Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety. * Comorbid psychiatric disorders – Increased risk of dependence and paradoxical adverse effects edit Tolerance and dependenceDependence typified by a withdrawal syndrome occurs in approximately one third of individuals who are treated for longer than 4 weeks with a benzodiazepines. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. Additionally the elderly tend to take more drugs which may interact or enhance the effects of benzodiazepines. In the elderly, falls may occur as a result of benzodiazepines. An example would be the inappropriate use to relieve anxiety associated with acute severe asthma. This is desirable with amnesic and sedative effects, undesirable with anxiolytic, hypnotic, and anticonvulsant effects. As a result dosage recommendations for the elderly are about half of those used in younger individuals and used for no longer than two weeks. It should, therefore, not be administered to a drunk or intoxicated person. In cases of a suspected lorazepam overdose, it is important to establish whether the patient is a regular user of lorazepam or other benzodiazepines, since regular use causes tolerance to develop.