
如果你看過HBO出品的美劇《白蓮花度假村》,那么你應該記得,,由帕克?波西飾演的角色維多利亞?拉特利夫在泰國度假期間一直在吃一種叫做勞拉西泮的藥,。有一次她很搞笑地宣布:“我的勞拉西泮不知道被誰偷走了,,看來我得把自己灌醉才能睡著了?!?/p>
勞拉西泮屬于苯二氮?類藥物,,這一類藥物還包括阿普唑侖和氯硝西泮。美國緝毒局指出,,苯二氮?類藥物為處方藥,,一般用于緩解焦慮、肌肉痙攣和癲癇,。但是就像《白蓮花度假村》里演的一樣,,這種藥物也容易產生依賴和濫用。
在談到這類藥物時,,加州大學圣地亞哥分校醫(yī)療中心的老年病醫(yī)生伊恩?尼爾博士向《紐約時報》表示:“在現(xiàn)實生活中,,我們肯定也是經(jīng)常看到這種情況的,?!?/p>
根據(jù)“美國藥物使用與健康調查”2019年的數(shù)據(jù),在美國有3000萬成年人服用過苯二氮?類藥物,,其中有超過500萬人存在濫用情況(即‘未經(jīng)醫(yī)生指導使用’),。
有的人可能一坐飛機就緊張得不行,于是選擇吃一片阿普唑侖來緩解焦慮癥狀,,但是長期服用這種藥物是很危險的,,因為很有可能形成藥物依賴。美國精神病學協(xié)會女性心理健康理事會主席盧德米拉·德·法里亞博士對《紐約時報》表示,,即便人們按規(guī)定劑量服用苯二氮?類藥物,,也有產生藥物依賴的可能。
尤其值得注意的是,,苯二氮?類藥物對老年人格外有吸引力,。根據(jù)2019年的這項研究,在美國,,50至64歲人群是該類藥物的最大消費群體,。這類藥物有可能導致認知能力下降,因此老年人在使用時需要格外謹慎,。
苯二氮?類藥物會使神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)活動減緩,,而且起效快。雖然這類藥物總體上是安全的,,但也有嗜睡,、失憶和言語不清等副作用。過度攝入還會加劇這些副作用,,有時還會造成藥物依賴,、認知障礙,、昏迷,甚至是死亡——盡管這種極端情況是比較罕見的,。
尼爾警告道,,考慮到老年人的代謝特點,老年人還要特別留意苯二氮?類藥物是否與他們常吃其他藥物相沖突,。比如,,將苯二氮?類藥物與酒精等鎮(zhèn)靜劑混合使用,會加重鎮(zhèn)靜效果——比如在《白蓮花度假村》里,,波西飾演的那個角色經(jīng)常就著紅酒服用勞拉西泮,。
據(jù)美國成癮中心介紹,對于經(jīng)常服用苯二氮?類藥物的人來說,,當他們試圖逐漸停用這種藥物時,,往往會出現(xiàn)盜汗、頭痛和心悸等戒斷癥狀,。
該中心表示:“每種苯二氮?類藥物都有特定的半衰期,,它會影響藥物從血液中代謝的時間。如果一個人對苯二氮?類藥物產生了依賴,,一旦藥物在體內代謝完畢,,他就會產生戒斷反應?!?/p>
如果也因服用苯二氮?類藥物而出現(xiàn)了戒斷癥狀或不良反應,,你應該及時就醫(yī)或咨詢專家。因為專家還有其他治療焦慮和睡眠障礙的方法,。加州普羅維登斯圣約翰健康中心的老年精神病醫(yī)生大衛(wèi)?梅里爾介紹道:“一線的抗焦慮藥物,,通常是像SSRIs這樣的抗抑郁藥物,再加上心理治療,。”(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
如果你看過HBO出品的美劇《白蓮花度假村》,,那么你應該記得,,由帕克?波西飾演的角色維多利亞?拉特利夫在泰國度假期間一直在吃一種叫做勞拉西泮的藥。有一次她很搞笑地宣布:“我的勞拉西泮不知道被誰偷走了,,看來我得把自己灌醉才能睡著了,。”
勞拉西泮屬于苯二氮?類藥物,,這一類藥物還包括阿普唑侖和氯硝西泮,。美國緝毒局指出,苯二氮?類藥物為處方藥,,一般用于緩解焦慮,、肌肉痙攣和癲癇,。但是就像《白蓮花度假村》里演的一樣,這種藥物也容易產生依賴和濫用,。
在談到這類藥物時,,加州大學圣地亞哥分校醫(yī)療中心的老年病醫(yī)生伊恩?尼爾博士向《紐約時報》表示:“在現(xiàn)實生活中,我們肯定也是經(jīng)??吹竭@種情況的,。”
根據(jù)“美國藥物使用與健康調查”2019年的數(shù)據(jù),,在美國有3000萬成年人服用過苯二氮?類藥物,,其中有超過500萬人存在濫用情況(即‘未經(jīng)醫(yī)生指導使用’)。
有的人可能一坐飛機就緊張得不行,,于是選擇吃一片阿普唑侖來緩解焦慮癥狀,,但是長期服用這種藥物是很危險的,因為很有可能形成藥物依賴,。美國精神病學協(xié)會女性心理健康理事會主席盧德米拉·德·法里亞博士對《紐約時報》表示,,即便人們按規(guī)定劑量服用苯二氮?類藥物,也有產生藥物依賴的可能,。
尤其值得注意的是,,苯二氮?類藥物對老年人格外有吸引力。根據(jù)2019年的這項研究,,在美國,,50至64歲人群是該類藥物的最大消費群體。這類藥物有可能導致認知能力下降,,因此老年人在使用時需要格外謹慎,。
苯二氮?類藥物會使神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)活動減緩,而且起效快,。雖然這類藥物總體上是安全的,,但也有嗜睡、失憶和言語不清等副作用,。過度攝入還會加劇這些副作用,,有時還會造成藥物依賴、認知障礙,、昏迷,,甚至是死亡——盡管這種極端情況是比較罕見的。
尼爾警告道,,考慮到老年人的代謝特點,,老年人還要特別留意苯二氮?類藥物是否與他們常吃其他藥物相沖突。比如,將苯二氮?類藥物與酒精等鎮(zhèn)靜劑混合使用,,會加重鎮(zhèn)靜效果——比如在《白蓮花度假村》里,,波西飾演的那個角色經(jīng)常就著紅酒服用勞拉西泮。
據(jù)美國成癮中心介紹,,對于經(jīng)常服用苯二氮?類藥物的人來說,,當他們試圖逐漸停用這種藥物時,往往會出現(xiàn)盜汗,、頭痛和心悸等戒斷癥狀,。
該中心表示:“每種苯二氮?類藥物都有特定的半衰期,它會影響藥物從血液中代謝的時間,。如果一個人對苯二氮?類藥物產生了依賴,,一旦藥物在體內代謝完畢,他就會產生戒斷反應,?!?/p>
如果也因服用苯二氮?類藥物而出現(xiàn)了戒斷癥狀或不良反應,你應該及時就醫(yī)或咨詢專家,。因為專家還有其他治療焦慮和睡眠障礙的方法,。加州普羅維登斯圣約翰健康中心的老年精神病醫(yī)生大衛(wèi)?梅里爾介紹道:“一線的抗焦慮藥物,通常是像SSRIs這樣的抗抑郁藥物,,再加上心理治療,。”(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
If you’ve been HBO’s new season of White Lotus, then you’ve seen Parker Posey’s character Victoria Ratliff popping a steady stream of Lorazepam while on a family vacation at a Thailand wellness resort, at one point comically declaring, “Someone stole my Lorazepam. I’m going to have to drink myself to sleep.”
The drug, also known under the brand name Ativan, is part of a class called benzodiazepines, which also includes Xanax and Klonopin. Only available through prescription, they are used to help relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and reduce seizures, according to the DEA. However, as seen in the show, they can lead to dependence and overuse.
“We definitely see that a lot in real life as well,” Dr. Ian Neel, a geriatrician at UC San Diego Health, tells the New York Times about the class of drugs.
Of the over 30 million adults who reported using benzodiazepines in the last year, over 5 million misused them (described as “any way a doctor did not direct”), per 2019 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
While some people may have taken a one-time Xanax to calm flight anxiety, for example, long-term use is what poses the most danger as it can lead to dependence. People can become dependent even when taking the prescribed amount, Dr. Ludmila De Faria, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s council on women’s mental health, told the New York Times.
Particularly important is the appeal of “benzos” to older adults: Those ages 50 to 64 are the biggest consumers of this class of drugs, according to the 2019 study, and need to use extra caution due to the drugs’ potential effects on slowing cognition.
The class of drugs slows down the nervous system and often takes an immediate effect. And while they are generally safe when taken as prescribed for a limited time, side effects include drowsiness, memory problems, and slurred speech. Overuse can cause worsened effects, including dependence, cognitive impairment, coma, and potential death, although rare.
Neel cautioned that older adults may metabolize drugs differently, and should be aware of the potential for negative interactions with other medications and drugs they might be taking. Combining benzodiazepines with other depressants like alcohol, for example, can exacerbate feelings of sedation, as seen on White Lotus, as Posey’s character usually pops Lorazepam with a glass of wine.
When regular users of benzodiazepines—often called benzos—try to wean off the drugs, it’s common to experience withdrawal symptoms, like sweating, headaches, and heart palpitations according to the American Addiction Centers.
“Each benzodiazepine medication has a specific half-life that influences the length of time it takes for the drug to leave the bloodstream,” according to the Center. “If an individual is dependent on a benzo, once the drug is purged from the body, withdrawal may begin.”
It’s important to talk to a medical doctor and a mental health professional if you think you’re experiencing any withdrawal symptoms or negative side effects from benzodiazepines because there are other ways to treat anxiety and sleep orders. “The first-line treatment [for anxiety] is typically antidepressants like SSRIs [antidepressants], plus psychotherapy,” Dr. David Merrill, a geriatric psychiatrist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. told Healthline.