Is it Possible to Get Addicted to Ambien & Need Rehab?

Risks of Reliance on Sleep Medication

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, an estimated 40 million Americans suffer from chronic long-term sleep problems, while an additional 20 million suffer from occasional sleep issues. That means that in the average year 60 million people or 18% of the population within the United States are having issues with their sleep.

More and more these people turn to drugs mostly Ambien to help their problems. Unfortunately, this has consequences as some people have found out the hard way the answer to the question: is it possible to get addicted to Ambien?

Ambien Rehab for the Constantly Connected Society

This more than likely does not come as a surprise to anyone, what with our constantly connected society, and the fact that business, which was once a 9 to 5 enterprise, has been globalized to a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week undertaking. We are both wealthier than ever as a collective people and yet more stressed and less satisfied. Many people within this country just go and go and go, and due to this they, like the 60 million individuals mentioned above, find it almost impossible to shut down from time to time.

Yet, rather than deal with this underlying issue and find ways to organically disconnect and allow for natural circadian rhythms to reestablish themselves, we have developed a modern remedy for a modern problem. We have developed sleeping pills.

Now, this is not to say that sleeping pills are inherently bad, as some people genuinely need to take them due to a neurological disorder or some other persistent issue that may be affecting them, but for many, sleeping pills, like Ambien, have become an easy way to get rest, all while avoiding the problems that are causing sleeplessness or racing thoughts in the first place. I

t is much easier to take a pill before bed and conk out than to address the underlying anxiety that is plaguing your life or the guilt that you are experiencing over something that has occurred, but the problem with solving a sleep issue by simply taking a pill is that it can in time turn into an addiction.

Is it Possible to Get Addicted to Ambien and Need Rehab?

The short answer to this question is yes, you can get addicted to Ambien. You can become physically, as well as psychologically addicted to Ambien. The former is what many people think of when they think of addiction, but what they fail to recognize is that the latter is oftentimes a more nefarious form of addiction, that in time results in physical addiction.

Becoming psychologically addicted to Ambien can occur rather quickly, depending on the individual. Imagine if you will, that you are an individual who has suffered from sleep problems your whole life. You are now at a point where your insomnia is affecting your work or other responsibilities in your life and so when you discover that you can take a pill and it will knock you out cold, it appears to be a Godsend.

The problem with this is that while it will work, and you will get the desired result of sleep, you will also begin to associate the pill with sleep, and not taking the pill with non-sleep. You will very quickly begin to believe that if you do not take an Ambien, then you will be up all night, and the anxiety that this provokes is enough to get you reaching for the bottle. When this happens you need Ambien rehab to break this habit.

It is similar to how Xanax can create psychological dependence before physical addiction in individuals who suffer from panic attacks. In fact, Ambien was marketed as a safer form of Xanax, so in this regard, they work similarly. The fear of a panic attack causes them to become psychologically dependent on the drug because they begin to think that without their Xanax they will have a pain attack.

This in turn, to a certain degree, creates a preoccupation with panic attacks and causes a cycle in which the Xanax is needed in order to thwart the perceived oncoming of an attack. The same thing occurs when an individual becomes psychologically addicted to Ambien. They believe that without Ambien, they will not sleep, and so rather than face this prospect they just resign themselves to a life where Ambien is used in order to produce sleep.

Ambien Rehab for the Physically Addicted

Now that we know the answer to the question: Is it possible to get addicted to Ambien, we can begin to address what the symptoms are. What usually results from regular, long-term usage of Ambien is the result of physical addiction to the drug, where one’s body actually needs the substance or begins to experience withdrawal symptoms, which can include:

• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Cravings
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Fatigue
• Nausea or vomiting

When an individual gets to the point where they are physically addicted to Ambien and they are experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they do not take the drug, it is at this point where they will need professional help in order to break this cycle. It is interesting because many alcoholics and addicts express the fact that they used it in order to help themselves sleep, and so with Ambien users, all pretenses are removed and the root problem, which is symptomatic of other issues, is exposed.

So if you are wondering whether or not you are possibly addicted to Ambien, then reach out for help today. There is nothing to be ashamed of, as many people every year wind up in the same boat as you. You are not a bad person because you fell into addiction, nor are you a weak person, you simply are a person who needs some help, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Getting Help For Ambien is Possible!

If you are struggling with Ambien or seeking help for any form of a substance use disorder, you have found a crucial resource here. Rehabs Of Armerica offers top treatment options nationwide, with costs that can be covered up to 100% by many insurance policies. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and call our compassionate recovery representatives at any time, to discuss your choices and get the cost of going to rehab, quickly and confidentially!

Anna M.( Senior Content Writer )

Anna M. joined Find Addiction Rehabs with extensive experience in the field of addiction treatment. As a former Nurse Practitioner in Miami, she found her passion for addiction treatment when a family member was lost to his disease. With each article and resource, she hopes to save other families from experiencing the anguish of a loved one’s passing due to drinking or drugs.