Sleeping Pill Addiction Treatment

People from all walks of life experience insomnia, restless sleep and related disorders. They typically suffer from interrupted rest because of an underlying problem. They might find it difficult to cope with an acute or chronic health condition, racing thoughts about life, or anxiety from the stress of day-to-day modern problems, an upcoming major event or an emergency. They then fail to receive the physical, mental or emotional rejuvenation that comes naturally with sleep. An estimated 50 to 60 million people across the United States struggle with these issues.

Eventually, after some people grow increasingly fatigued and irritable, suffer mood changes or cognitive decline, or make serious mistakes, they turn to modern medicine and sleeping aids, such as prescription gel capsules, tablets, liquids and injections, to fall asleep more quickly or stay asleep longer. In some cases, the drugs assist them by altering their mood or thought processes or relaxing their muscles. 

Yet, these medications are dangerous. Some ingredients cause adverse reactions and brain chemistry changes that promote dependency and harsh withdrawal symptoms. People who have natural addictive tendencies or accidentally or purposely misuse the drugs are at the highest risk for becoming addicts. Addiction to “sleeping pills” is like addiction to any other substance. Sleeping pills can even act as gateway drugs.

Sleeping pill addiction causes many physical and emotional challenges. Although no one can guarantee that every treatment solution provides all addicts with the same outcomes, medical professionals know that recovery is possible with the right help. This guide can help you better understand this topic for yourself or a loved one and find the solutions that match your unique needs and situation. 

Sleeping Pill Addiction: Common Signs and Symptoms

People who abuse sleeping pills are at higher risk for serious health problems like heart disease and cancer, and even death. If you can relate to any of the following scenarios, then you’re likely addicted to sleeping pills:

• You’ve grown increasingly and unhealthily dependent on the medication and need more pills over time to receive any benefit.
• You have increased your dosage without approval from a medical provider certified to provide guidance and instructions.
• Your physician refused to increase your prescription, or you’ve used up your prescription too fast, and you’ve sought care and additional prescriptions from different doctors.
• You deny that you’re dependent even when you can’t sleep through the night without this type of sleep aid.
• Your anxiety, anger, depression or irritation have increased as well while on the medication or when others point out your dependence.
• You tried to quit the medication one or more times, experienced severe withdrawal symptoms, and failed to stop.
• You became temporarily comatose, experienced seizures or nearly died because of taking too much of the medication.
• You suddenly started to experience new sleep disorders that involve partial wakefulness, such as walking, eating or driving while mostly asleep.
• Your cravings for sleeping pills and bedtime and your pill scheduling and usage have become more important than your academic, job and social responsibilities.
• You’ve recognized the negative effects of using sleeping pill in your life and, yet, you refuse to quit.

Of course, the first signs aren’t always so obvious. You might have the following physical symptoms of addiction or withdrawal that can mimic adverse drug reactions or even other medical conditions:

• Blurred vision
• Chest, arm or shoulder pains
• Cognitive issues
• Daytime sleeping or anytime sleep apnea
• Diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, stomach pain or vomiting
• Extreme fatigue
• Focusing difficulties
• Hallucinations
• Heartbeat irregularity
• Increased or sudden mood changes
• Facial swelling or overall inflammation
• Lack of coordination
• Memory loss
• Mood swings
• Organ damage
• Painful headaches
• Partial or total shaking
• Physical unsteadiness or weakness
• Respiratory issues
• Slurred speech
• Strange dreams

Why Is Professional Treatment Important?

Most addicts can’t achieve lasting recovery without professional help. Some people don’t have enough knowledge or a plan. They might need specialized care that only a professional can provide. For example, they might need special medication to detox; counseling or other forms of therapy to deal with emotional and physical challenges; or someone to help them during the worst withdrawal symptoms.

Without professional assistance, every aspect of an addict’s life can fall apart. They might have a car accident because of they fell asleep while driving, turned the wrong way at an intersection, or performed an uncoordinated physical movement like tapping the accelerator instead of the brake. They might experience damage to their relationships because of mood swings or poor productivity in academic or work settings. They might not have anyone they can depend upon to help them through the worst moments and accept their faults as natural in humans rather than a sign of laziness or weakness.

With a team of recovery specialists, you receive access to professionals who have successfully helped thousands of people like you. They’ve seen or heard nearly everything during detox, treatment and recovery. You are guaranteed to have someone in your corner who understands you. They won’t give up on you easily either. By seeking treatment, you’re more likely to quit and stay that way instead of finding yourself in the same situation weeks, months or years later.

Why else is professional treatment critical to a lasting recovery?

• Personalized Case Management: Professionals can provide you with a flexible, custom and structured treatment program designed for your unique situation, including treatment that focuses both on the current problem and any underlying ones that caused the sleep issues from the start; therapies catered to withdrawal from specific sleeping drugs; consideration of any other health issues that might interfere with detox and treatments; complications of withdrawal and other areas. Medical and rehabilitation professionals have skills to adapt the plan to take into account lifestyle, medication, overall therapy, sleep pattern and other changes that might become necessary over time.

• Supportive Holistic Approaches: Recovery centers often offer a wide range of treatment options for whole body improvement. Instead of merely focusing on addiction, these approaches emphasize your entire well-being. For example, your team might recommend ways to improve sleep, such as art or group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy or lifestyle changes that reduce the need for medication. These approaches can help you feel less isolated or lonely and improve other areas of your life that previously caused or exacerbated your condition.

Treatment Options at Illinois Recovery Center

When you’re ready to seek treatment, you can expect to receive both confidential inpatient residential and outpatient treatment recommendations. You typically begin your journey in an inpatient setting where you stop using the sleep aid drug via a tapering process and possibly a special detox medication. While under caring medical supervision, you might experience a wide range of withdrawal symptoms, including mild to severe aches and pains, agitation and irritation, mood swings, chills, fever, confusion, diarrhea and various sleep disturbances. After detox, you move on to individual and group therapies designed to help you discover the reasons for your sleep problems and addiction. During outpatient treatment, you continue to receive personalized care at home on a long-term basis. The plan that your medical team develops focuses on helping you maintain your sobriety by coping better with life.

The Illinois Recovery Center offers these and many other services. Their levels of care specifically include medical drug and alcohol detox services, medication-assisted treatment, integrated residential inpatient treatment by experienced doctors and therapists, non-residential partial hospitalization treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, outpatient counseling and long-term aftercare and alumni services. Their caring, compassionate staff members want you to have the best experience and outcome possible. With that in mind, they use evidence-based treatment methods and personalize plans and services to the specific needs of every patient.

Maintaining Sobriety: Long-Term Recovery and Support

The road to recovery isn’t a short alley. It’s a long highway that stretches out to the horizon seemingly without end. For this reason, long-term recovery support is critical to living an addiction-free life. An aftercare program and long-term professional recovery assistance provide the support many patients lack in their personal or work lives. 

Caring and supportive recovery specialists focus on relapse prevention. They help you relearn how to live a less structured or supervised personal life outside the inpatient residential space. They show you how to set healthy boundaries with people who might drag you back into unhealthy habits. They might also help you build self-esteem, secure stable personal or sober living housing, form and grow positive relationships, mend damaged past relationships, or merely create an overall healthier lifestyle. They might even monitor your prescription drug usage or advocate for you with outside healthcare providers and others.

Recovery IS Possible With the Right Help

You or a loved one don’t have to attempt to beat and recover from your sleeping aid addiction alone. With the right help, long-term sobriety isn’t out of reach. The first step simply requires desire, faith and a phone call.

Whether you’re a resident of Illinois or an out-of-towner who’s willing to travel and looking for the best treatment options in the country, the Illinois Recovery Center offers compassionate, knowledgeable medical professionals, personalized plans and diverse treatment methods and strategies for addicts who abuse sleep aids and other substances. For an assessment or consultation, call us today.