Overuse and chemical dependency are risks associated with many commonly prescribed sleep aids, including benzodiazepines (like Valium) and barbiturates (like Nembutal). Ambien, also known as zolpidem tartrate, was developed in the 1990s as a way to provide the sedative benefits of other hypnotic drugs without the side effects. According to IMS Health, Ambien has risen to 15th place on the list of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the country since its introduction in 2003.
Ambien was marketed as a sleep aid that didn’t have the side effects of narcotic sedatives when it first came out. However, now that Ambien has been on the market for more than two decades, the more severe side effects of this medication have been revealed. Consumers who are aware of these side effects are better prepared to make informed decisions about whether or not to use hypnotic drugs recreationally.
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Ambien Physical Side Effects on the Body
When taken as prescribed, Ambien reduces brain and nerve activity, making it easier for the user to drift off to sleep. Ambien, on the other hand, has the potential to have serious adverse effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and sensory systems. The side effects of Ambien could be:-
- Sharp pain in the lower abdomen
- Diarrhea
- Loss of interest
- The presence of two distinct realities
- Double Vision
- Depression of the respiratory system
- Cramps in the muscles
- Rashes on the skin
- Body movements that are out of character
An allergic reaction to zolpidem has resulted in some users going into respiratory arrest or even death.
Cognitive Impairment
Ambien is classified as a hypnotic medication that is not a benzodiazepine. In order to mimic the effects of benzodiazepines on the central nervous system, the drug’s chemical structure was specifically engineered to have no abuse or dependence potential. Ambien, like benzodiazepines, affects brain receptor cells that bind to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a chemical that affects sleep and other neurological activities. In some cases, Ambien has caused cognitive or psychological problems for those who take it, such as:
- Loss of recall
- Difficulty concentrating
- A loss of sense of direction or sense of time
- Loss of emotional impact
- A general lack of enjoyment in daily activities
- Depression
- Suicidal ideas or attempts
- Anxiety
- Disruptions to sleep
- Nightmares
Ambien was designed to be less drowsy than other sleep medications, but new research shows that at higher doses, the drug can still be active in the body the morning after it has been taken.
According to the FDA, blood tests showed that Ambien was present in the systems of some users at levels sufficient to impair performance at tasks requiring mental alertness and coordination, such as driving. The FDA recommends that prescribers limit the drug’s dosage for women in particular to reduce the risk of this side effect. Non-medical users of Ambien run the risk of worsening side effects, such as:
- Sedation that is too strong
- Perplexity and disorientation
- Motor incoordination
- Response times that are too long
- Reflexes that take longer to come on
- Dizziness
- Hallucinations
- Impairment of decision-making
- Aggression
Ambien, despite its name, is a sedative that when abused can cause euphoria and a rush of energy in the user. Misuse of this drug, on the other hand, can cause extreme drowsiness, confusion, and clumsiness, all of which increase the risk of injuries such as fractures and falls. Ambien intoxicated users may experience sedation for up to 16 hours after taking the drug. To make the sedative effects of Ambien even more potent, it should not be taken with other drugs that depress the central nervous system. These drugs include alcohol, opioid painkillers, and tranquilizers.
Some people who take Ambien report depression and suicidal thoughts. A young man became depressed and attempted suicide after taking Ambien, according to a case study published in the DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He had no prior history of depression or suicidal thoughts. Individuals with a history of depression may see an increase in suicidal thoughts and worsen of their depressive symptoms after taking Ambien, according to the FDA.
Sleepwalking and Other Disturbing Behavior
Some people have reported sleepwalking and other unconscious behaviors after taking Ambien before going to bed. Consuming food, driving, having sex, and conversing with other people are all part of this list. These reported cases all involve people who were completely unaware of what was going on at the time. Studies published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine show that after taking Ambien, some patients have developed a behavior known as sleep eating disorder.
When these people awoke, they discovered that they had eaten something in the middle of the night, despite their best efforts to forget. Other patients have described having full conversations, walking through the neighborhood, or even waking up behind the wheel of a car with no recollection of driving. Alarms were installed on the doors of one woman’s house so that her family would be alerted if she attempted to leave the house while she was still awake.
>> Some users’ sleep patterns can be improved by cutting back on their Ambien dosage, but in some cases, the drug will have to be stopped altogether to avoid the problem.
This is in response to numerous reports of users engaging in risky activities like driving, having sex, and eating while they were allegedly asleep. These incidents are referred to as Ambien blackouts: After taking Ambien, the person goes about their daily activities, but they have no recollection of them. Although the medical term is somnambulism, the clinical term is a parasomnia, which refers to activity that occurs after a person has gone to bed such as walking, eating, or even talking on the phone.
While there have been reports of sleepwalking, sleep-eating, and sleep-driving without the use of Ambien or other prescription sleep aids, the addition of Ambien appears to cause these behaviors in people who don’t normally exhibit them and may exacerbate them in people who already suffer from parasomnias.
Sleep-Driving
Ambien is a powerful sedative that can cause unpredictable behavior while you’re asleep. It’s no secret that people who take Ambien, whether on a prescription or for fun, have run into legal trouble because of things like sleep driving.
According to the FDA, alcohol and other drugs that depress the central nervous system (such as prescribed opioid painkillers) increase the risk of parasomnias, especially more complex and dangerous ones like sleep-driving.
Anyone who takes this will get out of bed and go to his car, where he will begin driving normally without waking up; the person will not remember the incident and may only be aware of the incident if they are arrested for drunk driving.
After taking Ambien for four or five hours, the NHTSA reports that it is cognitive and motor coordination impairment, whether the person is awake or asleep.
Sleep-Eating
During an Ambien coma, people may engage in risky behaviors such as sleep-eating or sleepwalking. A person may get out of bed and eat without remembering; while this could be harmful to those who try to lose weight or have a controlled diet.
Sleep-eating is dangerous, too, because any person suffering from this can try to make food on the oven or in the stove and harm themselves or damage their homes.
Also Read: Is It Safe To Take An Antihistamine For Sleep Every Night
The Practice Of Having Sexual Relations While One Is Asleep
Having sex while under the influence of Ambien can lead to the transmission of STIs like HIV and herpes. While people who are married or live in a relationship with their partners are the ones who experience this parasomnia the most. If prophylactics aren’t used, anyone could get infected with an STI.
Some Ambien abusers and addicts may consume this drug by mixing it with intoxicating substances like alcohol to enhance the effect of the drug. So they’re more likely to have blackouts than the average person, especially if they’re drinking, which can also cause blackouts or amnesia. During a blackout, it’s possible for people to inadvertently harm themselves or others.
Ambien Abuse, Dependence, and Withdrawal
This sleep aid was initially created as abuse- and addiction-free replacement for commonly abused sleeping pills.
However, some of the genuine studies have shown that Ambien can cause addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal, of a potentially addictive substance. If you take Ambien regularly, you run the risk of becoming chemically dependent on the drug or need a heart rate that is too fast or too slowing Ambien just to function normally.
Those who take Ambien for longer than a few weeks, those who take more than the recommended dose, and recreational users who abuse the drug for reasons other than medical are at risk of addiction. Many recreational Ambien users take it in powder form after sniffing it and consume it after mixing it with alcohol. Taking Ambien this way significantly increases the risk of oversedation, overdose, and addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms that aren’t listed above include:
- Anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Agitation
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Cramps in the muscles
Prescription drug abuse and addiction are on the rise, and drug rehab programs have sprung up to address these issues without harming patients.
Whatever a person’s level of Ambien abuse, rehab offers a way to regain physical and psychological health.