Doctors warn that taking lorazepam and drinking like the characters in the show could send people into a coma
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'White Lotus' has seen an increase in the search for anti-anxiety drugs.Doctors have issued a dire warning
Doctors warn that lorazepam can put you in a coma, just like the cast of Driving.
In the third season of the White Lotus - the drama hits on rich, luxury resort guests troubled and the staff forced to take care of them - matriarch Victoria Ratliff claims the benefits of the drug lorazepam on her social anxiety and sleep problems, which leads her husband to steal her supply to deal with his dark secrets.
But this week, researchers have been sent to a steep show after Google reviews of the Google checks for 1.6 million received your profile.
"For the treatment of anxiety, lorazepam is usually prescribed for a short period of time, as long-term use can lead to tolerance and dependence, as well as abuse," Dr. Kevin Yang of the UC San Diego School of Medicine said in a statement Friday.
The VIDE film legend is a white cellist, always with HBO roles and white wine and white wine, to break it and depend on what he says.
But drinking while taking lorazepam can put people into a coma, Dr. Yang warns.
He added: “Not only was he taking it, he was also mixing it with alcohol which we know is very dangerous.”
Young said studies have shown that nearly one in five people prescribed the benzodiazepine class of drugs, which are known to slow down the activity of your brain and nervous system, end up abusing the drugs.
They were concerned because the show emphasized lorazepam's benefits, but not its potential risks and side effects, including dependence, respiratory depression — a condition that slows breathing — and cognitive impairment.
"It doesn't really represent any adverse effects that could come from taking too much or stopping suddenly," he said.
Related enrichment
Research by Yang and his team looked at Google's search rate between January 2020 and February 2025, knowing that the rate remained stable before the release of the third season.
While searches for lorazepam increased, searches for other benzodiazepines such as alprazolam and clonazepam remained at expected levels over the same 12-week period.
It's still unclear whether people were actually prescribed the drug after watching the show.You cannot legally get the medicine without a prescription.
"This shows that there may be a subset of people who want to know how to get that medication online," said Dr. Eric Leas, assistant professor at UC San Diego.
Leaps in use - and abuse
About 5% of the U.S. population is prescribed benzodiazepines, and among middle-aged adults, use has nearly halved between 1996 and 2013.
In 2019, American pharmacists filled nearly 92 million prescriptions for benzimizaze, and more than 20 million — according to the Drug Centers of America — more than 18 million for lorazepam.
While it is generally safe to use lorazepam as prescribed, 4.8 million people ages 12 and older abused lorazepam and other prescription benzodiazepines in 2020, according to addiction experts.
Anyone who wants to take medication should talk to a doctor first, Yang emphasized.
Young recommends that search engines provide alerts when people search for information about the drug.The Google search result for "how to get a prescription for lorazepam" included a statement about consulting a health care professional and a warning about potential risks.However, another search for "how to get lorazepam" did not bring up a warning.
Doctors should also advise the entertainment industry and producers of educational programs to understand the effect of the drug on the audience, and to develop the best arrangements.
The season three finale of "White Lotus" drew 6.2 million viewers in April, one of the biggest ratings of any HBO series.
HBO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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