White Lotus Season 3: What Is Lorazepam (& Why Does Victoria Need It)?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The White Lotus Season 3.

The White Lotus‘s third season opener, “Same Spirits, New Forms,” repeatedly name drops a real-life drug, lorazepam. So, what is lorazepam, and why does Victoria Ratliff need it in The White Lotus Season 3?

What Is Lorazepam in The White Lotus Season 3?

Lorazepam is benzodiazepine: a depressant medication. It’s used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, pacing, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Doctors also sometimes prescribe lorazepam for patients suffering chemotherapy-related illness, and use it both to induce short-term amnesia during surgery and as a sedative for those on mechanical ventilators. So, clearly, this is a versatile drug.

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That said, lorazepam also comes with a bunch of side-effects. These include drowsiness, muscle weakness, impaired coordination and speech, confusion, memory loss, low blood pressure, and breath problems. People who take lorazepam are also potentially at greater risk of suicide, especially if they’re already dealing with depression. What’s more, physical and psychological dependence on lorazepam isn’t unheard of, and weaning off the drug can result in unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Why Does Victoria Ratliff Need Lorazepam in The White Lotus?

So, that’s what lorazepam is and does – but what does it all mean for The White Lotus Season 3’s Victoria Ratliff? The Ratliff family matriarch carted a cannister of the prescription pills into the White Lotus chain’s Thailand resort, so obviously, she’s using it to treat something. Well, based off what we see in Season 3’s debut episode, Victoria primarily uses lorazepam to help with trouble sleeping.

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Remember, she’s the Ratliff clan member most noticeably fixated on jetlag in Season 3, Episode 1; that’s why lorazepam comes up in the first place. There’s also a chance that Victoria’s on lorazepam to manage other metal health issues. When wellness mentor Pam mentions an innocuous health test, Victoria gets needlessly worked up – hinting she’s got some unspecified anxiety disorder.

The White Lotus Season 3 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.