Can You Get Addicted to Sleeping Pills?
Sleep disorders are common in today’s stressful society, and sleep medications are frequently turned to for a quick fix. Although medications like Xanax, Ambien, Ativan, and Restoril can solve sleep issues temporarily, pills are not the safest way to overcome a problem.
Prescription sleeping pills are usually either classified as tranquilizers or benzodiazepines (and related sedatives). Benzodiazepines, such as the prototype zolpidem (Ambien), depress the nervous system, decrease heart rate and breathing, and cause extreme drowsiness. Some of the negative side effects include vomiting, confusion, slurred speech, and hallucinations, which includes reports of sleep driving, eating and other activities.
The greatest risk involved with this class of drug is the potential for toxicity when combined with alcohol or opiates. If mixed with alcohol, these types of medicines can slow central nervous functions to a crawl, resulting in coma or death. Heath Ledger is an example of this unfortunate possibility: The young actor died of an acute intoxication by combining an over-the-counter sleep aid with the prescription hipnotic Restoril and several other prescription pain relievers, anxiey medications, and muscle relaxants.
Although most medications are only prescribed for a short-term remedy for insomnia, many people become dependent upon sleeping pills for long-term treatment. Addiction to these medications is also possible and is enunciated by a user’s abuse of the drug, such as ingesting more than the dosage prescribed or misusing for non-medical purposes (as is the case with all prescription abuse situations).
Why would someone abuse sleeping pills? For some, the calming effect and anxiety relief associated with sedatives and tranquilizers can cause habitual use. Others may take sleep meds with alcohol to amplify their drunken state and decrease inhibitions. Ecstacy users have also shown to take pills for a smoother come down from extreme drug bouts. Anyone who is prescribed this class of medication should use extreme caution and heed all doctor instructions.
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December 25th, 2009 at 9:28 am
you can be addicted if you use it with other illegal drugs. i don’t know with sleeping pills only. i think you might be addicted if you think(mentally) that you really still need it. but problems with sleeping have a natural cure like changing your lifestyle. like this blog said drugs are only temporarily applied.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
well i wouldn’t even think of getting addicting to sleeping pills just because of all the side affects im look at these it’s crazy it made me think well why would any body take them in the first place.
http://yovia.com/blogs/livehealthy/2010/01/28/sleeping-pills-good-or-bad/