Ambien Addiction

Ambien is very addictive. It's not as commonly abused as certain other prescription pills, but if you take the medication for longer than a few weeks, and if you abuse the drug (take the drug in larger than prescribed doses) then you are at risk for dependence, and with dependence a syndrome of withdrawal when the drugs is stopped.

A High Risk for Addiction

Ambien is America's most popular sleeping pill, and it does work very well for most people having sleeping disorders. The manufacturer recommends that it be used for no longer than 7 to 10 days, long enough to induce better sleeping habits, but short of the duration required for dependency. Those patients that do exceed this duration of use, and those people who do take ambien in larger than recommended doses to feel its pleasant and anxiolitic properties, are at real risk for addiction.

Ambien Withdrawal

Once addicted, when a person attempts to stop using the drug they will experience a syndrome of withdrawal that can include anxiety, irritability, tremors, convulsions and even seizures. Once addicted, because of the risks of seizures, no one should attempt to stop taking the drug abruptly.

Treatment

Consult with a doctor to plan a tapering down of the dosage, and get off the drug in a safe and controlled manner. If you are experiencing ambien addiction because you have abused the drug and take more than the recommended dosage to feel high, you may need additional therapies to ensure that you never again need feel the pains of addiction, to develop a better self awareness over your need for intoxication, and to learn the skills you'll need to avoid relapse or abuse of a different but equally problematic drug.

If ambien is abused in conjunction with alcohol, pain pills, or any other psychotropic substance, you have a poly drug addiction, and your detox and treatment needs to address your unique combination of use.