Ambien Treatment and Rehab

Ambien Info

• Ambien Addiction and Abuse
• Ambien Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Ambien Treatment and Rehab
• Ambien Withdrawal and Detox

Anyone who has abused Ambien over a long period of time will require treatment. If you’ve been addicted to Ambien for a while, it’s likely you’ll be faced with dangerous side effects in the long-run. This is why you should make every effort to end your addiction.

Ambien is mainly used as a sleeping-aid, but you can become addicted to the drug by taking it more frequently or at higher doses than you should. You may want to reap the benefits of Ambien longer than recommended by your doctor, which will eventually make you physically dependent on the drug. Recreational use is an even quicker recipe for addiction. Abusing Ambien for the euphoria it induces will pull you towards physical and psychological dependence.

However, if you have fallen foul of addiction, you can still recover. Addiction treatment targets both your physical and psychological dependence on Ambien. You will be weaned off the drug and coached on how to mentally fight off your cravings.

Treatment involves detox, rehab and ongoing care. You’ll be assisted through the two main phases of withdrawal, via medically assisted detox treatment to make your symptoms bearable. Therapists will also work to help you get to the root of any mental issues connected to your addiction.

Ambien addiction treatment: How does it work?

Ambien alters the chemistry of the brain by tampering with normal neurochemical activity. This leads to changes in the way your body and brain function. This will also affect you socially and otherwise.

Addiction is characterised by compulsive and obsessive drug-seeking behaviours. In the case of Ambien, your brain will lose the ability to perform normal functions without the presence of this substance. Withdrawal symptoms will take hold when you choose to stop taking the drug. These symptoms will trigger a pressing urge to take Ambien again.

Ambien addiction treatment looks to correct these issues. The first aim is to put your withdrawal symptoms in check and help your body flush out the drug’s toxins, while it strives to regain balance. The next aim is to address the urges that compel you to take Ambien repeatedly.

Treatment for Ambien addiction also works to take care of the problem that led you to use it in the first place: namely, insomnia or the need to feel ‘high’. These issues will be treated using therapeutic methods.

Why treatment for Ambien addiction is a necessity

Addiction is a brain disease that requires treatment. Continued misuse of Ambien can be dangerous, even fatal. If your body has grown dependent on Ambien, it begins to grow a tolerance for the drug. Increased doses will be required to induce its calming and sleep-aiding effects. If you don’t quit, you’ll be on a trajectory to overdose, which can ultimately claim your life.

Ambien has the ability to get you hooked. This can lead to certain behaviours that will cut you off from the rest of society. You could do hurtful things to those around you when you’re desperately trying to use again. Your finances will also take a hit, because you’ll be ready and willing to spend your last penny on Ambien as a result of your addiction.

Holding down jobs will also become difficult. This usually happens as a result of your dependence on Ambien and how it affects the brain. Ambien increases the production of GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid), which is a neurotransmitter that mainly inhibits nerve excitement. When the presence of this neurochemical is spiked, it dulls your senses, helping put you to sleep. Continued use will inhibit certain brain functions and you won’t be as sharp as usual, which will affect your ability to either work proficiently or efficiently carry out day-to-day activities.

There’s no shortcut to ending your addiction to Ambien. You can’t simply stop using and hope to regain normalcy again. The best option to regain self-control is to undergo treatment. While this may be difficult, you’ll no doubt be happy with the end result and how your efforts will pay off. Please get in touch with an addiction specialist today to begin your treatment.

Effective treatment for Ambien addiction

your bloodstream. Detox will involve a progressive reduction of your dose until you’re fully taken off the drug.

The psychological part of your treatment will work to address behavioural issues that led to your addiction and change in mental state, as well as psychological damage that may have resulted from your drug abuse. You will undergo various forms of therapy during rehabilitation to tackle these issues, and will also receive continuing care when your treatment is over.

Treating one aspect will only cause the other to lead you back to drug abuse. Effective treatment also addresses the sleep disorder (insomnia) that may have led you to use Ambien initially.

Therapy and specialised treatment options

Getting rid of the Ambien from your body will see you achieve a level of sobriety, but you will continue to battle with a mental urge to use again. This and many other issues are what therapy serves to address. You’ll work with a licensed therapist to coach you on behavioural changes and practices that will help maintain abstinence.

Specialised care – both on a physical and psychological level – will also be applied, depending on your individual needs. Rare medical complications may call for the expertise of a specialist, especially if you have a separate physical health issue that’s occurring alongside your substance abuse.

Insomnia (which is a common co-occurring disorder with Ambien addiction) also requires specialised care. A specialist will treat you for your sleep problems and coach you on new techniques that will facilitate a healthy sleeping habit. Other mental issues that require specialised care will also be treated accordingly.

Inpatient and outpatient rehab for Ambien addiction

You can undergo rehab via inpatient or outpatient rehab programmes. While inpatient treatment is considered the best option, your situation may be ideal for an outpatient programme. However, it is up to your doctors to determine which route will work best for your particular situation.

Before you make the decision to undergo any method of treatment, please make sure you’re properly evaluated by your doctor and do your best to follow their recommendations. Detox can be carried out via inpatient or outpatient care, but you might require inpatient detox, before you can later transition to outpatient rehab.

Inpatient treatment

Inpatient rehabilitation is built around a strict routine and practice that works to help restore balance to your life as you work towards recovery. You’ll practically be living in the facility and will go through certain daily therapeutic activities. One-on-one counselling sessions will be carried out, you’ll attend group meetings, you will have free time and engage in other activities, according to the centre’s timetable and your personalised treatment plan.

The framework of inpatient treatment will also help you cultivate and maintain a healthy sleeping habit, as bedtime and wake-up routines are usually consistent.

Most centres also carry out residential detox programmes as part of their treatment plan that will ease the difficulties of withdrawal and help your body eliminate Ambien properly.

Inpatient care is considered the best option, as staying secluded from your environment will take away relapse triggers and help you focus on recovering. Withdrawal symptoms that may linger after detox can also cause you to use Ambien again, but this will be averted once you’re in a residential facility. You’ll be treated until you can cope with cravings and triggers, before you’re allowed to go home.

Outpatient rehab

Outpatient rehab is ideal if you have a mild to moderate case of addiction and are not severely dependent on Ambien. Outpatient programmes provide treatment options that will supervise you medically as you taper off Ambien via scheduled visits to the clinic. Counselling will also be provided.

You will undergo a thorough detox and rehab programme, without having to give up your daily engagements and home life. You will attend group meetings and therapy sessions in the evenings, several times a week in most cases. Weekend programmes can also be arranged if the need arises.

If doctors sense that you may have trouble detoxing at home, you could be advised to undertake a residential detox programme. Then, you’ll be switched to outpatient rehab once your detox is over. This way, you can undergo consistent medical care during detox to ensure any complications and difficulties are identified and taken care of as they arise.

Finding an exclusive Ambien rehab facility

You should primarily look for reputable rehab centres with a successful history of addiction treatment. While your comfort is important, not receiving proper treatment for your addiction will defeat the purpose of being in a rehab clinic in the first place. As a result, the amenities should come as add-ons, while you make the standard of treatment your major factor for measuring the adequacy of an exclusive rehab facility.

There are luxury rehab centres with top professional care and state of the art amenities available in the UK. If you’re not sure which to choose, contact an addiction helpline to point you in the right direction.

What to Know about Ambien clinics

Ambien clinics are dedicated to helping addicts like you overcome substance abuse. There are a variety of options to choose from and you’ll need to choose the right clinic for your needs, to comfortably fight your addiction.

Types of rehab clinics include public clinics, standard private clinics, and luxury rehab facilities. Your budget will usually determine the treatment centre you choose. Each clinic is run by qualified professionals that are trained in addiction and healthcare, with the main differences in cost involving amenities and environment.

Some Ambien clinics offer rehabilitation or medical detox exclusively, while others offer both programmes together. Other types of rehab clinics for Ambien abuse include gender-specific, age-specific, LGBT, substance-restricted, and dual diagnosis clinics (for cases of addiction and co-occurring mental disorders).

Private Ambien rehabs and confidentiality

Addiction to Ambien is a deeply personal issue and one that you might share with family and friends, however, you probably want control over who else knows about your struggles and experiences. As a result, privacy and confidentiality will be a vital issue when you seek treatment at addiction rehab clinics.

Rehab centres understand this and have policies in place that honour and respect confidentiality as a rule. You’ll be required to divulge sensitive personal information in order to provide your therapists with the information they need for your treatment.

While rehab centres differ in their philosophies and policies, one general, constant practice is to protect the privacy of their clients. They do this to ensure concerns about confidentiality don’t cause psychological disruptions during treatment, as worrying too much can make you unstable and obstruct your recovery.

After (or even before) intake, you’ll be provided the confidentiality guidelines of the facility where you’ll undergo treatment. In some cases, the employees of the centre will be required to sign confidentiality agreements or a centre representative will sign on behalf of all staff.

Individual counselling

Individual counselling involves a personal session between you and a licensed psychiatrist. You’ll be taught addiction coping skills, how to better communicate with people, and how to change your thoughts and feelings towards Ambien, especially when you feel the urge to use again.

Your therapist will employ certain therapeutic measures in order to forge a clear understanding about your motivation to use Ambien and the new traits the drug has introduced into your life. Together, you’ll both come up with a strategy to combat these issues.

You will also be coached on new living habits to embrace, as well as thoughts and extracurricular activities to engage in, and things to avoid. Through private counselling, your thoughts and feelings towards Ambien will change for good and you’ll begin to see the drug as a potential danger, rather than a vehicle to a good time.

You’ll undergo individual counselling throughout rehab and even afterwards. Sessions typically take place in the office of a therapist, a classroom or meeting room, or even at a location of your psychologist’s choosing.

Group therapy

Group therapy is conducted in a setting that involves two or more people. This therapy type provides an opportunity for you to practice the communications and inter-personal skills you’ve been taught by your therapist. Couples therapy, family therapy, and team counselling can each be classed as different forms of group therapy.

This type of therapy is spearheaded by a licensed therapist and also involves activities that teach you how to mingle and share with others, encourage and learn from your peers and form new coping skills.

You will normally attend group therapy sessions each day during rehab if you undergo residential treatment. Group therapy sessions typically last for one hour and are conducted in a meeting room.

Duration of treatment

The duration of your treatment will depend on your individual situation and how you’ve abused Ambien. If you’re chronically dependent on Ambien, you should expect a longer period in detox and rehab. The treatment option you choose will also determine the duration of treatment. Notably, outpatient programmes are normally longer than inpatient ones.

Since you’ll likely be tapered off Ambien, your detox period may last longer than if detoxing from other drugs, where you’d merely cease use abruptly or taper in large doses.

If you’re being treated for a co-occurring disorder (either of a physical or mental nature), your treatment is also likely to take time. Polydrug abuse (using other substances alongside Ambien) will also mean treatment lasts longer, as you’ll need close monitoring, because withdrawal symptoms tend to last longer.

Detoxing from Ambien: All you need to know

Whilst detoxing from Ambien, you’ll need all the professional care you can get. This process involves the total elimination of Ambien from your bloodstream and it is accompanied by difficult withdrawal symptoms that may cause you to relapse.

A medical detox will ensure your withdrawal symptoms are properly managed and that you are as comfortable as possible. Ambien detox constitutes a tapering off protocol, whereby your doctors will progressively decrease your dose until it’s safe to cut off your usage altogether. You’ll also receive psychological help to complement your detox, in order to keep you on track.

The primary aim of detox is to stabilise and prepare you for rehabilitation. It is the first stage of your treatment plan and will transition you to rehab in a drug-free state.

Psychological therapy

Psychological therapy aims to help you find mental balance as you work towards recovery from Ambien addiction. Ambien induces sleep and leaves you slightly impaired each morning when you take it the night before (under prescription). In higher doses, you’ll be causing more psychological damage.

Therapy used to treat Ambien addiction includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), group and individual therapy, Motivational Interviewing and family therapy. These therapies will work to treat your sleeping condition by repairing dysfunctional thought patterns that lead to lack of sleep. Your night time arousal will also be addressed to ensure you are not always nocturnally active.

Your need for Ambien will be eliminated if you can manage to sleep without it. If you used Ambien for recreational reasons, this issue will also be addressed via psychotherapy.

Risks of treatment

Complications might occur during treatment, but these can be handled by your doctor. This is why it is advised to always seek help before you quit.

Abruptly quitting Ambien after chronic abuse can cause a myriad of symptoms to flare up at once, which can induce unpleasant and dangerous effects. Your doctors will taper you down gradually as a result.

Also, if you’ve misused Ambien alongside other substances, you will likely be faced with severe consequences such as seizures and respiratory depression. Psychological and physical health issues can worsen if you had any pre-existing conditions before your substance abuse.

What to expect from treatment

Choosing to fight your addiction is a remarkable milestone in itself. Withdrawal symptoms can be painful and unpleasant, making you question your decision to seek treatment. However, with a firm resolve and proper care, you can pull through and achieve full recovery.

Treatment in a competent rehab centre will provide the care and support you need from start to finish. You’ll be properly evaluated during intake so that a treatment plan can be devised that is unique for you.

Your withdrawal symptoms will be reduced via medical detoxification and palliative measures such as tapering and administering medications will be employed to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible.

During rehab, your psychiatrist will train you on coping techniques and behavioural changes that will help you live a healthy life, free from the influence of Ambien.

You should stick to the treatment plan drawn up by your addiction specialist if you want to make a full recovery and successfully overcome addiction. Please do not quit treatment until your regimen has been completed.

Post-rehabilitation support: Live a drug-free life again

Treatment from detox to rehab doesn’t mark the end of your recovery journey. Rehab serves to equip you with skills and techniques that will help you sleep better and stay drug-free. Rehab doesn’t cure you completely, which is why your clinic will continue to provide psychological support after your treatment is over.

Continuing care includes individual counselling sessions with your therapist and support group meetings that will further strengthen your resolve to stay away from Ambien.

The risk of relapse for Ambien addicts

Relapse is a constant threat to your new-found abstinence. There are always triggers lurking that can provoke intense cravings. While the primary risk of relapse entails returning to the point of addiction and dependence, there’s also a risk of overdose.

Having undergone treatment usually means your tolerance for Ambien is now low. Relapsing with a large dose – especially during early recovery – will likely cause you to overdose. This carries fatal risks, such as repressed breathing that could progress to coma and even death.

Sober Living support

If you feel you’re not ready to face the hurdles of life outside an inpatient rehab centre after treatment, Sober Living is a viable option to extend your stay away from your former life. Many have found Sober Living programmes to be very helpful.

These programmes are similar to a diluted version of inpatient rehab. They provide seclusion from the outside world, but without the strict rules of residential rehabilitation programmes. This environment is often supervised and you’ll be required to attend support group meetings and counselling sessions. You may need to undertake drug tests from time to time as well.

Peer counselling

Peer counselling for addiction is a special programme, focusing on peers supporting other peers. It is carried out by a well-trained specialist. Your peer counsellor will collaborate with you to set up therapeutic exercises and activities to help form new habits towards your addiction, as well as manage stress, and ultimately see Ambien as the hazardous substance that it is when abused.

Family Therapy

Family therapy includes members of your family in the treatment procedure. It is founded on the premise that issues within the family dynamic also contribute to addiction.

Family therapy works to repair the damages within the family unit in order to avoid future addiction problems. It will also treat family members that may have been psychologically affected by your addictive behaviours.

Seek Help

Addiction is not a trip with a one-way ticket. You can stand your ground and seize control of your life again. Treatment and support is readily available so you can beat substance abuse. While quitting Ambien is difficult, it is something that is attainable.

Withdrawal symptoms can be managed and reduced when you go through a medically assisted detox programme. You’ll also receive therapy to see you through treatment and help you beat addiction. If you have a loved one struggling to kick their Ambien abuse habit, encourage them to seek help today.

FAQs

Sources

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/ambien/faq-20058103
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553644/