The widespread availability of drugs such as Ativan has made them common as drugs of addiction. Most people who take Ativan take it responsibly; however, the nonmedical use or abuse of Ativan and other prescription medications remains a serious public health concern. Long-term users typically develop a tolerance to the drugs, requiring larger doses to achieve the desired effects. A psychological and/or physical dependence can develop, making it difficult to discontinue use. Some individuals who abuse prescription medication such as Ativan take it to bring them down after using stimulants such as ecstasy or cocaine. Others take them to enhance the effects of alcohol. They are also commonly used as replacement drugs when a user's drug of first choice is not available.

Ativan has a high potential for addiction. Ativan can cause psychological and physical addiction. Individuals develop an addiction to Ativan because it produces feelings of well-being. Once an individual has moved from abusing Ativan and developed an addiction to Ativan they will often get multiple prescriptions from different doctors to support their addiction. Ativan activates the brain’s reward systems. The promise of reward is very intense, causing the individual to crave more Ativan and to focus his or her activities around taking the drug. The ability of Ativan to strongly activate brain reward mechanisms and its ability to chemically alter the normal functioning of these systems is what produces an addiction to Ativan. Ativan also reduce a person’s level of consciousness, harming the ability to think or be fully aware of present surroundings.

"About 70 percent of Americans - approximately 191 million people - visit a health care provider, such as a primary care physician, at least once every 2 years. Thus, health care providers are in a unique position not only to prescribe needed medications appropriately, but also to identify prescription drug abuse when it exists and help the patient recognize the problem, set goals for recovery, and seek appropriate treatment when necessary. Screening for any type of substance abuse can be incorporated into routine history taking with questions about what prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines the patient is taking and why. Screening also can be performed if a patient presents with specific symptoms associated with problem use of a substance.