Ambien Withdrawal and Detoxification Options

Quitting Ambien by tapering your dosing can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms: a medical detox can facilitate this process.

Overview

Zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist) is a medication that is frequently given to people who struggle withinsomniato help them sleep. However, the medication is aSchedule IVcontrolled substance, meaning that it carries a risk of abuse and dependence. If you take Ambien regularly, you may gain a tolerance for the drug, where you need to take more to have the same effect. You may then develop anAmbien addiction.

Quitting Ambien cold turkey may cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you are dependent on the drug. Having a detox plan for Ambien, where you are weaned off Ambien and any withdrawal symptoms are managed, may be the safest way to quit the drug.

What is Ambien Detox?

Detox is the process of ridding your body of a substance. During a well-managed detox, your body is weaned of Ambien while managing any withdrawal symptoms. Detox can last varying amounts of time depending on the person, often matching the length of time they’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Because Ambienwithdrawal symptoms can last for weeks, the detox process would possibly last for weeks as well. Different strategies can be used to help you wean off Ambien. However, an Ambien taper is a common method thatexperts recommend.

Tapering Off Ambien

Ambien and its long-acting form, Ambien CR, come in severaldifferent doses. The shorter-acting Ambien comes in doses of 5mg and 10mg, while the longer-acting Ambien CR comes in 6.25mg and 12.5mg. If you are on the lower end of the dosing range, meaning Ambien 5mg or Ambien CR 6.25mg, you may be able to simply discontinue your medication without a taper. However, if you are on a higher dose, meaning Ambien 10mg or Ambien CR 12.5mg, you will likelyneed to taper, or slowly discontinue your dose over time.

The tapering process allows your body to get used to progressively lower amounts of Ambien while avoiding withdrawal symptoms.

Creating a Tampering Plan

Your doctor can help create a tapering plan that works best for minimizing your withdrawal symptoms as you wean yourself off Ambien. Generally, tapering off Ambien while beginning therapy such asCognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I, isrecommended. Commonly Ambien tapers involve either:

• Reducing your dose by 25% of your original dose every week
• Reducing your dose by 25% of your original dose every other week

Ambien Withdrawal

When you become physically dependent on a substance like Ambien, your body and brain begin to expect its presence, chemically adapting to the drug. For this reason, if you suddenly stop the drug, you can experience withdrawal symptoms as your body struggles to adjust to not having the drug present. In the case of Ambien, the druginfluencesthe neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, in the brain. Suddenly stopping Ambien can cause withdrawal symptoms related to how the brain uses GABA.

Ambien Withdrawal Symptoms

If you are taking a low dose of Ambien and stop the drug, you may noticeincreased trouble sleepingfor a couple of days. However, taking higher doses of Ambien, particularly if you take higher doses than prescribed, can lead toadditional symptoms. Withdrawal from high-dose Ambien can lead to a variety of unpleasant symptoms,such as:

• Abdominal pain
• Anxiety
• Confusion, delirium or disorientation
• Euphoria
• High blood pressure
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Speech problems
• Seizures
• Tremor

If you find a taper too difficult to manage on your own, a medical detox center can help you come off Ambien while avoiding withdrawal.

Long-Term Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms typically disappear or significantly decrease withina few weeksafter a person stops Ambien. However, each patient’s withdrawal timeline is different, and withdrawal effects vary from patient to patient.

Factors that can influence a person’s withdrawal symptoms may include how long they took the medication and how high of a dose they took. Although a medical professional may recommend therapy like CBT-I to treat insomnia linked to Ambien withdrawal, a few drugs treat the actual withdrawal effects. For example, anti-seizure medicationsmay be recommendedfor patients who suffer from seizures during the withdrawal process.

Medical Detox from Ambien

Medical detox is the first step in quitting Ambien. In medical detox, you are admitted to a facility where you are tapered off Ambien under round-the-clock medical care. In this setting, any withdrawal symptoms can be immediately addressed. After detox is complete, the process of rehab can help you explore why you began to rely on Ambien and give you the skills needed to live life without Ambien and avoid relapses.

Different rehab options are available, including:

• Inpatient Treatment:Ininpatient treatment, you put your outside life on pause and undergo rehab on-site to heal from your Ambien addiction. The amount of time you stay in the facility depends on the severity of the addiction.
• Intensive Outpatient Treatment:Another form of outpatient treatment,IOP, allows you to live at home or in a sober living environment while still having a high level of support from your addiction facility.
• Outpatient Treatment:As you recover from your struggle with Ambien, the Recovery Village also offers more independentoutpatient treatmentoptions, includingteletherapyoptions. Outpatient rehab often follows inpatient rehab but may also be an option for less-severe Ambien addictions.
• Aftercare:After detox and rehab are complete, the lifelong process ofaftercarebegins. During this time, you take the skills you learned through The Recovery Village and apply them to everyday life, focusing on your sobriety. Support groups like 12-step programs are an important cornerstone of aftercare.

Find the Help You Need

Visit the following websites to learn about The Recovery Village’s network of rehabilitation facilities. Call today for admissions. Each center is ready to help people learn how to cope with their Ambien addiction and uncover the root causes for their substance use disorder.

• Orlando Recovery Center: A premier rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida that helps individuals recover from addiction and substance use disorders. The center also offers the opportunity to treat co-occurring disorders.
• The Recovery Village Columbus: Located in Ohio,this facility provides inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment for people looking to begin detox. The center provides individualized plans to help patients through recovery while addressing their unique co-occurring disorders or any setbacks that may happen during recovery.
• The Recovery Village Palmer Lake:In Colorado, this facility offers inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for individuals looking to kick-start their journey to recovery.
• The Recovery Village Ridgefield: Located right in southern Washington,this facility provides patients with outpatient and aftercare programs. Just 20 minutes outside of Portland, this facility assists individuals who are ready to begin treatment.
• The Recovery Village: In Umatilla, Florida,this is a rehabilitation facility that provides resources for individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment. There are inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment programs available for those suffering from Ambien addiction.
• IAFF Center of Excellence:Specializes in assisting firefighters who struggle with behavioral health problems and addiction. Members can enter the recovery process sooner so they can return back to work as quickly as possible. Inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs are all available at this facility, where patients can address their Ambien addiction in a safe, supportive environment.
• Denver Mental Health & Counseling: Denver Mental Health and Counseling by The Recovery Village is a physician-led outpatient center specializing in evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, offering services such as TMS, IOP, and personalized care for both ongoing and new patients, dedicated to fostering long-term recovery and overall well-being.
• The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health: The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is a premier physician-led treatment center in South Florida, offering a comprehensive spectrum of services from medical detox to outpatient programs for alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, with a commitment to rejuvenating lives, families, and communities, and facilitating same-day admissions.
• The Recovery Village Atlanta: Located in Roswell just outside downtown Atlanta, is a 62-bed physician-led treatment facility offering a comprehensive range of services, from medical detox to outpatient care, specializing in alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, dedicated to transforming lives, families, and communities throughout Georgia.
• The Recovery Village Kansas City: The Recovery Village Kansas City, an 80-bed facility in Raytown just 10 miles from downtown, offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, overseen by physician leaders, and is dedicated to revitalizing lives, families, and communities throughout the Midwest.
• The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Health: The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, situated just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, is a leading rehab facility in South Jersey providing comprehensive, evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, ranging from medical detox to teletherapy, with a dedicated team committed to guiding adults on their path to lifelong recovery.