The number of people with sleep disorders, such as insomnia, is on the rise. In parallel to this, prescriptions for sleeping pills are going up year on year too. Taken in small doses over a short period, and under the supervision of your family doctor, they are normally very safe. But any medication carries a risk and the worst of these is developing an addiction to sleeping pills.
Ambien is one of the most common types of sleep medications, but it is intended for only short term use. However, since the medication masks the problem rather than dealing with the underlying cause of insomnia, patients often find their sleep troubles resume once they quit taking it. So they take more pills in search of that longed for night's sleep.
Side effects of Ambien can include hallucinations - even without an addiction - as well as well as an unusual sensitivity to noise and bright lights. In the case of a dependency, the person may be all consumed by getting their next sleeping pill dose. Friends and family may notice them becoming atypically moody, anxious or aggressive.
Other types of medication can cause similar problems. Sonata and Lunesta are among the newest types of sleep medications, and are supposedly none addictive. But while the risk is lower, there are still reported cases of patients developing a dependency. Often this is because the body starts to develop a resistance after only a couple of weeks of use, and the taker may up their dose to get the same impact. Withdrawal symptoms from these drugs include shaking, tremors and emotional disorders such as depression or anxiety.
Sleeping pills are beneficial when taken under carefully controlled conditions. But it should always be with advice from a doctor and the underlying causes of sleep problems should be considered.
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