Many people use sleeping pills and do not become addicted. Often, sleeping pills are prescribed for temporary insomnia or an inability to sleep through the night. But these instances are usually only for short periods of time while the patient tries to figure out why they are having difficulty sleeping. The thought is that while the temporary sleeplessness is being medicated away, the underlying cause is being discovered and cured so the use of sleeping pills can be stopped. However, the problem comes when a short-term solution becomes a permanent one. If continued use of sleeping pills becomes chronic, then yes, you can become addicted to sleeping pills.
Sleeplessness is a major problem in the United States. Approximately 60 million people suffer from some form of insomnia in varying degrees. Because of this problem, nearly 38 million prescriptions for a common sleeping drug called Ambien were prescribed. For someone who has a chronic sleeping problem and is constantly tired, a dose of Ambien can seem like a gift from heaven. But this gift can, over a prolonged period of time, can actually turn into a nightmare scenario. So, not only was the underlying cause of insomnia not solved, a new problem of addiction to sleeping pills has to be addressed.
Sleeping pills are what is called sedative-hypnotics. Sleeping pills have similar effects than other sedative-hypnotics such as benzodiazepine and barbiturates, but sleeping pills have fewer side effects and, reportedly, are not as strong and harder to become addicted to than those other drugs. Some common sleeping pills are as follows:
- Ambien (zolpidem)
- Sonata (zaleplon)
- Lunesta (eszopiclone)
Because sleeping pills have a relatively benign effect, many people do not realize they are addicted to them until something breaks the cycle and they have to try to go without the pills for a period of time. Usually when this happens, their insomnia comes back in raging form, even much worse than it was to begin with. Some of the withdrawal symptoms of being addicted to sleeping pills are as follows:
- Having memory loss after taking the pills
- Using multiple doctors in order to score an increasing amount of pills
- Trying to quit multiple times and not being able to
- Not being able to wake up in the morning without feeling groggy.
The problem with abusing sleep medication is that, over time, the brain becomes accustomed to the frequency and amount of the dosage. Therefore, in order to obtain the same effects, the patient has to continually increase the number of times they have to ingest a pill and the number of pills. This ever cascading cycle will ultimately invite you to have to attend a medically supervised rehabilitation facility.
Another problem with sleeping pills is when they are combined with other substances such as alcohol or marijuana. Since a drug like Ambien is a sedative, when you combine that with alcohol (another type of sedative) this combined effect amplifies the body’s response to the drug. This could cause serious medical issues including shallow breathing and heart problems.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
