a problem with it and its never negatively effected my life. Although many physicians routinely ask about alcohol and drug use, few do so in a structured manner.8 Several tools are available to help physicians assess a patient's history of alcohol and drug use. Because patients may become addicted to lorazepam following consistent use, the drug is not recommended for people with a history of drug dependence.