What Is Ambien?
Ambien is a prescription drug that is classified as a sedative-hypnotic. This form of a prescription drug is considered to be a “z medication” as it is a nonbenzodiazepine prescription sedative. Ambien is provided to individuals that are experiencing insomnia or challenges with regular sleeping habits. The use of Ambien is intended to be for short-term usage due to the increased risk factors of developing an addiction to Ambien the longer your use of Ambien progresses, but there are plenty of quitting Ambien success stories.
Ambien is a prescription drug that works on activating the neurotransmitter GABA which works to slow down your central nervous system depressant and brain. Ambien was designed to be a less addictive form of benzodiazepine that reduces the possibility of becoming habit-forming. However, Ambien still has the potential to become addictive if it is abused. Compared to benzodiazepines, developing an Ambien addiction will often take longer, and if you experience withdrawal symptoms, they are typically less severe than benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms.
For most Ambien abusers, your use of Ambien began as a way to treat an ongoing mental health or sleep disorder. You intended to provide stability and regularity in your sleep patterns, but as your use of Ambien progressed and increased, an addiction to Ambien began to develop. There is hope to overcome your Ambien addiction with the support of a comprehensive treatment plan that will support you in safely overcoming the physiological dependence on Ambien while providing you with the tools to regulate your sleep patterns and treat insomnia without turning to prescription drug abuse as a way to cope.
Understanding Ambien Addiction
Ambien addiction can progress over a short period of time if your use of Ambien continues to increase. A tolerance to Ambien will occur within 2 weeks. Developing a tolerance does not necessarily mean that you have an addiction to Ambien, but it can often lead to an addiction as you will need to take more Ambien to reach the same desired effects. After your body establishes a dependence on Ambien and you abruptly end your use of Ambien, you will experience withdrawal symptoms due to the developed physical and physiological dependence.
Typically, as people build a tolerance for Ambien, they increase the amount in which they use which will often lead to an addiction. Ambien addiction is characterized by experiencing compulsive use of Ambien, loss of control over one’s usage, using Ambien while in high-risk situations, experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you are not using Ambien, and having significant drug cravings for this prescription drug. Ambien withdrawal symptoms can range in severity but may include some or all of the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Lightheadedness
- Nervousness
- Flushing
- Uncontrollable crying
- Severe stomach pains
- Abdominal cramps
- Panic attacks
- Seizures
Some individuals that are experiencing withdrawal symptoms will struggle with the onset of these symptoms and return to Ambien abuse to mitigate the onset of withdrawal symptoms. To best treat addiction to Ambien, having the support of an addiction treatment program with trained medical professionals and addiction therapists will allow you to safely overcome the physical dependence on Ambien and develop the skills to manage any sleep disturbances in the future without turning to substance abuse. It is recommended that you first undergo a drug detox program that will provide you with ongoing medical supervision and guidance as you relieve your body of the physiological dependency on Ambien and heal from the physical addiction that has been established.
Discover how to avoid Ambien withdrawal here:
Steps You Can Take to Become One of the Quitting Ambien Success Stories
While in the midst of your Ambien addiction, it can feel difficult to see a way to remove yourself from your addiction and enter into addiction recovery. But there is hope and recovery is possible. Many people have success stories of quitting Ambien, and your success story is possible if you take the necessary steps to receive the proper addiction treatment support that you require:
- Admitting that your Ambien use has become a problem. Once you have identified that your use of Ambien has progressed into dependence and addiction, it will allow you the ability to begin to seek help for your addiction and receive the proper addiction treatment methods
- Speak with your doctor. A physician can assess the dependence that has been established on Ambien and the severity of your addiction. By understanding the seriousness of your addiction, a physician can suggest appropriate treatment methods including a drug detox process and treatment program.
- Engaging in a drug detox program. Patients in a drug detox program will be offered ongoing support and medical guidance as they work to eliminate their physical dependency on Ambien. During an Ambien detox, patients will be guided to complete a slow tapering-off process. During a slow tapering-off process, patients will gradually reduce the amount of Ambien they are taking to allow their body to slowly adjust to functioning without the presence of Ambien within their system and minimize the impacts of any presenting withdrawal symptoms.
- After you have completed a drug detox program, enter into a drug rehab program. Healing from the physical addiction to Ambien is the first step in your addiction recovery process. To have long-term success in addiction recovery, you must address the underlying causes of your drug addiction with the support of evidence-based therapy methods. Drug rehab will support you in healing from the emotions and deep-rooted traumas that have influenced your addictive behaviors to foster a new foundation that enhances your ability to live soberly.
- Develop a relapse prevention plan. A key piece of your addiction recovery is establishing coping skills and strategies that will support you in overcoming any presenting triggers with ease. A relapse prevention plan will also provide you with the tools to support healthy sleeping patterns without using prescription drugs to regulate your sleep. You can maintain regular sleep schedules and habits through holistic and natural methods while staying on track for your addiction recovery goals.
- Aftercare planning. Living in addiction recovery requires a long-term commitment to your health and recovery. Putting a plan in place for long-term support through addiction therapy and other support groups such as 12-step recovery groups will enable you to maintain your sobriety.
Continued Care and Treatment for Ambien Addiction Recovery
At Muse Treatment Center, we offer patients a full continuum of care for their addiction treatment program. Through our varying levels of care, patients can overcome the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual addiction that has developed from Ambien abuse while empowering them with the skills and tools for relapse prevention and addiction recovery. Our compassionate team of addiction therapists and medical professionals will support you in finding a new path in life that is free of substance abuse and embraces a life of sobriety, health, and wellness. You can be the next success story for Ambien addiction recovery, and our team will be with you as you heal from your addiction within your body, mind, and spirit. Contact Muse Treatment at (800) 426-1818 today and begin your road to recovery now.
