When you can’t sleep, you’re willing to try most anything to get a good night’s rest. Taking a prescription drug like Ambien may hardly seem like a desperate measure. However even when you get this drug from a doctor, you may come to rely on it more than you’d like. Your life begins to feel like it revolves around Ambien, alcohol and other substances. This is because Ambien is addictive. Ending Ambien use may require rehab. So why is rehab so important? What will it involve?
What Does Ambien Addiction Involve?
Not everyone who takes Ambien develops tolerance, dependence and addiction, but many do. There is no one type of person who becomes addicted. If you struggle with this drug, you aren’t alone no matter your age, race, gender, education or income. You aren’t alone in your struggle. You aren’t alone in your desire to stop–and your inability to do so on your own. Ending drug use involves so much more than “just quitting.” If you’ve tried to stop using Ambien alone or at home, you know this is the truth. If you’ve tried recovery and relapsed, you understand it’s more than a matter of willpower. Addiction is a disease. It certainly has physical effects. These are the most visible. You may experience Ambien side effects like lack of coordination or balance while under the influence. You may black out on the drug, feel “hungover” after using it or find you’ve been doing strange things like eating or driving without being aware of it. If you’re addicted, you’ll find these side effects aren’t enough of a deterrent. The Huffington Post reported that “Some people enjoy the high they get from the drug so much that they are willing to overlook the blackouts and negative consequences that result from their drug use.”1 If you are addicted, you experience consequences but keep using Ambien anyway. Ambien changes how your brain and body function. It changes how you think. This is why you use the drug even though you know it is harming your health, your life and your relationships with your loved ones. This is why rehab is so important. So once you know you need rehab, or are at least curious enough to start learning more, you probably wonder what it involves and if it can help.
What Do I Need to Do Before Rehab?
If you’re ready for rehab, it’s time to take action. Call a treatment provider like Michael’s House. Learn more about your unique recovery needs and what programs can address these needs. Once you’ve signed up, it’s time to pack! Your rehab program will give you a list of what you can and can’t take. If you’re overwhelmed by getting ready, don’t worry, you can ask for help and ideas. For example at Michael’s House we suggest bringing a few mementos from home, comfortable clothes and useful tools such as blank journals and pens. We monitor electronics use, so you can leave laptops and iPads behind or let us store them safely during your stay. Before you go, take a moment to connect with important people in your life. Your family, your close friends and your employer should know that you will be gone and when to expect you back. You don’t have to say where you’re going or why. Sharing the details of treatment is always up to you! However you may be able to include certain family members in aspects of your treatment such as family therapy or family days. Your boss may be more willing to work with your schedule and make accommodations after your return if he or she knows what is going on. Your friends may be a surprising source of encouragement if you let them know. The treatment team here at Michael’s House will always be a resource and source of encouragement and support as you get ready for recovery.Getting Help for Ambien at Michael’s House
You can break free from Ambien. You can find a healthy, balanced and well-rested life. You can repair your health and your relationships. It all begins with rehab. Contact us at Michael’s House and learn more about your options, how rehab can help and how you can started with your recovery today.
Sources 1 McCabe, Allison. “The Disturbing Side Effects of Ambien, the No. 1 Prescription Sleep Aid.” Huffington Post. 15 Jan. 2014. Accessed 9 Jan. 2018. 2 “Insomnia Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Instead of Sleeping Pills.” Mayo Clinic. 28 Sep. 2016. Accessed 9 Jan. 2018.