Ambien Abuse, Treatment and Withdrawal Timeline

Ending Ambien use begins with understanding addiction and the recovery process. Even if you take Ambien with a prescription, you can find yourself dependent on the drug. If you misuse or abuse it, addiction becomes more likely. No matter why you use Ambien or how long you’ve used it, you can find recovery. You can start with the withdrawal process. You can continue with treatment to find support for real and long-lasting healing.

Ambien Abuse

Each person experiences substance abuse and addiction differently. Genetics, personal history and environment all factor in, and all of those are uniquely individual. Simultaneously, those factors also have universal traits. CBS News shares a report that found that among adults in the United States, “8.3 percent reported filling prescriptions for anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics”1 such as Ambien. Zolpidem, the main ingredient in Ambien, is the fourth most commonly prescribed psychiatric drug. Many people receiving these prescriptions have been taking Ambien much longer than needed or in harmful ways. You may have your own addiction experience, but you can find understanding, support and an encouraging community for recovery.

“Life gets better every year,” says Debbie L., who has been Ambien and alcohol-free since September 4, 2000.

Ambien Withdrawal

Recovery begins with withdrawal. Don’t go through this process alone. It is uncomfortable, triggering, and potentially dangerous. Withdrawal symptoms may include anxiety, fatigue, and nausea. You may not even realize these symptoms are connected to ending or reducing Ambien use. You may take more Ambien to combat the fatigue it is actually causing.

It is important to find medically supervised detox services to ensure you get the medical attention and care you need as Ambien leaves your system. They limit opportunities to relapse. Medical and recovery professionals are available 24 hours a day to help explain what you are experiencing, what you can expect and about how long it will last.

Choosing professional withdrawal support also helps you transition smoothly from the physical aspects of recovery to the psychological, emotional, and spiritual ones. While there is no such thing as a safe “rapid” detox, medically supervised detox services do ensure your withdrawal experience is as quick and comfortable as it can be while still being healthy and effective.

Ambien Treatment

Withdrawal isn’t recovery. It is an important first step that should be followed by a comprehensive treatment program. As the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, “Gaining the ability to stop abusing drugs is just one part of a long and complex recovery process…Because addiction can affect so many aspects of a person’s life, treatment must address the needs of the whole person to be successful. This is why the best programs incorporate a variety of rehabilitative services into their comprehensive treatment regimens.”2

Like withdrawal, treatment can’t be rushed. Treatment needs to address physical recovery. It also needs to address psychological addiction, mental health, and life skills. You may focus on individual work with a counselor. You may incorporate family therapy or job skills training. Your individual treatment plan may integrate alternative therapies such as yoga or meditation. There is no wrong way to recover.

Find the path that works best for you by calling a holistic treatment provider such as Black Bear Lodge. We will help you assess your current situation, create a long-term treatment plan and begin immediate steps toward detox. You don’t have to wait to begin recovery, call us today at 706-909-9811

4 Signs of Ambien Abuse

Ambien, also known as zolpidem, is a prescription drug commonly used to treat insomnia. By calming the central nervous system (CNS), Ambien is used to treat an array of sleep disorders. Habitual use of Ambien, however, can easily turn into an addiction.3

Ambien has become a much more popular drug in the last several years, and with more availability comes more frequent addiction. Between 2005 and 2010, there was a 220 percent increase in patients going to the emergency room for problems while on zolpidem, the generic form of Ambien.4 It is clear that Ambien is prevalent as well as dangerous.

It can be heart-wrenching to watch a loved one struggle with drug dependence and it’s difficult to discern how and when to intervene. Because Ambien is such a common drug, it may be hard to discern normal side-effects from addiction. While each abuser may display unique symptoms, there exist some classic behaviors including the following:

Health Issues

Typically prescribed to treat insomnia, prolonged use of Ambien may cause a host of health issues. By taking the proper dosage, prescribed by the doctor, an individual may experience the side effects of fatigue and exhaustion. When individuals abuse Ambien by taking higher than recommended doses or for longer durations of time, abusers may experience the following physical symptoms:

  • Nausea
  • Short or long-term memory loss
  • Hallucinations
  • Lack of coordination

Each person responds to medicine differently; however, the changes in behavior are most concerning when they seem to happen rapidly and in conjunction with other suspect behavioral changes. Because it is common to abuse more than one drug at a time, most abusers experience health issues beyond those listed above. The physical side effects of Ambien abuse are intensified when coupled with any other drug, from alcohol to marijuana. Therefore, individuals who abuse both Ambien as well as other drugs may be vulnerable to more severe health complications.

Extreme Mood Shifts

Although Ambien by itself calms the nerves and promotes relaxation, overdosing may cause severe mood changes. For some individuals abuse will result in deep depression and an inability to cope with the daily demands of life. For others, erratic shifts in energy may be the result of Ambien abuse. The most common mood changes are increased irritability and anxiety. As with other concerning behaviors, individuals who couple Ambien abuse with alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs will likely experience more severe mood changes.

Financial Problems

Similar to most prescription drugs, Ambien is expensive. Although some healthcare providers and insurance companies will help make Ambien more financially accessible to those in dire need, many individuals invest a fair amount of money into their prescription drugs. As people deepen their addiction, they become more tolerant of the drug and require higher doses of Ambien to reap the same benefits. Some individuals may even impulsively move from doctor to doctor in hopes of obtaining more medicine. Even if Ambien abusers require a small dosage to feed their addiction, their finances will reflect it.

Decrease in School and/or Work Performance

Any destructive habit will eventually hinder the user’s quality of life. Many addicted individuals will experience broken trust and relationships with loved ones. Because adolescents spend most of their time in school, a clear marker of addiction is their academic performance will decrease. The combination of exhaustion, fatigue, and anxiety from abusing Ambien may make it difficult to focus on schoolwork. Similarly, adult Ambien abusers may dedicate extended amounts of time, energy, and finances into their addiction. Naturally, their work performance may suffer in a variety of ways, from increased absenteeism to lack of focus.

If you or someone you love is fighting an addiction to Ambien, please call our 24 hour, toll-free helpline. We want to help you start on your journey to freedom from addiction. Please call 706-909-9811 today.

How to Help a Family Member With a Zolpidem (Ambien) Addiction

When Ambien (generic: zolpidem) was first released, it was touted as a non-addictive, short-term treatment for insomnia. It only took a few years for doctors to realize that patients were becoming dependent on this medication at alarming rates. Shortly after it was released, Ambien became widely abused by patients and recreational users alike.5

It can be difficult for family members to watch an addiction like this unfold in a loved one, and they may want to do whatever they can to make the problem stop. While family members cannot take over the addicted individual’s life and force a change, there are some things loved ones can do to entice the addicted person to enter a treatment program.

“For three years, I fought insomnia with a prescribed sleeping pill called Ambien,” writes Debbie of Heroes In Recovery. “On Christmas Day, 1999, my Dad died of a sudden heart attack. The next year, I started abusing the pill to avoid grief. I lost my job and most of my friends. I put my family through hell. My life was unmanageable, and my addiction took control. I took the pills all day, every day, going from doctor to doctor to get more prescriptions.

“On September 4th, 2000, I took 8 pills, went for a drive with my dog, fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a tree at 45mph. I totaled the car. There were no air bags, and I broke my face up badly. I was unrecognizable for a while…I could easily have died, but none of that made a difference. What mattered was that the little being who kept me from drowning that year was in the backseat. What finally “woke me up” was that I put my dog’s life in danger. He actually survived without injury, somehow. …I never took another sleeping pill after that day…Life gets better every year. I’ve never been so happy.”

Understand the Scope of the Problem

People who have addictions often feel as though they’re adept at hiding the evidence of their substance use. They may tiptoe through the house on a regular basis, taking drugs on the sly, and they may be convinced that no one really knows the truth about their addictions.

In reality, people who have substance use issues do tend to leave a significant amount of evidence behind. For example, many people who abuse prescription drugs get those substances from online vendors. Families who see suspicious packages coming and going, or who see pills lying about, may have hard evidence that an addiction is unfolding.6

Other symptoms of a hidden drug problem may include missing money or items, or changes in a loved one’s appearance, attitude, or friend group. These small details may be vital, as this information can be put to good use during an addiction intervention. When the family begins to discuss Ambien addiction with their loved one, they’ll have specific instances to cite and dates and times to share. Clear examples like this are harder to refute or ignore, and it could prompt the person to accept the reality of the addiction issue.

A trusted counselor or intervention professional can also help you learn more about Ambien addiction and plan ahead for a loving, yet effective, intervention. You want to be well-informed, and prepared enter your loved one into an effective treatment programs immediately after the intervention. It is important to seek out and receive as much assistance as possible to best help the person you care about.

Getting Help for Addiction

While it’s vital for families to take good notes about the addiction and understand as much as possible about the use and abuse of Ambien, it’s also important for family members to take care of their own health and well-being. If they’re focused on the health and healing of the other person while neglecting their own, they may not have the energy to really provide assistance when it’s needed.

Family members need to take time to for self-care in order to boost their health. Good options include:

  • Exercise
  • Individual counseling sessions
  • Bonding with a pet
  • Reading, or spending time with a book club
  • Volunteering
  • Participating in a supportive group

Many family members find relief through support groups. Going to meetings of Nar-Anon, for example, may help family members to learn more about how prescription drug addictions unfold, and how other families work to support the healing a loved one. These meetings are often free, and some are even held online, but they can provide a remarkable amount of help for families dealing with an addiction.

If you’d like to help someone with an addiction to Ambien, please call us. Our treatment program offers experienced clinicians, evidence-based treatments, and one-on-one care to help ensure the recovery of your whole family. Please call us at 706-909-9811 to find out more.

How Long Does It Take to Become Addicted to Zolpidem (Ambien)?

Sleep medications like Ambien aren’t meant to be taken long-term. They are supposed to help you fall asleep and reestablish healthy sleep patterns. They are short-term solutions because they create long-term problems.

Ambien and other sleep medications containing zolpidem have side effects. These side effects begin when drug use begins. They can escalate quickly. You may find yourself dependent on or addicted to the drug after just a short period of time.

Do I Need Ambien?

You and your doctor may determine using Ambien is the best approach to insomnia or other health issues. However, there are many non-addictive methods and therapies you can use. These come with less risk of addiction and may be just as or more effective than Ambien. The Mayo Clinic explains, “Relying on a sleep medication generally isn’t the best long-term solution for insomnia. Medications can mask an underlying problem that needs treatment. They can also cause side effects.”7 These side effects include memory loss, strange sleep behaviors, and addiction.

If you take Ambien when you don’t need it, you are more likely to experience side effects. You are more likely to become addicted. Talk with your doctor about alternative methods. If you have been taking Ambien for an extended period of time, this conversation becomes even more important. If you need Ambien to feel normal or to avoid withdrawal symptoms, it’s time to think about getting addiction help. If you take Ambien without a prescription, contact treatment professionals today.

Debbie’s Story

For three years Debbie L. fought insomnia with an Ambien prescription. Then her dad died of a sudden heart attack. “I started abusing the pill to avoid grief, she writes. “I lost my job and most of my friends. I put my family through hell. My life was unmanageable, and my addiction took control. I took the pills all day every day, going from doctor to doctor to get more prescriptions. Ambien has a hypnotic and amnesiac effect. It allows you to function in a complete blackout.” Then one day, she took 8 pills, put her dog in the car, and went for a drive.

How Will Ambien Use Affect Me?

There is no set timeline for addiction development. WebMD warns, “This medication is usually limited to short treatment periods of 1 to 2 weeks or less.”8

This suggests that problems can develop quickly. Just how quickly depends on many factors. It depends on how your individual body chemistry interacts with the drug. It depends on how much you use and how often. It depends on how and why you use the drug. Your family history influences addiction development. Your personal history does too. Where you are in life, how you feel, and how you think all impact when and if addiction develops.

Addiction isn’t the only life-altering side effect of Ambien use. Use puts you at risk in many ways. As CBS News shares a report that found, “People who took 18 sleeping pills or fewer per year had more than 3.5 times higher a risk for death than those who didn’t take any sleeping pills. What’s more, people taking more than 132 sleeping pills per year were at five times higher risk for death and 35 percent higher risk for cancer.”9 No matter how long you have been using the drug, continued use puts your health at risk. Addiction makes it seem difficult to stop. Treatment makes it possible.

“Life gets better every year,” says Debbie, who has been Ambien and alcohol free since September 4, 2000.

How Do I End Ambien Use?

Addiction programs like Black Bear Lodge treat you as an individual. We listen to your unique concerns and work with you to come up with real solutions. We help you reestablish healthy sleep habits.

We address any co-occurring physical or mental health concerns. Treatment should be integrated. It should be in-depth and comprehensive. We see you as a whole person. We address your addiction as a complex but treatable health concern. Call Black Bear Lodge at 706-909-9811 to learn more about your options for a unique and effective treatment experience.

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How Much Is Too Much? Zolpidem (Ambien) Overdose

Zolpidem tartrate is a popular sleep aid sold under the brand name Ambien. In clinical trials, zolpidem was shown to be safe and effective for a four-week period when used to initiate sleep.

However, many healthcare providers recommend using the drug for only one week to 10 days to avoid side effects, withdrawal or dependence. No matter how much or how little of the drug you take, taking it for longer than recommended can result in “too much” of the drug. You may find yourself struggling with substance abuse or addiction. The more of the drug you take during this time, the more likely potential side effects become.

What is Zolpidem Abuse?

Correct dosage of any drug depends on your medical needs and your age, gender, current health, personal history, and more. There is no guarantee against overdose other than not taking the drug. However, if you communicate with your medical professionals and carefully follow all instructions, you face a very low risk. As soon as you take more of the drug than recommended, taking it more frequently than prescribed, combine it with other substances, or use it without a prescription, you are abusing it. Drug abuse puts you at increased risk for serious health and life consequences including overdose. You are at risk of severe central nervous system depression, loss of consciousness and death.

Zolpidem abuse is increasingly common. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration10 shares, “The number of zolpidem-related emergency department (ED) visits involving adverse reactions increased nearly 220 percent from 6,111 visits in 2005 to 19,487 visits in 2010.” Overdose statistics continue to rise as people take too much of this prescription medication.

An Ambien overdose causes extreme drowsiness, loss of motor coordination, unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, and death. When combined with alcohol or other sedatives, the risk of a fatal overdose is even greater. Scientific American explains that alcohol, “interacts with anti-anxiety drugs (including Xanax), antipsychotics, antidepressants, sleep medications, and muscle relaxants—intensifying the drugs’ sedative effects, causing drowsiness and dizziness, and making falls and accidents more likely.”

Additionally, “People who visited an emergency room after taking too much of the sleeping drug Ambien were more than twice as likely to end up in an intensive care unit if they had also consumed alcohol, compared with Ambien-takers who had not had anything to drink.”

Mixing Ambien With Alcohol or Other Substances

Any amount of Ambien is too much Ambien if you are also drinking or using other substances. Polydrug use also makes it harder to identify an emergency situation. You have to be able to think clearly to identify an overdose. If you’re drinking heavily, abusing sleeping pills, or ingesting a combination of drugs and alcohol, it’s hard to recognize the signs of trouble in yourself or someone else. A zolpidem overdose requires immediate attention.

Call emergency services or a national poison control hotline if you suspect someone has overdosed. If the person has stopped breathing or lost consciousness, call 911 immediately.

Take Action and Get Help for Ambien Abuse

The most effective way to avoid a zolpidem overdose is to avoid using the drug. If you and your doctor have determined that Ambien is necessary for your overall health, make sure you only take the drug as prescribed. If you are currently misusing or addicted to Ambien, take action to regain control over your life.

Black Bear Lodge offers a safe haven for healing and recovery. Our Ambien rehab programs address physical addiction as well as its emotional and spiritual causes. Call us at 706-909-9811 to find out how our individualized treatment plans can help you find a safe, hopeful, and rewarding future.

The Prescribed Uses for Zolpidem (Ambien)

Lack of sleep can affect every aspect of your life—from your physical health and safety to your job performance, personal relationships and emotional well-being. Insomnia, or the absence of sleep, is extremely common in the United States. One study found that 33% of the adult population suffers from chronic insomnia. And of those found with the condition, 27% did not recognize that they had it.11

Chronic sleeplessness has been associated with an increased risk of depression, accidental injuries, illness, heart problems, absenteeism at work and a lack of satisfaction with life in general. For many people who can’t sleep, zolpidem tartrate (Ambien) provides much-needed rest. However,because Ambien use can also lead to dependence and addiction, this medication is classified as a Schedule IV drug under the Controlled Substances Act.12 Taking zolpidem without a prescription, or using the drug for recreational reasons, is not only dangerous, it’s against the law.

Ambien as a Sedative

Ambien is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of insomnia. It is intended to be taken on a short-term basis, typically for up to four weeks. Clinical trials have shown that Ambien is effective at promoting sleep for a period of 35 to 40 days.13

The immediate-release form of this prescription medication can help you fall asleep more easily, but it won’t necessarily keep you from waking up at night. The extended-release version of Ambien may be more effective at ensuring a full night’s sleep.

Other Uses for Zolpidem

Ambien is only approved for the treatment of insomnia in people who have difficulty falling asleep. However, the drug is sometimes prescribed on an off-label basis for other uses. It is common to use Ambien as a way to minimize the effects of jet lag when traveling to new time zones disrupts natural sleep patterns.14 Zolpidem may help you get better sleep on long overnight flights, preparing you to function more effectively the next day.

Zolpidem has also been used on an experimental basis to restore consciousness in patients who have suffered severe brain damage due to a stroke or injury. A recent study by Stanford University showed that mice recovered much more quickly from a stroke on low doses of zolpidem.15 In the future, zolpidem could be proven to show similar effects in humans recovering from strokes.

Who Shouldn’t Take Ambien?

Ambien is safe for many individuals, but it’s not recommended for everyone. Other sleep aids should be considered for people with a history of drug addiction or alcoholism, patients who are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, people with severe respiratory illness or patients who have had an allergic reaction to zolpidem. Because alcohol increases the sedative effects of zolpidem, people who drink heavily may be at risk of over-sedation or an overdose.

If you have a problem with zolpidem, or you are abusing other substances, the treatment specialists at Black Bear Lodge are here to help. We provide compassionate, holistic care for patients with prescription drug addiction at an exclusive mountain retreat in the mountains of northern Georgia. Call us at our 24 hour, toll-free helpline at 706-909-9811 to learn more about how our rehab programs can help you recover from drug addiction on a physical, mental and spiritual level.

The Issues of Recreational Use of Zolpidem (Ambien)

Ambien is a popular brand-name version of the sleep aid zolpidem. Its popularity stems from the perception of it as a safer alternative to other tranquilizers. It does have a lower risk of tolerance, dependence, and addiction than outdated and now rarely prescribed barbiturate sleep aid like Seconal and Nembutal. These drugs have a high risk of addiction and fatal overdose.

Ambien may also be safer than other still commonly prescribed drugs like Ativan and Valium. These benzodiazepines may be prescribed for insomnia on a short-term basis, but they are primarily meant to be used to control seizure or anxiety symptoms as needed. Regular use comes with greater potential for dependence.

How Does Zolpidem (Ambien) Affect Brain and Body?

Ambien may be a safer alternative to other drugs, but it is not a safe drug. Zolpidem is a rapid-onset hypnotic drug. It is prescribed to people who have trouble falling asleep. When used as prescribed, Ambien may cause drowsiness and speed up how quickly a person goes to sleep. Individuals misuse the medication by taking too much, taking the drug without a prescription, or taking the drug for unintended or recreational purposes. Misuse can result in a euphoric or hallucinogenic high.

Ambien abuse can cause a number of adverse side effects. These side effects can occur immediately. They can also accumulate after weeks, months, or years of use. Zolpidem is a central nervous system depressant. It affects neurological activity and vital functions by altering the brain’s response to GABA, a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for making you feel sleepy and calm. Ambien also slows down your breathing and heart rate. This is why misusing the drug puts you at risk of respiratory failure, unconsciousness and death.

Other common immediate side effects include the following:

  • Extreme sleepiness
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Aggression
  • Clumsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of balance
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of consciousness

These and other risks of Ambien abuse magnify when individuals take the drug with alcohol, benzodiazepines or other sedatives that depress the central nervous system. The American Journal of Therapeutics states that patients who were treated in emergency rooms for an Ambien overdose were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit if they had also ingested alcohol or other prescription drugs.16

Complications Related to Zolpidem (Ambien) Use

Ambien abuse can cause a number of negative side effects in the days or weeks after taking the drug. One of the most disturbing short-term risks of Ambien use is retrograde amnesia.

The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports additional Ambien-related complications such as the following:

  • Sensory disturbances
  • Delusional thinking
  • Nocturnal eating
  • Sleepwalking17

Recreational use increases these risks. Even if users don’t experience extreme side effects, they may feel sluggish, tired, confused and foggy-headed after taking Ambien. Ambien can also contribute to depression and anxiety symptoms. It may even cause trouble sleeping.

Any Ambien use creates risk.

The British Medical Journal reveals, “Patients prescribed any hypnotic had substantially elevated hazards of dying compared to those prescribed no hypnotics.” People taking hypnotic drugs such as Ambien face a, “greater than threefold increased hazards of death even when prescribed <18 pills/year.”18 Causes of death include motor vehicle accidents, respiratory problems, heart disease, suicide and some forms of cancer. Recreational use increases the likelihood of any and all of these outcomes.

Break Free of Zolpidem (Ambien) Dependence at Black Bear Lodge

The most common long-term risks of Ambien abuse are dependence and addiction. Even medically advised and appropriate use should not continue for longer than four weeks. After dependence develops, users will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug. Sleeplessness, anxiety, headaches, muscle pain, nausea, tremors and convulsions may occur.

Long-term users may even experience seizures in withdrawal if their recovery is not medically supervised and managed.

If you need help recovering from Ambien abuse, the personalized treatment programs at Black Bear Lodge can give you the support you need to clear the drug safely from your system. After detox, our comprehensive rehab program will prepare you for a healthy, positive future. If you’re ready to talk about change, we’re here for you. Let us answer any and all early questions and guide you through the recovery process. Call 706-909-9811

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What Are the Symptoms of Addiction? How to Tell if Someone is on Zolpidem (Ambien)

In 2009, a man walked into a nursing home and opened fire. According to an article in the Huffington Post, during the man’s trial his lawyers suggested that Ambien (zolpidem) was to blame, as the drug has a tendency to cause amnesia. The lawyers went on to say that people on the drug might say or do all sorts of strange things and that when under the influence, they aren’t really responsible for their actions.19

Reports like these might lead family members and friends to believe that spotting an Ambien addiction in a loved one is easy. Watching for strange behaviors when someone is abusing the drug should make addiction easy to spot. In reality, identifying a true Ambien addiction is more difficult. Families can certainly spot the warning signs, but professional help is needed to diagnose and treat an Ambien addiction.

Ambien Basics

Ambien (Zolipidem) is used to treat insomnia and is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. CNS depressants slow down the nervous system enabling users to fall asleep faster. The medication is also formulated to help the person stay asleep throughout the night. Ambien comes in tablet or spray form, is typically prescribed for short-term use, and should not be used for more than two weeks. Using this medication for longer periods of time or in larger amounts that prescribed by a physician can lead to dependence and addiction.20

Physical Symptoms

People who struggle with Ambien dependence become acclimated to the medication and may not show signs of intoxication. Rather than seeming sedated or high while they are under the influence of the drug, people who abuse Ambien often appear normal. Families that see Ambien side effects on a regular basis might actually be dealing with an addiction.

Some of these side effects include the following:

  • Daytime drowsiness, tiredness and a feeling of being “drugged”
  • Dizziness, loss of coordination and balance problems
  • Weakness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Stuffy nose or nasal irritation
  • Dry mouth
  • Sore throat
  • Digestive issues like nausea, stomach upset, diarrhea and constipation
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Confusion
  • Insomnia
  • Euphoria
  • Visual changes21

Those who are dependent on Ambien might find it difficult to stop using the drug. When the drug is stopped, those who struggle with Ambien addiction may experience withdrawal symptoms like gastrointestinal upset, uncontrolled crying, insomnia, nervousness and feelings of panic.

Signs of Addiction

While the physical and mental signs of an Ambien addiction might be difficult to ignore, those who abuse this drug may also develop unhealthy and unusual habits as they attempt to keep the addiction a secret.

If you or a loved one struggles with Ambien dependence, look for these signs of addiction:

  • Becoming preoccupied with getting and using the drug
  • Needing more of the drug before the next dose is due
  • “Doctor shopping” to get new prescriptions for the drug
  • Engaging in dangerous activities, like driving, while under the influence of Ambien
  • Participating in illegal behaviors, like stealing, to get and use the drug
  • Changes in physical appearance and a reduction in personal hygiene
  • Becoming more secretive about daily activities and spending more time alone

If any of these signs of addiction are present in a friend or loved on who uses Ambien, it’s time to get help.

Finding Help for Ambien Abuse

If you know someone who is abusing Ambien and you’re not sure what to do, we’d like to help. Call Black Bear Lodge 24 hours a day to learn about our treatment programs and other services. Call 706-909-9811 now to find out more.

Alternatives to Zolpidem (Ambien) for Anxiety Disorders

Worry and stress are a part of everyday life. However they should not be your life. When these feelings take over, you want relief. You may turn to prescription medications meant to treat anxiety. You may self-medicate with alcohol or illegal drugs. You may take sleep aids like Ambien to combat anxiety-related insomnia or to number other anxiety symptoms.

Drugs are not a long-term solution. They often make anxiety symptoms worse or add new troubles. They interrupt sleep cycles and make it harder, not easier, to sleep through the night. Anxiety, sleep issues, and substance abuse are closely related. Learn to manage mental health and create a healthy sleep schedule. Learn about alternatives to Ambien for anxiety disorders.

Anxiety and Insomnia

Don’t be surprised if your mental health symptoms include insomnia. Individuals with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues also often have trouble sleeping, sleep too much, or experience poor sleep quality.

The Journal of Psychiatric Research22 found, “Presence of severe insomnia, diagnosis of primary insomnia or insomnia related to a medical condition, and insomnia that lasted more than one year were predictors of a psychiatric history…When anxiety disorders were involved, insomnia appeared mostly at the same time or after the anxiety disorder.”

If you are currently struggling with anxiety, you may be also be having trouble sleeping. If you feel your anxiety is under currently under control, you may still experience insomnia. The two conditions overlap. Ignoring one puts you at risk for the other. Self-medicating one can lead to mental health relapse and add problems related to substance abuse. Find alternatives to Ambien and other drugs to find real, lasting relief and mental health.

On the surface, Ambien seems like a good solution to sleeplessness. However it is questionably effective. Any use comes with potential side effects including continued difficulty sleeping and addiction risk. Exploring alternatives means exploring medication-free options for healthy sleep. It involves learning to manage your mental and physical health for overall wellness.

Therapy as an Alternative to Ambien

Alternatives to Ambien exist. Many skills, tools, and strategies promote healthy sleep and support mental health. The National Sleep Foundation23 recommends varies Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to combat insomnia. These include Sleep Restriction Therapy, or setting a strict schedule for when you can and can’t try to sleep. It eliminates naps and going to bed early until you can reset your sleep schedule. Sleep hygiene and stimulus control practices help you learn where and how you will sleep best.

Relapse prevention ensures the changes you make to your sleep schedule and habits stay in place. CBT can and should be tailored to individual needs. CBT has the added benefit of being a useful tool for both managing mental health and substance use issues. You may find you can use many of the same skills you learn in therapy to address sleeplessness, anxiety symptoms, and Ambien addiction.

Managing Anxiety and Insomnia

When you get the sleep you need, your anxiety symptoms may naturally decline. This does not mean you can ignore your anxiety. The underlying anxiety disorder will continue to exist, and it can put your sleep and your health at risk. Treatment programs like those at Black Bear Lodge provide comprehensive, integrated treatment. These programs do more than address surface substance use.

We offer in-depth assessments and customized treatment plans. We offer support and healing for any co-occurring mental, physical, and emotional health issues. We offer therapeutic services such as CBT that can treat multiple concerns at the same time. Sleep, mental health, and substance use are closely related.

When you leave treatment, you should leaves with the tools to manage all three. You should leave with the skills you need for a well-rested, drug-free, and balanced life. Call 706-909-9811 today to learn more about your individual options for long-term recovery.

Ambien (Zolpidem) Abuse Health Risks

Ambien is a popular sleep aid. Its availability makes many people see it as harmless. However Ambien abuse comes with serious health risks. These risks can be immediate, short term, or long term.

How Does Ambien Work?

Ambien is a tranquilizer drug. It slows activity in the central nervous system. It also alters the brain’s response to neurotransmitters that make you feel sleepy or calm. These effects make it useful as a sleep aid. They also contribute to Ambien’s health risks.

Ambien’s Immediate Health Risks

Ambien is a rapid-onset drug. This means it acts quickly to help people fall asleep. Users can feel its effects as quickly as 15 to 30 minutes after use. This also means some associated health risks can develop just as fast or faster. You are at risk for an immediate allergic reaction even if you have taken Ambien safely before. This reaction can be fatal as it involves shortness of breath, airway obstruction, severe nausea, and vomiting.

Other immediate side effects include the following:

  • Extreme sleepiness
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Aggression
  • Clumsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of balance
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of consciousness

The immediate risks of Ambien abuse are magnified when you take the drug with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other sedatives. These combinations can land you in the emergency room. The American Journal of Therapeutics says, “Despite its reported safely, zolpidem overdose often requires ICU admission from the emergency department, which is associated with ingestion of other pharmaceutical products or alcohol.”24 Ambien abuse can result in needing immediate, emergency medical services.

Ambien’s Short-term Complications

Ambien abuse can cause negative side effects days or weeks after taking the drug. These effects can be physical or psychological. These types of side effects may overlap.

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, regular Ambien users may experience the following:

  • Retrograde amnesia
  • Sensory distortion
  • Delirium
  • Hallucinations
  • Nocturnal eating
  • Sleepwalking25

Taking more than the recommended dose of zolpidem increases your risk of short-term complications. In the days after you use the drug, you may feel sluggish, tired, confused and foggy-headed. You may feel depressed or anxious. You may have even more trouble sleeping.

Ambien and Long-term Health Problems

People who take Ambien put their lives and health at risk. The British Medical Journal found, “Patients with prescriptions for hypnotics had approximately 4.6 times the hazard of dying over an average observation period of 2.5 years as compared to non-users.”26 Causes of death include motor vehicle accidents, respiratory problems, heart disease, suicide and some forms of cancer.

Individuals who do not face these serious issues still face dependence and addiction concerns. These issues disrupt daily life. They change how you think and feel. They also make it difficult to stop using Ambien without professional support.

You may experience mental and physical withdrawal symptoms. These make it difficult to walk away from the drug. They make you feel as though you need Ambien to feel good or to simply feel normal or not bad. This is not the truth of the situation.

Recovery feels better than addiction ever will. It gives you back your life. It helps you find your health, your passions and your joy. Black Bear Lodge’s personalized treatment programs help you find complete wellness. We integrate mental, physical, and addiction health services. We help you heal on every level. If you’re ready to end the health risks of Ambien, call us today at 706-909-9811.

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What Can Happen When You Mix Zolpidem (Ambien) with Other Drugs or Alcohol?

Ambien is a brand name version of zolpidem tartrate. Zolpidem is similar to benzodiazepine tranquilizers like Valium, Ativan and Xanax.

These drugs can make you feel drowsy and tranquil by activating the brain cells that bind with GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps with sleep. Doctors prescribe Ambien and other hypnotic drugs to help patients fall asleep.

Ambien is meant for short-term use. Long-term use comes with increasing numbers of possible side effects including overdose and addiction. Zolpidem is considered less addictive than benzodiazepines, barbiturates and other prescription sleep aids. However, this medication can still cause harmful side effects, especially when you take it in combination with other drugs or alcohol.

Many people mix zolpidem or other sleep aid medications with other drugs or alcohol. Some people do this intentionally to increase or change the effects of the drugs involved. Others don’t stop to think about how their painkiller prescriptions or glass of wine may interact with Ambien. No matter why you take other drugs, mixing substances is dangerous.

The Drug Abuse Warning Network found that about 50 percent of patients who sought emergency treatment related to zolpidem use also had additional drugs in their systems. These drugs included prescription pain relievers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. Mixing zolpidem with other substances that suppress the activity of the brain and nerves can slow down your vital functions to a dangerous rate.

Mixing Zolpidem (Ambien) With Alcohol

Even when taken by itself, zolpidem has serious negative side effects on mental and physical functioning.

The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA)27 shares that even minimal doses can cause the following:

  • Unsteady gait
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
  • Memory impairment
  • Psychomotor slowing
  • Reduced attention capacity
  • Visual disturbances
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Impaired balance
  • Impaired time judgment
  • Impaired coordination
  • Impaired reaction time

Like Ambien, alcohol is a depressant that can make you feel sleepy, uncoordinated, confused and disoriented. Mixing alcohol with Ambien increases both drugs’ sedative effects on the central nervous system. Alcohol and zolpidem cause severe physical and cognitive impairment. The NHTSA warns, “Alcohol increases the sedation and decreases psychomotor performance produced by zolpidem. Other CNS depressant drugs may potentiate the effects of zolpidem.”27 Drivers who consume alcohol while taking zolpidem show decreased psychomotor coordination and a high risk of motor vehicle accidents. The risk of accidental falls, drowning, and other injury also increases.

Both alcohol and zolpidem harm the liver, an organ that plays a major role in detoxifying the body. Over time zolpidem and alcohol abuse can contribute to liver disease, a condition linked to many alcohol-related deaths.

Mixing Ambien With Other Drugs

Ambien users may combine drugs for a variety of reasons.

These reasons can include the following:

Ambien combinations result in unknown reactions. Taking drugs together isn’t as simple as taking an upper to cancel a sedative or taking a sedative to cancel an upper. Effects are unpredictable and unexpected. They can result in escalating side effects or entirely new effects.

Combining Ambien with benzodiazepines, opioid painkillers, marijuana, alcohol or other addictive substances leaves individuals vulnerable to cognitive and psychological side effects such as the following:

  • Memory loss
  • Learning problems
  • Psychological dependence
  • Delusional thinking
  • Hallucinations
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Dependence
  • Addiction

Using multiple drugs damages mental and physical health. Ending drug use restores health. It may even leave individuals feeling better than before drug use began. Contact Black Bear Lodge to learn more about finding support for complete recovery. A rehab program must engage the body, mind and spirit in order to be effective over the long term. Black Bear Lodge provides comprehensive zolpidem addiction treatment in a secluded, tranquil setting in the mountains of Georgia. If you’re searching for recovery services for yourself or a loved one, we’re here to help. Call our toll-free number, 706-909-9811 to speak with one of our admissions coordinators today.

All calls are private and confidential.

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Sources

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