Ambien addiction can have serious consequences and lead to long-term effects. This article will describe the side effects of Ambien use and addiction. Ambien is available as an immediate release or extended release tablet, which is meant to be swallowed and absorbed through the body’s gastrointestinal system. It is meant to be taken right before bedtime and is more effective when taken on an empty stomach. The active ingredient in Ambien tablets, zolpidem, is also available for administration under the tongue (brand name Edluar) as well as an oral spray (brand name ZolpiMist). Xanax is a drug that should only ever be used as it was prescribed.
Even when taken as prescribed, Ambien may cause memory loss if it’s taken without a full 7-8 hours sleep. If a person swallows Ambien, the high will set in around 30 minutes after taking the drug and last for several hours. If someone is snorting Ambien, the high may set in faster, but last for a shorter period of time. Some people who are addicted to Ambien will abuse it by injecting it intravenously for an even stronger, more powerful high.
The Dangers Of Snorting Ambien (Zolpidem Insufflation)
While Ambien can temporarily help a person with insomnia, it is not recommended for long-term use. If a person has been taking Ambien for an extended period, they may experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop using it, including insomnia recurrence. To stop using Ambien but still sleep well, a person can slowly taper off Ambien by using lower doses or using it less frequently. This will allow their body to slowly adjust to lower and lower amounts of Ambien until it is no longer needed. To avoid withdrawal symptoms, stopping Ambien use should be done under the supervision and guidance of a medical expert.
Treatment Options
However, Ambien has been noted to induce euphoric effects, causing some people to crush and snort the drug. Like any physical health issue, mental health issues require insurance coverage. As addiction is increasingly accepted as a disease, more and more insurance providers have become willing to cover services in the addiction treatment field. At PAX Memphis, we understand the importance of extending addiction treatment coverage to all those who need it.
If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm when taking Ambien, talk to a doctor immediately. When treating addiction it’s important to treat any issues a person has which may make them prone to addictive behaviors. This could include patterns of self-medicating, mental illness or relationship problems. Addiction can make a person desire to use the drug above all else, including their health.
Ambien and Ambien CR withdrawal and dependence
There is also the belief that while sleeping disorders are a real problem, Ambien and drugs like it such as Lunesta are being overprescribed. There is the tendency of people to not even view Ambien as a drug, leading to sharing of prescriptions among friends and family, and simply visiting doctors to receive the drug on-demand. Some people believe that Ambien is safer than some other benzodiazepines because there is a lower potential for overdose. While users may need to take more Ambien to overdose than they would other benzodiazepines, the signs and symptoms of an Ambien overdose are difficult to detect.
- If you’re thinking about stopping treatment with either drug, talk with your doctor.
- However, some people crush and snort Ambien to produce stronger, more rapid effects.
- If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor before you begin taking Ambien or Ambien CR.
- In layman’s terms, snorting pills produces a faster and stronger high.
- The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Ambien can be prescribed as extended-release tablets, also known as Ambien CR. The extended-release form contains a higher dose of medication; this increases the drug’s sedative effects. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
Is Snorting Ambien Dangerous?
In the United States, prescription sedatives, including Ambien or other Zolpidem medications and benzodiazepines, were misused by 352,000 people over the age of 12 in 2017. More specifically, Ambien abuse occurs in men, women, teens, and seniors. Ambien comes in pill or tablet form and is meant to be taken by mouth. Taking Ambien through other routes — such as snorting or injecting it — can be dangerous, but these are ways people may take Ambien if they are trying to get high from it. Taking Ambien through those routes can lead to serious side effects and may trigger the person to develop an addiction to Ambien.
What Are the Dangers Specific to Snorting Ambien?
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please contact at Ambien may also contain fillers that can be extremely aggravating to the nasal passages. Long-term Ambien abuse may cause the nasal passages to become blocked, making breathing and smelling difficult. Chronic insufflation may also lead to loss of smell, whistling noises from the nose, or changes in the way someone’s voice sounds.
General Health
When taken in large doses, Ambien slows down breathing, heart rate, and other essential bodily functions. If an overdose occurs, it can lead to respiratory failure and death. If a person has taken Ambien and has seriously slowed or shallow breathing, they may be experiencing an overdose. When someone gets high on Ambien, they will feel extremely groggy, drowsy, and euphoric.
Crushing and snorting pills help increase the surface area and bioavailability of can you snort ambian the substance. It also reduces the amount of time needed for the substance to break the blood-brain barrier. In layman’s terms, snorting pills produces a faster and stronger high.
They may also begin to have auditory or visual hallucinations. Oftentimes, the effects of Ambien abuse will look similar to alcohol or benzodiazepine intoxication. Engaging in any of these complex sleep behaviors is very dangerous, potentially resulting in accident or injury. Ambien has been shown to linger in people’s bodies as long as the next morning. This can lead to daytime drowsiness, impaired driving and an increased risk of falls and accidents.
Insomnia is considered chronic when you’ve had trouble sleeping for at least 3 days a week for at least 3 months. Ambien and Ambien CR are FDA-approved to treat insomnia (trouble sleeping) in adults. If you’re thinking about stopping treatment with either drug, talk with your doctor.
They’ll typically want to see you because this side effect can be serious. Your doctor may have you switch to a different medication for your sleep problems. If you have questions about long-term or next-day side effects of Ambien or Ambien CR, talk with your doctor.
If you’re struggling to fall asleep while taking Ambien or Ambien CR, talk with your doctor. They can review your insomnia treatment plan and suggest a treatment that may work better for you. Older people are more likely to have side effects from taking Ambien and Ambien CR. This is because the body becomes more sensitive to drugs with age.
A person may continue to snort Ambien even after developing some of these problems. In certain cases, a person may need reconstructive surgery to counteract this damage. People use this drug to achieve a sedated and euphoric state similar to drunkenness. Some users claim they take it to increase pleasurable feelings during sex, a behavior which can have disastrous results. Ambien is prescribed in two forms, either as a tablet or a long-acting tablet (Ambien CR).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Ambien and Ambien CR to treat certain conditions. Ambien and Ambien CR may also be used off-label for other conditions. Off-label drug use means using a drug for a purpose other than what it’s been approved for by the FDA. With dependence, your body needs a drug for you to feel as you usually do.
When taking in high doses, the drug can produce euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. Ambien abuse, however, is extremely dangerous and can lead to addiction if taken for longer than two weeks or at higher doses than one is prescribed. In general, misusing sedative-hypnotics like Ambien should be considered very dangerous due to the risk of overdose. When you take more Ambien than prescribed or take the drug in a way that may intensify its effects (such as snorting it), it can begin to dangerously slow activity in the brain. Behavioral therapies can help a person overcome these challenges. These sessions change the way a person thinks, feels and relates to the world around them in a positive way.
