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Psychosis following lorazepam withdrawal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

John D Sheehan
Affiliation:
Eastern Health Board, Kildare Mental Health Service, Tus Nua, Kildare, Co Kildare
Rory K Shelley
Affiliation:
St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

A sixty three year old woman developed an organic psychosis after stopping lorazepam. She had taken a high dosage of the drug for 4 years but had discontinued it gradually in reducing doses over six months. It suggests that serious withdrawal reactions may still occur despite gradual cessation and highlights the importance of total dose ingested as a predictor of withdrawal phenomena.

Type
Clinical & Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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