Ambien Addiction and Abuse in York North Yorkshire

Dependent Upon Ambient


A prescription drug usually recommended for people with sleep disorder. Users can become addicted if they use Ambien longer than two weeks or at higher than prescribed doses.

Ambien is classified as a sedative-hypnotics. This non-benzodiazepine "z-drug" has the same medical effectiveness as benzodiazepines like Xanax without the same hazardous and habit-forming properties those drugs are known for.

Ambien the not have the habit-forming qualities of benzos though it can be classified as an addictive substance.


Although it is not as habit-forming as benzos, Ambien is an addictive substance. A dependence on this drug can form in as short as two weeks period.


Many people don't know they have a problem until they stop taking the drug and realize they cannot sleep without it. When people start to experience the side effects of quitting a drug, they realize how addicted they were to the drug.

Other signs of an Ambien addiction include

  • Refilling prescriptions unusually often
  • Abusing the drug regularly
  • Experiencing cravings for Ambien
  • Risk taking behaviour that they cannot recall afterward
  • Spending large amounts of money on the drug
  • Withdrawing from and avoiding friends and loved ones

In most case, a short-term insomnia is a cause of beginning Ambien addiction. Many users do not understand the addictive qualities of Ambien and believe that since it has been prescribed by a physician, it is safe to use and will help them get the sleep they want.

After ingesting Ambien for a couple of weeks the effects from the drug diminish making the user crave for higher doses. After reaching this stage a number of users cannot stop taking Ambien because the insomnia would have worsened leaving them incapable of managing to sleep without the drug.


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Ambien Awareness

Ambien is the brand name of Zolpidem. Due to a pervasive advertising campaign, the drug's properties as a sleep aid are widely known (even notorious) in popular culture. It is essentially prescribed as a short-term treatment for insomnia. Ambien is taken by mouth as an extended-release tablet or as a small, oblong tablet. Some people try to get a stronger effect by crushing up the pills and snorting them. Zombie pills, tic-tacs, no-go's, sleepeasy and A-minus are the slang terms for Ambien.


By reducing the performance of the brain, the drug tranquilizes the user.

Due to the negative consequences and the tendency to over depend on benzodiazepines and its replacement, Halcion, Ambien was formulated to give users a better option. The manufacturers of Ambien claimed that this drug was safer and less addictive than the others.

Medical professionals have said users are still at risk of developing an addiction, despite the makers of Ambien touting the drug's supremacy over benzos. In 2015, addiction specialist Dr. Michael Weaver published a report on sedative abuse in which he said, "Non-benzodiazepine z-drugs are also very popular and prone to many of the same problems as benzodiazepines."

Ambien falls under Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances The implication of this is that people will still abuse the as the Drug Enforcement Agency believes. Despite this, many users have abused the drug for its euphoric and hallucinatory effects.


Ambien Addiction And The Effects

Using the drug without a doctor's permission or beyond the recommended dose constitutes addiction Reckless use of the drug includes taking any form of the drug in large quantities. People typically need larger doses of Ambien when they build a tolerance for the drug.

This strengthens their dependence on the drug to sleep which causes many users to escalate their doses without medical guidance.


Ambien is supposed to be taken immediately before bed, but many people are known to ingest the drug hours before heading to bed. Overconfidence and vulnerability and dangers are not existent in an individual's actions.

In some ways, Ambien is a safer alternative to benzodiazepine sedatives because there is less potential to overdose on the drug. A person who has overdosed on Ambien will display the same symptoms as the drugs effects, so it is hard to spot an overdose victim.

As a potent central nervous system depressant, Ambien can slow a user's breathing and / or heart rate to the point of failure. Dangerous abuse can come out of it. A sign of danger for abuse of the drug are reduction in the heartbeat rate.


Drug Combinations That Are Common

Alcohol is the substance that is most commonly used with Ambien. Someone who has become tolerant to Ambien will take higher dosages to be able to sleep. In order to feel more tranquilized, a couple of users use the drug with alcohol. Mixing alcohol with Ambien is hazardous because both are central nervous system depressants.

Some people have also combined Ambien with benzos like Valium.

Exceeding the recommended dose exceeds all other side effects of using the drug with benzos, the same effect as using it with any alcoholic drink.


Ambien Abuse And Statistics

The first step to getting rid of Ambien dependency is to go through a medically supervised detoxifying program. The relapse and the issues caused by withdrawal symptoms are avoided with the help of detox process. The best ways to use the drug and effective methods of getting toxins from the body are what hospitals that cater for patients taking treatment from home or those living in the facility can help you with. When you are ready to stop using Ambien, call us on to learn more about your treatment options available.