Sleeping Pill Abuse: Risks & Withdrawal

Do you find it difficult to get a restful night’s sleep? According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.

For many people, turning to sleeping pills can be an easy way to put their minds at ease and ensure they have enough time to get deep sleep. But while these medications may help induce sleep in the short-term, too much reliance on them can quickly lead down a dangerous path. 

This blog post looks at why abusing this medication is risky. It also provides tips on how to stay safe and use sleeping pills responsibly.

What Are Sleeping Pills?

Sleeping pills are over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications (benzodiazepines) that treat insomnia. By definition, insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it challenging to fall asleep and stay asleep.

The symptoms of insomnia include:

• Waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep
• Memory issues, trouble concentrating, and making mistakes often
• Extremely low energy levels
• Mood swings
• Low work performance
• Poor quality of life
• Not feeling well-rested after sleeping
• Depression and anxiety
• Irritability and worrying about sleep

Many of these medications promote and prolong uninterrupted sleep throughout the night. Others refer to sleep pills as sedatives because they have calming effects and can make you drowsy.

In 2020, 8.4% of American adults relied on sleep medication to facilitate falling or staying asleep. Women (10.2%) were more inclined than men (6.6%) to use sleep medication, and its usage increased with age.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

What Are the Types of Sleeping Pills?

Different prescription sleeping pills are available, depending on your needs and reasons for taking the drug. The three most common types of medications include Ambien (zolpidem), Sonata (zaleplon), and Lunesta (eszopiclone).

Some medications only help you fall asleep, while others allow you to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Certain sleeping pills also put some at risk for dependence.

Classification of Common Sleeping Pills and Their Properties

Physicians commonly prescribe these sleeping pills to help you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night: 

• Estazolam
• Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
• Temazepam (Restoril)
• Zolpidem extended-release
• Suvorexant (Belsomra)

However, caution is advised because a dependence on these medications can develop. 

Medications that help you fall asleep yet can also lead to dependence include:

• Triazolam (Halcion)
• Zaleplon (Sonata)
• Zolpidem (Ambien CR)

Lastly, sleeping pills that help you fall asleep and stay asleep (but are not addictive) include:

• Doxepin (Silenor)
• Ramelteon (Rozerem)

Are Sleeping Pills Addictive?

Yes, sleeping pills can be addictive, and many of them can lead to dependence. Although people don’t crave them as intensely as a person addicted to other drugs like heroin or fentanyl, they can become psychologically dependent over time.

Someone who routinely takes sleeping pills may believe they can’t sleep without the medication. This belief is due to the brain and body relying on the drug to sleep properly throughout the night.

Recognizing addiction is often challenging because taking sleeping pills usually happens before bed. If you or a loved one begins taking the medications after the prescription runs out, it’s a strong indicator that an addiction to sleeping pills has developed.

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What Are the Side Effects of Sleeping Pill Abuse?

The common signs of sleeping pill abuse include:

• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Breathing difficulties
• Changes in your thought process
• Increased depression or anxiety
• Swelling and itching
• Strange dreams
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness during the day
• Amnesia (memory loss)
• Irregular sleeping patterns
• Headaches or migraines
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Sleepwalking (benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine sleeping pills can cause this)
• Abnormal behaviors (including cooking food, driving, or having sex)

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What Are the Signs of Sleeping Pill Addiction?

The signs of sleeping pill addictions are more severe and pervasive than mere abuse. When addicted, they constantly think about obtaining or taking more of the drug. These actions can negatively impact daily responsibilities, including work, social life, and finances.

Symptoms of a sleeping pill addiction include:

• Taking another person’s prescription
• Relying on the medication to fall asleep
• Taking higher doses than prescribed to feel the same effects
• Running out of a prescription early
• Having strong cravings
• Being secretive, feeling detached, and isolating oneself
• Performing low at school or work
• Changing priorities, such as revolving your day around obtaining more pills
• Having relationship problems
• Visiting the doctor frequently to obtain more than one prescription
• Developing extreme changes in mood
• Having trouble with finances
• Feeling extreme drowsiness and having memory problems

What Are the Risks of Sleeping Pills?

Sleeping pills are central nervous system (CNS) depressants that slow your heart rate and breathing. When you abuse sleeping pills to achieve a “high,” you elevate the risks exponentially. 

As a result, the following can occur, especially if your heart rate becomes too slow:

• Respiratory problems 
• Breathing difficulties 
• Loss of consciousness
• Brain damage
• Death 

Mixing sleeping pills with opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or alcohol, is dangerous and life-threatening. These drug interactions increase your chance of respiratory depression and can cause an overdose. 

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What Are the Symptoms of Sleeping Pill Withdrawal?

Users typically develop withdrawal symptoms about 7 days after stopping sleeping pill use. The symptoms can last for a few weeks, depending on your:

• Age
• Gender
• Dosage
• Length of use

The most common signs of sleeping pill withdrawal include:

Rebound Insomnia

Rebound insomnia is when sleep becomes worse after stopping the use of certain sleep medications. In most cases, rebound insomnia is worse than the user’s original insomnia before sleeping pills.

It frequently occurs after someone experiences withdrawal from nitrazepam, flunitrazepam, or triazolam, even if users only took it briefly. Diazepam and flurazepam, however, don’t cause rebound insomnia during withdrawal.^7,8

What Are Addiction Treatment Options?

A sleeping pill addiction is a severe mental health issue, but several treatments are available to support your recovery.

1. Detox and Withdrawal

Before rehab begins, you will undergo medical detoxification and withdrawal to remove the drug from your body. 

Stopping “cold turkey” or alone isn’t ideal. Instead, having a medical professional monitor your withdrawal symptoms is more effective in achieving long-term sobriety.

2. Inpatient Treatment

This occurs at a residential treatment center, where you receive continuous psychological and medical observation. Inpatient facilities offer either 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day treatment programs. In some cases, treatment can last up to a year.

3. Outpatient Rehabilitation

Outpatient rehab doesn’t include medical supervision in a residential setting. Rather than living at a facility, you only meet a few times weekly to receive treatment and participate in therapy sessions and other rehabilitation activities.

4. Aftercare

Counseling and behavioral therapy also effectively treat benzodiazepine addictions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people manage triggers, stress, expectations, and behaviors related to sleeping pills after completing a withdrawal detox. 

You may also benefit from group therapy, individual therapy, a sober living home, or 12-step education after rehab.

Summary

Sleeping pills can be helpful for those suffering from insomnia, but they come with risks and dangers. Taking more than doctors prescribe or mixing them with opioids or alcohol can be fatal.

You can also develop sleeping pill addiction and dependence if you don't monitor your use. Tolerance and dependence increase significantly with continued irresponsible use. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms can be severe, including: 

• Rebound insomnia
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Seizures

It’s difficult to quit using without professional help. If you’re struggling with such an addiction, seek treatment from a rehab facility as soon as possible. They can offer medical services and therapy to promote successful recovery. Find sleeping pill addiction treatment for a successful today.

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