How to deal with addiction to sleep medicines

Ever had the urge to take a pill and drown yourself in a deep sleep? For insomniacs, this may be very common. 

We all need sleep, and sometimes we cannot have any even if we try the hardest. Without sleep, we know the next day is going to be terrible. All we want is a quick fix, and there comes a sleeping pill.

It is true sleeping pills can help us temporarily. These medications are prescription only and should never be taken without a prescription. 

Physicians sometimes resort to pills to provide short-term relief for insomniacs. But they never suggest it as a long-time solution. The problem is when people become habituated to this and cannot sleep without it. This is especially true for people who just pop a pill whenever they have trouble sleeping.  

When do we suspect someone is addicted to sleeping pills? One telltale sign is they cannot sleep without it. They will also start to use progressively larger doses as the body gets used to the medication. 

For example, initially, they may need only half the table to sleep, but later they may need 2-3 tablets to fall asleep. 

The excessive use may be associated with other issues, e.g. memory loss, hallucination etc.

Many of us are unaware that we have a sleeping pill addiction. But this becomes clear as soon as we stop taking it. We suffer from what is known as withdrawal symptoms when we abruptly stop taking it. 

Effects like restlessness, anxiety, shivering, fluctuations in blood pressure, sleep disturbances etc., can be felt in a few hours, or it may take several days or weeks. But they will appear. 

So, if anyone is suffering from such an addiction, how can it be overcome? It must be emphasised that addictions should be treated in an inpatient setting, where people can always access a physician. The physicians can help design a treatment plan for them and see how it progresses. 

For sleeping pill addictions or for any sort of addiction, physicians may try different regimens before finding the right plan for the patient, which works best in a rehab clinic or hospital setting. 

We must remember that even if we have a sleeping pill addiction, sudden cessation causes more harm than good. 

Instead, the physicians use a tapering approach, which means they gradually lower the dose until the patient can quit. 

The way of reducing the dosage may vary among different patients. That is why if someone tries to do it at home, there may be an increased risk of overdosing or severe adverse events. 

Any addiction runs the risk of relapse. For sleeping pills, this is a very likely risk. So just getting out of rehab does not mean the problem has gone forever. We need to keep it away for the rest of our life. 

Our family and friends can play a key role in this. We may need to change our lifestyle to avoid triggers that precipitate a relapse. 

To prevent sleeping pill addiction, we should remember that sleeping pills are dangerous medications and must be treated as such. 

We should not just buy and use it. If someone has insomnia, expert help must be sought. While short-term sleeping pill treatment may be offered, physicians use long-term behavioural and stress relaxation techniques to manage the issue. 

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