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Psychosis following lorazepam withdrawal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

John D Sheehan  and
Rory K Shelley
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
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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.

Keywords

PsychosisWithdrawalBenzodiazepineLorazepam
Type
Clinical & Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , June 1993 , pp. 99 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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