White Lotus Season 3 Led To Surge of Interest in Anxiety Drug
A storyline in season three of The White Lotus appears to have sparked a surge in public interest in the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam, according to new research from the University of California San Diego.
In the show, the character Victoria Ratliff casually takes lorazepam to manage social anxiety and sleep problems, often mixing the benzodiazepine with white wine. Her use leads to moments of slurred speech, drowsiness and even falling asleep at dinner—a portrayal that researchers say may have had real-world consequences.
The researchers found that the series was linked to 1.6 million more Google searches about lorazepam over a 12-week period than would normally be expected. This spike did not occur for other benzodiazepines—such as alprazolam or clonazepam—which are not mentioned in the show.
Lead author Dr. Kevin Yang said that the trend highlights the influence of entertainment: “It’s a really interesting phenomenon of how entertainment media can really reflect and drive human behavior.”
Newsweek has reached out to The White Lotus’s production company, Warner Brothers Discovery, for comment.
“We saw significant increases in searches related to acquiring lorazepam as well,” said paper author and UCSD global health researcher professor Eric Leas in a statement. “It shows that there might be a subset of people that are actually wanting to figure out how to obtain that medication online.”
The show also depicted Ratliff offering her medication to her husband Timothy, who later steals her pills and becomes dependent on the drug during a financial crisis. Yang noted that Timothy’s behaviour reflects risky patterns. He said, “Not only would he take it, but he would also combine it with alcohol, which we know is very dangerous.”
Yang explained that lorazepam should generally be prescribed only for short-term use because of the risk of tolerance, dependence and misuse. He added, “Studies have shown that almost one in five people who are prescribed benzodiazepines eventually end up misusing them.”
However, the researchers said the show focused more on the drug’s perceived benefits than its risks. According to Yang, “It didn’t really portray any of the adverse effects that might come from taking too much or from stopping it all of a sudden.”
Yang suggested that the entertainment industry consider warnings for viewers when featuring drug use and that search engines provide evidence-based information when people look up how to obtain such medications. He advised viewers to remain cautious when looking for information online.
He said: “My suggestion would be to take everything that is portrayed in the media, whether that’s on TV, film or in music, with a grain of salt. It’s only showing one aspect of the medication, and that there are possible downsides. But ultimately, for things like medications, it’s important to talk with your doctor.”
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Reference
Yang, K. H., Satybaldiyeva, N., Kepner, W., Friedman, J., & Leas, E. C. (2025). Internet Searches for Lorazepam Following the Release of The White Lotus. JAMA Health Forum, 6(11).
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