Sleep is essential to every aspect of our well-being, but few people get the recommended seven hours of sleep per night on a regular basis. There are numerous reasons for not getting enough sleep, some of which are due to lifestyle choices. In contrast, others are diagnosable medical conditions like apnea, insomnia, and other physical and mental health conditions.
Some people rely on medications like Ambien to get a decent night’s sleep. Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic sleep medication explicitly used to treat insomnia. While it is considered safe, Ambien does carry risks of dependence, tolerance, and addiction, particularly when it’s not used as directed. If you are struggling with overreliance on Ambien, the benzo addiction treatment program at The Right Step Hill Country can help you break the habit and teach you to develop a healthy sleep routine.
Is Ambien addictive?
Ambien can be addictive when it is used longer than prescribed, in higher doses, or when it’s abused for sedative effects. Ambien addiction occurs like other addictions:
- Taking Ambien other than how it is prescribed
- Developing tolerance
- Developing psychological dependence
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not taking Ambien
If you or a loved one is experiencing Ambien abuse or addiction, it is not safe to stop taking it abruptly or “cold turkey.” However, your doctor or addiction treatment specialist can help you safely taper off Ambien under their guidance.
Is Ambien a benzo?
While Ambien is not a benzodiazapine (benzo), it targets some of the same receptors in the brain, mainly the GABA receptors, so benzo addiction treatment is used to treat Ambien abuse and addiction. Ambien is technically part of a class of drugs called Z-drugs, which also includes eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zaleplon (Sonata), all designed to treat insomnia.
Ambien side effects
Ambien has side effects that range from mild to severe. The most common side effects are mild and typically go away as your body adjusts to the medication. These can include:
- Drowsiness that can linger into the next day
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Dry mouth
- Nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea
The serious side effects of Ambien are less common, but essential to recognize. These include:
- Memory problems
- Mood changes, including agitation, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts
- Allergic reactions, including hives, rashes, swelling, and difficulty breathing
- Next-day impairments, particularly difficulty staying alert
Some people taking Ambien experience weird or dangerous behavioral side effects, like sleep walking, sleep driving, making phone calls, eating, or performing other tasks that they do not remember. Drinking alcohol or taking other drugs while taking Ambien can increase the risk of these behaviors.
Benzo addiction treatment for Ambien abuse or addiction
Even though Ambien is not a benzo, it’s similar in how it impacts the brain. Therefore, benzo addiction treatment is the standard and most effective route for treating Ambien abuse or addiction.
At Hill Country, Ambien addiction treatment begins with a medically supervised detox, where you can taper off of Ambien under the guidance of medical and clinical treatment providers to avoid potentially harmful withdrawal symptoms safely.
Following detox, our comprehensive benzo addiction treatment program provides education about addiction, behavioral therapy interventions, and holistic treatments that combine to provide healing for the mind, body, and soul, which are all impacted by addiction.
While every client’s treatment plan is individualized, standard components include:
- Individual and group therapy
- Family therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- 12-step programs and 12-step alternatives
- Trauma therapy
- Experiential therapy groups
- Adventure therapy
- Yoga and meditation
At Hill Country, we know that addiction treatment cannot be successful if clients do not feel comfortable in their environment. Our welcoming home-like environment offers a range of amenities to complement your treatment experience and keep you engaged in healthy activities during downtime.
Connect with Hill Country for Ambien addiction treatment
Overcoming addiction to sleeping pills like Ambien can be challenging, but it is achievable with the proper guidance and treatment offered at Hill Country. Connect with us online or call 1.844.675.1628 to enroll in treatment today.