Sleeping Medication Addiction

Sleeping pills are a type of prescription or over the counter medicine usually used to treat the symptoms of insomnia. This sleep disorder occurs when a person has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the entire night. Problems with waking up too early or feeling extremely tired upon waking are common also.

When misused or used in large amounts, sleep medication can have extremely negative effects on the body and may even induce death. The chances of death or overdose are many times more if used in combination with alcohol or other drugs.

One of the most popular prescription sleeping pills is Lunesta. This drug has been found to be highly addictive as well as commonly misused as a recreational drug. An addict or abuser may crush up many pills and snort them in an attempt to obtain a euphoric effect from the medication.

Another very popular sleeping pill is Ambien, which is also available by prescription. The effects of abuse and addiction to Ambien are very similar to that of Lunesta, but the side effects can be much more dangerous. Ambien can put a person in such a deep sleep that they may begin sleep walking. This can be dangerous and possibly life threatening because the person is virtually unconscious during the sleepwalking episode. In addition, there is strong evidence that Ambien has the potential for abuse and dependence.

Sleeping patterns are completely changed by substance use. Due to the high rate of dependence and addiction associated with sleeping pills, they are not recommended for long-term use except in rare cases. Consider the following,

When used repeatedly for more than a few weeks, all prescription sleeping pills can cause corporeal and psychological addiction. Signs of addiction can be the need to get more of these drugs to get the similar effect, or finding it hard to do with no drugs. If a dependence on sleeping pills has developed, withdrawal from these drugs has to be supervised by a health professional to lessen the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms which may be life threatening.

A rehabilitation center can provide safe detoxification and will ensure that any dangerous behavior is addressed. A person may or may not choose in-patient rehabilitation as treatment, but this is usually the best option for treating addicts. Therapy provided by psychotherapists, in a one-on-one or group setting, will include the counseling needed for a successful recovery and a fresh start towards a healthier, drug free lifestyle.