# Is there a big difference between Ativan and Xanax?



## soaringfalcon11

So I went to my doctor regarding my panic attacks and he said if the beta blocker doesn't work (it doesn't), he'll give me some Ativan or Xanax.

I'm thinking he'll give me the Ativan because I'm young (19) and selling pills as Ativan would be harder than selling Xanax, and maybe I would look at them not as something I could get high from. Just another paranoid theory of mine...ha

So what do ya'll prefer?


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## UltraShy

They feel the same to me. I take Xanax. At my sky-high dose lorazepam would cost hundreds more per month than alprazolam.

To most people a benzo is a benzo -- and in theory they should all be much the same. Though there are some with a personal preference. I know a woman who can't stand Xanax, but thinks Ativan is good -- yet I fail to find this difference that she does.


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## Cast Away

xanax is a more well known name.


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## ShyViolet

I prefer Xanax, but Ativan isn't completely useless.


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## c0ry

The effects of Xanax are more noticeable for me. If I'm extremely anxious about something and I use Xanax, I physically feel the anxiety melting away as the drug kicks in. When I was on Ativan, I didn't feel as anxious, but I guess it didn't give me the warm, calm feeling I get from Xanax. It's hard to describe, really, but I definitely prever Xanax. Ativan was not bad, though, and got me through my first flight. Xanax, on the other hand, helped me to give a speech at my college graduation--a bigger deal for me.


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## euphoria

Ativan is more boring and takes hours to kick in; that's about all that's different.


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## MissMay1977

Xanax makes me angry so my doc prescribed Ativan. I only took 1 pill so far.


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## UltraShy

Cast Away said:


> xanax is a more well known name.


And has a worse reputation because of it.

After all, it's hard to have a negative view of things you've never heard of, as you have no view.


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## oBSama

Alprazolam ..........The boss

rest of benzos...............****

according to me.

but do you agree different people experience differently on different types of benzos, having said that, still everyone agrees less or more that xanax is highly potent.

i am also looking to use Zolpidem and check if it s well-known EXTRAVERSION effect surpasses the extraversion i get from my dear alprax which i use when neede


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## Sedated

oBSama said:


> Alprazolam ..........The boss
> 
> rest of benzos...............****
> 
> according to me.
> 
> but do you agree different people experience differently on different types of benzos, having said that, still everyone agrees less or more that xanax is highly potent.


I don't, I didn't try a very high dosage but I couldn't really differentiate mine from a sugar pill except for the withdrawal that I got when I quit the XR version. Looking back though I think it also caused me to be more depressed than I usually am.


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## OpiodArmor

Sedated said:


> I don't, I didn't try a very high dosage but I couldn't really differentiate mine from a sugar pill except for the withdrawal that I got when I quit the XR version. Looking back though I think it also caused me to be more depressed than I usually am.


Well when your taking less then 1mg what do you expect.

Xanax is pretty much the strongest prescription benzo. Not up for debate as it is a fact, lol.

Xanax >>> Ativan.

Xanax > Valium > Kpins. Only 3 benzo's worth taking.


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## ntdc

xanax is much quicker acting and the effect was more pronounced
ativan has a more subtle effect and takes longer to come on, i think it lasts longer too.. when xanax wears off i am much more irritable than ativan or valium


although i have only taken aitvan a handful of times.


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## eddiewoo

Everybody seems to all agree that Ativan takes too long to "kick in". When i was first prescribed Ativan my doctor told me to take it every six hours, and I told her I just take it as needed, she told me that if I needed it to work NOW, then let it dissolve in my mouth. It doesn't take long to take effect, works in like 5 minutes, just put it under your tongue and wait for it to dissolve, it doesn't taste nasty like other pills. OH, and Ativan definitely DOES get you high, I take 1mg, if it's been a week or so since I've taken one then that will get me high, if you take 2 pills then you will have some amnesia, I've even tried 3 at once, that will f*** you up, you won't remember anything. And no, I don't use the pills to get high, I was curious and just tried it once.


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## MissMay1977

I take Ativan and it works well for me. I don't remember my experiences with Xanax but I replied to this thread in 2009 and said it aggitated me.


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## foxy

XANAX is twice the strenth of ativan, so its a no brainer:yes


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## shyyguyy

In theory xanax has more addictive potential than ativan because it works faster and you get the "high" much faster. Different docs have different philosophies about prescribing benzos. I know some who would never prescribe xanax first line over ativan or clonipin.


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## rukidding

*whaaat*

i take ativan 180/month and i think i would rather have xanax....am i crazy??


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## UltraShy

rukidding said:


> i take ativan 180/month and i think i would rather have xanax....am i crazy??


180 mg? I'm tending to assume it's not 180 tablets as 6 pills a day seems highly unlikely.

Assuming 180 mg, that's 6 mg/day which equates to 3 mg/day of Xanax (according to most benzo equivalency charts).

As for the crazy part, are you asking if your Ativan dose is crazy or that switching to Xanax is crazy? Both are within reason. Have you tried Xanax before? While all benzos are much the same & the expectation would be that both will work pretty much the same, individual response will vary so it's certainly reasonable to give another benzo a try. Either you find Xanax works better and you then are on a better med, or you find it doesn't in which case you go back to Ativan knowing it's the better choice for you.


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## istayhome

I prefer xanax as it stops panic attacks quickly with 2-4 mg. Ativan makes me tired without reducing anxiety, not a benzo that I like much.


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