For psychological issues, Tavor is often prescribed alone or in conjunction with behavioral therapy. However, the dangers posed by this prescription sleep and sedative medication are often not adequately communicated. This blog article from the Institute for Modern Psychotherapy in Berlin aims to fill this gap.
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Anxieties, Insomnia, Stress? No Problem. With Tavor, You Immerse Yourself in the Calm Lake of Carefreeness. But Beware: There Is a Life-Threatening Danger!
In the water, dangerous currents can pull you down into the depths. What sounds dramatic is unfortunately the truth. Tavor belongs to the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines and is considered a “happy pill.” An anxiety blocker that is supposed to effectively reduce panic attacks, anxiety, and sleep disorders. It is estimated that 12,5% of the Americans take a benzodiazepine preparation at least once a year. And 1 to 2 percent even take the benzo medication daily for at least a year. What few people suspect is that preparations like Tavor have an enormous addiction potential. They quickly become addictive without one noticing. And in the worst case, the supposed wonder pills can even lead to death when interacting with alcohol or other medications. There are plenty of famous examples from the music and film industry. During the autopsy of Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Prince, or Amy Winehouse, residues of benzodiazepine cocktails were found in their blood. Elvis Presley and Elizabeth Taylor also used benzo anxiety blockers without restraint. But how did it come about that benzodiazepine preparations could embark on this dangerous triumph through all layers of society?
Valium, Tavor & Co – The First Carefree Blockbusters of the Pharmaceutical Industry
Fear of epidemics, fear of war, or fear of poverty. Throughout the centuries and in every culture, there have always been fears and worries. While alcohol, opium, or other plant-based narcotics were the only saviors in times of need in the past, barbiturates entered the market at the beginning of the 20th century. These drugs promised targeted chemical sedation of anxiety states. And with that, the pharmaceutical industry also launched its irresponsible advertising campaign for the medicinal treatment of anxiety disorders. Barbiturates quickly became popular as sleep and sedative drugs. However, they soon fell into disrepute after their market launch. The medications were difficult to dose, and overdosing posed life-threatening risks, often linked to suicides. Despite this, barbiturates remained on the market until they were suddenly replaced in the mid-20th century by a new active ingredient. Under the significant name Librium (“liberating”), the first benzodiazepine tablet was launched in 1960 as a tranquilizer. The medication was an immediate success. But the real blockbuster that brought billions to the pharmaceutical industry came to market in 1963 as Librium’s successor: Valium. The drug became the first blockbuster in medical history. It had a calming effect on states of agitation and anxiety attacks and had muscle-relaxing and sleep-inducing properties. The new drug for anxiety and stress swept through society and rose to become the most prescribed medication in the Western world in the 1960s. From experimental hippies to housewives, everyone swallowed the “happy pills.” The Rolling Stones even wrote the international Valium anthem with their ironic song “Mother’s Little Helper.” But as you can imagine, every euphoria is followed by disillusionment. And this began at the end of the 1970s.
Valium, like its benzodiazepine counterpart Tavor, leads to addiction and personality changes with regular use. The danger lies in the fact that the pill does not solve the problems but only provides short-term relief. The risk of constantly increasing the total dose to seemingly float longer on a rosy cloud is high. A sad example of Tavor addiction is Uwe Barschel, the former Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein/ Germany. When he was found dead in a bathtub of a Geneva hotel in 1987, Barschel had been addicted for years. According to his surroundings, he had been consuming a maximum dose of the sedative in the months before his death. When Uwe Barschel appeared before the camera with a vacant look in 1987 to announce his resignation as Prime Minister, he suffered from word-finding difficulties and syllable loops. According to experts, a typical sign that Barschel was overdosed on Tavor.
And although the consumption of benzodiazepine drugs repeatedly makes negative headlines, Tavor & Co are still routinely prescribed by doctors today.
Tavor, the Worst Benzodiazepine Preparation
This was the verdict of Berlin-based pharmaceutical critic Dr. Ulrich Moebius in the late 1980s when the Uwe Barschel case was still making headlines. Moebius was then the editor of the independent medical journal Arznei-Telegramm and knew exactly what he was talking about. As stated in the package insert, Tavor should be taken with caution. The warnings for side effects and contraindications are numerous, from potentially fatal respiratory depression to contraindications during breastfeeding because the active ingredient Lorazepam passes into breast milk. Tavor is used under medical supervision to treat seizures, severe sleep disorders, alcohol and drug withdrawal, and anxiety and panic disorders. In hospitals, the active ingredient Lorazepam is used to calm patients before surgical procedures.
However, Tavor reaches the general public in another way. When patients complain of diffuse stress symptoms such as anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia with depressive moods, doctors reach for the prescription pad. And this is where the danger lies for unsuspecting Tavor consumers. Unlike the many empty promises of pharmaceutical manufacturers, Tavor actually has a relaxing, calming, and sleep-inducing effect. The active ingredient Lorazepam conveys a pleasantly balanced emotional state after about 30 minutes. Panic attacks, fear of failure, or worries about the future dissolve into a rosy cloud. After about 8 hours, the effect of Lorazepam wears off. It sounds like a miracle pill, were it not for the small print in the package insert: side effects, contraindications, addiction potential, dependence, abuse, and withdrawal symptoms. Information that every patient should take very seriously.
But how and where does Tavor actually work?
Simply put, the active ingredient Lorazepam attaches to specific junctions in the brain’s nerve cells. This reduces the excitability of the nerves, resulting in a significant relief from feelings of panic and anxiety, and an overall improvement in well-being. The relaxing effect sets in with just a mini dose of 0.5 milligrams of Lorazepam. The Tavor package insert recommends a maximum dose of 2.5 mg Lorazepam spread throughout the day. For comparison: Uwe Barschel increased his total daily dose to up to 10 mg Lorazepam towards the end of his life! In clinical settings, this total dose is only used to treat severe seizures. If you think this only happens to politicians and public figures under pressure, you’re wrong.
Unlike party drugs often discussed in the press, one to two percent of the US population quietly and secretly take the sedative daily in various dosage ranges.
Perhaps those suffering might be discouraged from reaching for Tavor if the package insert stated: “Tavor causes dependence faster than cocaine and is more dangerous in withdrawal than heroin.”
Tavor: Underestimated High- and Low-Dose Dependency
Liest man den Beipackzettel von Tavor® 1,0 mg Tabletten, ist dieser schon ein Widerspruch in sich. Unter anderen gravierenden Nebenwirkungen steht bei gelegentlichen Begleitsymptomen, die das Nervensystem betreffen: Änderungen des geschlechtlichen Verlangens, Impotenz, verminderter Orgasmus. Eine Seite weiter liest man allerdings: „Viele der genannten Nebenwirkungen klingen im weiteren Verlauf der Behandlung oder bei einer Verringerung der Dosis wieder ab.“
Das deutet bereits daraufhin, wie tückisch die Einnahme von Tavor sein kann. Denn wer wirklich eine vermeintliche und vorübergehende Hilfe in diesem Medikament findet, der klammert sich an die Hoffnung, dass Nebenwirkungen mit der Dauer der Einnahme oder bei einer Reduktion der Dosierung verschwinden – und landet direkt in der Abhängigkeit. Und die entwickelt sich schleichend und unbemerkt.
Bei Tavor unterscheidet man zwischen der Niedrig- und Hochdosisabhängigkeit.
Reading the package insert for Tavor® 1.0mg tablets is already a contradiction in itself. Among other severe side effects, it states under occasional symptoms affecting the nervous system: “Changes in sexual desire, impotence, reduced orgasm.” One page later, it reads: “Many of the mentioned side effects diminish over the course of treatment or with dose reduction.” This already hints at how treacherous taking Tavor can be. Those who find supposed and temporary help in this medication cling to the hope that side effects will disappear with prolonged use or dose reduction – and end up directly in addiction. This addiction develops gradually and unnoticed.
With Tavor, we distinguish between low- and high-dose dependency. High-dose dependency occurs when the body develops a tolerance to Lorazepam with continuous dose increases. It is generally said that high-dose dependency is less common. Doctors supposedly control the dosage by issuing prescriptions. However, negative examples from politics and the entertainment industry show that this is not true. The dark figure of high-dose addicts will likely be much higher. On the other hand, the probability of developing low-dose dependency can start with taking just a few tablets. After just two weeks, individuals can become dependent even while adhering to the prescribed total dose. Pharmacists can attest to this. Therefore, the Tavor package insert also warns: “After 2 weeks of daily use, the doctor should clarify whether continued treatment with Tavor 1.0 mg is indicated by gradually reducing the dose.” But imagine being a patient who receives a prescription for Tavor® 1.0 mg from the doctor. They don’t read the package insert but stick precisely to the recommended low single dose. The medication works, and if they were prescribed the normal pack size of 20 tablets, they are already dependent after daily use of just one pack! If they then go to the doctor to ask for another prescription for the “happy pill,” a responsible physician might refuse, citing the addiction potential. The patient goes home, and on the first day without Tavor, withdrawal symptoms occur. These range from sleep disturbances, pain, nervousness, and renewed anxiety to panic attacks. As you can imagine, the patient will likely switch doctors and successfully ask for help at the next practice. Thus, the unsuspecting patient finds themselves in low-dose dependency, which can last for years depending on their suffering. If they eventually decide to stop the medication, they should under no circumstances do so abruptly and without medical supervision. Withdrawal symptoms from long-term benzodiazepine use can become life-threatening. Blood pressure and pulse can rise uncontrollably, leading to cardiovascular failure.
Ulrich Moebius, the former editor of Arznei-Telegramm, was right in his devastating judgment about Tavor. It is so easy to fall into an addiction that is all the more insidious because it goes unnoticed. Uwe Barschel’s widow once said that her husband initially took Tavor for flight anxiety and travel sickness in the car. A young patient of mine nearly suffered the same fate.
Tavor Expidet – Half a Tablet Is Enough to Open Pandora’s Box
Some time ago, a young IT manager came to my practice. He complained of panic attacks. He worked successfully for a large company and traveled within Europe for client meetings. He actually enjoyed the work, if it weren’t for his fear of flying. For a while, he managed to cope with his anxiety. Eventually, however, he grew tired of sleepless nights before flights, the tension during the flight, and the exhaustion afterward. All this slowly took the joy out of his job. But one day, things took a turn for the better – or so he thought. He was traveling with a colleague who recommended trying a fast-acting sedative from her own experience. She nicely described it: “These little tablets are good against tension and agitation.” She gave him a box of Tavor Expidet before the flight, which still contained one white tablet. Being generally against taking medications, my patient first read the package insert. He skimmed through the side effects, contraindications, and recommendations for the single dose.
After some hesitation, he decided to take half a single dose and split the tablet in half. While checking in, he placed half a tablet under his tongue and experienced his rosy wonder as the plane took off: for the first time, he leaned back relaxed, drank a coffee, and even enjoyed the view through the clouds. Upon arrival, he felt rested and was able to focus on the client meeting. My patient was happy. He took the other half tablet on the return flight and saw the doctor the next day. He could credibly assure that he had read the package insert and was aware of the risks of dependency. And promptly, he got his dose of happy tablets. He didn’t realize he was on the direct path to addiction, like Uwe Barschel. The white tablets became his constant “little helpers.” During stressful meetings, on the plane, when he couldn’t sleep, or when gloomy thoughts tormented him. Initially, he took half a single dose; soon, he was swallowing a whole tablet without hesitation.
Months passed, and he went from one doctor to another, hunting for his happy tablets. Then came the day his girlfriend left him over a weekend. The heartbreak was too much not to numb it with a tablet. But he had no tablets left! He couldn’t get his tablets at the pharmacy without a prescription. So he went to the hospital and tried to convince the emergency room doctor to prescribe Tavor Expidet tablets. But he was disappointed. Heartbreak and job stress were no excuse for taking psychotropic drugs. My patient was utterly distraught.
A friend came by and brought him some Neuraxpharm pills that he had taken from his grandmother. That was when my patient had his first panic attack. He was so conditioned to Tavor and the appearance of the tablets that he thought he wouldn’t survive the night without the medication. It took some time for the young man to realize he needed help. Eventually, he underwent a medically supervised withdrawal from the dangerous happy tablets. Unfortunately, the trip into the world of psychotropic drugs did not come without consequences. My patient had suffered from panic attacks ever since. In hindsight, he couldn’t understand how he slipped into addiction. The package insert clearly stated: “After just a few days of daily Lorazepam intake, withdrawal symptoms such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety, or confusion may occur.” Like Uwe Barschel, the temptation of the relaxation drug was too great for him.
Fortunately, I was able to help him get rid of his panic attacks so that he could manage his life without the tablets or other medications. And he did so more freely than ever before. How that worked, I will reveal in the next section.
Getting Rid of Panic Attacks and Anxiety Disorders Without Medications or Happiness Pills – It's Possible!
As previously mentioned, Tavor works by interfering with the transmission of signals between nerve cells in the brain, reducing their excitability. Believe it or not, you can achieve the same anxiety-relieving effect without medications. In our online online therapy “THE ANXIETY CURE”, which you can watch the first episode of for free right HERE, I will show you easy-to-understand exercises and techniques that can help you permanently free yourself from anxiety and panic.
Essentially, this involves a special mental training that restructures your brain neurally, so the automatic response of anxiety significantly diminishes in intensity within a few days. How long it takes to completely overcome the anxiety disorder depends, of course, on how long you have been suffering from anxiety and panic. In many cases, however, daily training of about 20 minutes is sufficient to be largely anxiety-free after just 6 to 12 weeks.
Troy A.
Tampa, Florida