What is Ambien and what can it make you do? - buysomameds.com

Highlights

Ambien is a depressant of the central nervous system, commonly prescribed for the treatment of insomnia.People also abuse Ambien due to its CNS depressing effects. They may snort the pills or inject it.The most common effects of Ambien include relaxation and drowsiness.
Ambien withdrawal can produce severe symptoms, including hallucinations, seizures, vomiting, and anxiety.
Signs of Ambien addiction include drug tolerance, using the medication in dangerous situations, taking a larger amount than prescribed, and failed attempts to cut down on use.

What is Ambien?

Ambien is a trade name medication for the drug Zolpidem, a type of sedative-hypnotic medicine. It is one of the most prevalent medications for the treatment of insomnia in the United States.
Ambien is a depressant of the central nervous system that can impair functioning even when you take it at prescribed doses.

The common street names of Ambien are:

A-minus
No-go pills
Zombie pills

How people misuse Ambien?

People can misuse Ambien in several different ways:

Oral use or snorting: Prescription pills of the medication are available in two forms Ambien5 mg and Ambien 10 mg. People misusing the medicine may take several tablets or crush them into fine powder to snort them. Snorting any drug give more quick effects to the abusers.

Injections: Abusers can also dissolve the pills in a liquid solution like water or alcohol and inject it intravenously (directly under the skin) or intramuscularly (straight into the muscle tissues). These are the methods that will let people feel the effects of drugs fastest.
What effects does Ambien cause?

Ambien is a sedative-hypnotic that works by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system. As with other medicines, people who take Ambien feel mild to moderate side effects. Being a sedative, the medication may impair the functioning of daily life activities such as cooking or driving.

Short-term Ambien effects

The short-term effects caused due to Ambien include:

Drowsiness

Sedation

Relaxation

Ambien side effects

Most frequently occurring side effects of Ambien include:

Headache

Nausea or vomiting

Intense craving

Weakness

Drowsiness or fatigue

Slowed breathing

Sleepwalking or somnambulism

Difficulty with coordination

Irritability or nervousness

Long-term effects

Ambien abuse can lead to high levels of tolerance over time. It will increase the risk of withdrawal and overdose. A study conducted on hypnotics revealed that those taking Ambien have above 4 times the mortality compared to those who never used Ambien or any hypnotic medication. Another study demonstrates that people who abuse Ambien at a high dose are 35% more likely to develop fatal diseases like cancer.

Some common long-term effects of persistent Ambien abuse include:

Negative consequences at work or school

Accidents

Interpersonal and social consequences

Increased aggression

Psychological problems

Arguments and fights

Sexual dysfunction

Immunosuppression

Paranoia, hallucinations, agitation, and anxiety

Increased risk of death

Withdrawal symptoms

Ambien withdrawal symptoms generally begin within hours and can at maximum occur a few days after stopping or reducing the dose. The duration of symptoms depends on the severity of the addiction, the amount of dosage, and length of use. Since Ambien is a hypnotic medication that works for only a short duration, the onset of withdrawal symptoms takes place within 6-8 hours after you stop using it, and get severe around the second day, and start improving within 4-5 days.

Fatal delirium may develop due to Ambien's withdrawal, so it is strongly recommended to take medical supervision to detox from the medication safely.
Some Ambien withdrawal symptoms include:

Nausea or vomiting

Tachycardia or increased heart rate
Insomnia and hallucinations
Psychomotor agitation

Seizures