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Sleeping Pill Addiction Treatment

21 Minutes

Edited & medically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team

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CONTENTS

Sleeping pills addiction treatment can be your new dawn in the world shadowed by their addiction and dependence. Now, we all are familiar with those nights, twisting and turning in bed, unable to sleep, while the thoughts in our mind have a marathon. We all have a “been there, done that” attitude when it comes to insomnia. But, the question is: Are sleeping aids so crucial to combat insomnia? Well, the short answer is: No.

You see, insomnia can be dealt with easily if you are willing to invest time and effort into therapy. Medications are just an easy way out. They do not have to be the only way out – considering that the journey from sleeping aid use to abuse is at an arm’s distance. But, if you have fallen into the deep pit of addiction, it is time to seek sleeping pills addicts’ rehabilitation.

What are the options for sleeping pills addiction treatment? How does sleep rehab come into play? Is it important to opt for luxury rehabilitation for sleeping pills addiction? If these queries have been racking your brain, you are in the right place!

Clock displaying 4:08 with a bottle of pills next to it.

According to Thomas Moore, a scientist at “Institute for Safe Medication Practices”, 77% of the population of the U.S. that is prescribed sleeping aids does not pay even the slightest attention to the FDA recommendations for the accurate dosage.

Given this, it is no wonder that a large population of the world is taken aback by sleeping aid abuse and requires effective treatment for it.

There are two options for recovery from addiction to sleeping pills: Inpatient treatment for sleeping pills and outpatient treatment.

At both types of rehabs for sleeping pills use disorder treatment, the plan of action will most likely consist of psychotherapies, counseling, and alternative treatments.

But, how do know when to opt for sleeping pills addiction rehab? Let’s see.

There are a few warning signs that need to be taken into consideration. These warning signs mostly signify that a person has been shackled by inescapable addiction to sleeping aid and thus, requires treatment.

Craving sleeping pills during waking hours.
Going “doctor shopping” – acquiring sleeping pills by faking prescriptions from different doctors to get an endless supply of the drug.
Attempting to, but always failing at quitting sleeping aids.
Experiencing memory impairment.
Undergoing parasomnia – sleepwalking, sleeping-eating, sleep-talking, sleep-driving, all under the influence of the drug.
Witnessing withdrawal symptoms upon stopping or decreasing the intake.

Note: The aforementioned warning signs are observed after 3-4 of frequent abuse. If your loved ones have recently started using sleeping aids, look out for the warning signs.

Alright, you must be wondering, “What is the best treatment for sleeping pills addiction?”

To answer your question, the “best” treatment cannot be defined precisely. However, there is substantial evidence that addicts who undergo treatment at luxury rehabs and later opt for outpatient treatment aftercare display adherence to relapse prevention.

From this perspective, the best treatment for sleeping pills abuse is provided at a luxury inpatient rehab.

Let’s move on to discuss each sleeping pills addiction rehab in-depth.

As you might already know, an inpatient rehabilitation center is a live-in facility that provides 24/7, around-the-clock treatment for recovery from addiction to sleeping pills.

Inpatient sleeping pills addiction rehabs are duty-bound to provide structured treatment, a well-scheduled, timely, comprehensive, and personalized treatment plan.

You see, the first step at an inpatient rehabilitation center will be detoxification. The medical professionals – who are available at all times – will guide you through the lengthy process of weaning off of sleeping pills.

Note: Stopping sleeping pills intake abruptly is not recommended. “Weaning” off implies that you will be required to consume lesser doses each day until your body adapts to working uniformly without higher-than-recommended doses.

After detoxification, you will undergo psychotherapies and counseling. Depending upon the type of inpatient facility you choose, you might also attend group therapies.

With that said, inpatient treatment for sleeping pills addiction tends to provide several benefits.

Firstly, because addictions can be greatly impacted by environmental and personal triggers, inpatient rehab for sleeping pills addiction can pull you away from these triggers until your mind and body become immune to them.

Secondly, inpatient treatment plans are most commonly structured. These structured treatment plans for sleeping aid addiction can prove much more useful than irregular attempts at acquiring therapy.

In this way, the third benefit of opting for inpatient rehab is that it provides a better opportunity to prevent relapses by providing effective sleeping pills addiction treatment methods.

Not to forget that inpatient facilities can also perform efficient dual diagnoses. Because sleeping aid addiction always comes with mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, profound stress, PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder), and so forth, it is important to conduct a dual diagnosis.

Related: Luxury OCD Treatment Center

Note: Dual diagnosis is the condition where a mental health disorder co-occurs with a certain type of addiction.

A structured treatment plan at an inpatient rehab will not only focus on helping you prevent relapses. It will also enable you to develop coping strategies that you need to survive a co-occurring mental health disorder.

So, to summarize, inpatient rehab will be the ideal option for you. However, it will be the best option if:

Your addiction has continued over the span of 6-9 months.
You have a history of a mental health disorder.
You experience parasomnia.
You require 24/7 medical attention.
You need to be guided throughout the weaning off process.
Your physical health is worsening each day.
You cannot face your triggers without gulping down a handful of sleeping meds.
What you need is a structured, well-formulated, powerful, and manageable treatment plan.

Overall, recovery from addiction at an inpatient sleeping pills addiction rehab will grant you personally, day-to-day access to well-qualified and trained medical professionals who prioritize your needs of treatment more than anything else.

The aforementioned facilities can only be accessed at inpatient treatment centers. Because sleeping pills addiction detoxification requires a peaceful environment, detached from external triggers, inpatient rehab is considered to be the top-notch sleeping pills addiction treatment program.

If your life is overshadowed by abuse and dependence and you require sleeping aid addiction treatment, we are ready to provide you with a personalized, effective, and organized treatment plan that will unchain you from the life of destruction.

We are the best sleeping pills addiction treatment and therapy center. Our inpatient and luxury treatment facilities can grant you the peace that your addiction has stolen from you.

Opt for 5-star treatment at our inpatient rehab for psychotherapies, counseling, holistic treatment, and unlimited amenities that guarantee the comfort you desire.

Sleeping pills abuse treatment at a luxury rehab is substantially better than that offered at a traditional inpatient rehab. Why? Well, there is a myriad of reasons.

First of all, luxury rehab will not only include psychotherapies and counseling; it will also sprinkle some alternative and complementary treatment approaches. The question is, how do these alternative treatments help or aid in treatment?

You see, alternative treatments are targeted to treat the withdrawal symptoms that arise because of detoxification during sleeping pills addiction rehab and the root cause of addiction. In this way, they enhance the efficacy of other forms of treatment methods.

Fortunately, luxury sleeping pills addiction rehabs offer alternative or complementary treatments.

Secondly, as proven by research, the success rate of luxury rehab for sleeping pills addicts is 80-90%, while traditional inpatient treatment centers only work 20% of the time for effective relapse prevention.

This is possibly yet another beneficial consequence of the introduction of holistic and complementary treatments into a traditional treatment plan.

Last but not the least, luxury rehabs for sleeping pills addicts offer amenities that are not offered at traditional inpatient centers.

These include:

A private villa for every client
Absolute privacy
A private chef
Driver
Housekeeping
A big garden
Pool and other recreational facilities.

Private rehabs also offer the following additional therapies to assist in effective treatment:

Yoga and Mindfulness Therapy
Acupuncture
Art and Music Therapy
Equine Therapy
Animal-assisted Therapy
Massage Therapy
Aromatherapy

At our private rehab, you can be blessed with many facilities that can aid you in the process of recovery from addiction to sleeping pills.

Although other drug addictions can be treated well at outpatient rehabilitation centers, the case for sleeping aid addiction is not the same.

Outpatient rehabs for sleeping aid addiction treatment can only prove beneficial if they have opted for aftercare.

In other words, after you have undergone inpatient treatment, if you fear that you will not be able to keep up with the protocol for preventing relapses, an outpatient rehab will be your best friend.

Even though treatment for sleeping pills addiction at an outpatient rehab will not cut you off from external triggers, it will still aid you in adhering to the coping strategies that you will develop during psychotherapeutic sessions at an inpatient rehab.

Other than that, outpatient rehabs as an aftercare solution can provide multiple advantages for sleeping, aid addicts.

First of all, the flexible timings of an outpatient rehab translate into complete access to your family and friends for support, which is yet another important part of aftercare.

Secondly, outpatient sleeping pill addiction rehabs are affordable treatment options. So, you do not have to spend every penny you own on aftercare.

It is important to keep in mind that if your sleeping aid addiction is extreme, an outpatient rehab will not be able to equip you with the necessary coping mechanisms. That’s what an inpatient sleeping pills addiction rehab is for.

Overall, during aftercare, outpatient treatment will aid you in:

Formulating effective strategies for relapse prevention.
Accessing continued therapies and counseling sessions to promote abstinence.
Devising and practicing self-relaxation techniques that can help you overcome rebound insomnia.
Adhering to the correct treatment and aftercare protocol.
Seeking support from 12-step programs and your family and friends.

Long story short, if you are planning to opt for inpatient rehab for sleeping pills addiction treatment, you should also plan for aftercare at an outpatient rehab to ensure that the relapses do not traverse their way in.

After all, effective planning is just as important as an effective treatment.

Four sleeping pills are most frequently used and almost always result in addictions. These include:

Ambien (Zolpidem)
Lunesta (Eszopiclone)
Amytal
Sonata (Zaleplon)

You see, these medications belong to a group of drugs known as “CNS depressants.” They work by increasing the amount of substance called “GABA” in the brain. Now, what does GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) do?

Well, GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It depresses the functions of the brain and causes sleepiness. Unfortunately, this “sleepiness” is also considered to be a drug-induced high; a feeling of euphoria; a pleasurable heaviness, and physical tiredness.

Because of the alleged peacefulness that they create, sleeping aids are abused frequently.

For all the aforementioned sleeping aids, the psychotherapeutic and counseling approaches for sleeping pills addiction treatment include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Let’s take a brief look at the 4 different types of sleeping aids!

Ambien Addiction Treatment

Zolpidem (Ambien) is addictive because of the presence of a substance called “Zolpidem Tartrate.”

With that said, Ambien is the most abused sleeping pill. “Why,” you ask? Truth be told, Ambien is considered to be better than other sleeping aids, considering that its effects do not extend till the next morning.

Ambien will never cause people to feel lethargic or tired after having had 8-9 hours of sleep in the morning. For this reason, people believe that they can manage to intake larger doses of Ambien without any consequences whatsoever.

But, long-term use of Ambien can definitely raise concerns about parasomnia and memory impairment, along with addiction.

This is what makes Ambien’s addiction treatment extremely necessary. At times, for this type of sleeping pill addiction treatment, medications like anti-seizure drugs and mood stabilizers are used to manage the withdrawal symptoms.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing are the best treatment protocols for Ambien addiction treatment.

Lunesta Addiction Treatment

The mechanism of working for Lunesta is the same, given that it, too, is a CNS depressant.

The FDA provides data that more than 3 million people worldwide have abused Lunesta once in their lifetime. Because Lunesta, when taken in higher-than-recommended amounts, can create feelings of immense pleasure, people get motivated to abuse the drug extremely easily.

Treatment for Lunesta also consists of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Enhancement Therapy.

However, when assisted by a co-occurring mental health disorder, it is also important to undertake the possibility of conducting Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

12-step facilitation and aftercare outpatient programs are just as important. Complementary treatments can also prove helpful in the long term.

Amytal Addiction Treatment

Amytal, as a barbiturate, works on the same principle as other sleeping aids. However, Amytal addiction and dependence traverse their way through the body faster than other sleeping aids.

At higher doses, Amytal is also used for general anesthesia. Being a Schedule II drug, Amytal can only be obtained illicitly since it is not medically prescribed for personal use anymore.

Generally, for other sleeping aids, the hardest mission to accomplish is abstinence and relapse prevention.

However, when it comes to Amytal, the withdrawal symptoms are the hardest to manage. Weaning off Amytal is not generally considered an option.

Unfortunately, abrupt cessation of Amytal abuse can cause delirium, hallucinations, seizures, and death in the worst-case scenario.

Amytal addiction treatment requires careful considerations. Therapeutic approaches are the same but are administered for longer durations. Aftercare after Amytal addiction treatment is extremely crucial.

Sonata Addiction Treatment

Sonata is considered to be the least addictive of all the aforementioned sleeping aids. Ambien and Sonata are usually considered substitutes.

However, Sonata’s effects are much lighter than that of Ambien. Unfortunately, this does not imply that Sonata cannot cause long-term health hazards.

“One in 20 said they felt sleepy the next day, and some reported memory problems,” reported the New York Times, regarding Sonata.

The good news is that Sonata addiction is the easiest to treat. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Enhancement Therapy can provide effective solutions for relapse prevention.

Only anti-seizure medications are, at times, used to treat the withdrawal symptoms of Sonata.

There are two treatment methods used in collaboration with one another at sleeping pills addiction rehabs:

Psychotherapies
Alternative methods

While psychotherapies and counseling approaches are used to challenge the thought process of the addicts to incline them towards change, alternative and complementary treatments for sleeping aid addiction enhance the outcomes of psychotherapies.

It is important to note that inpatient rehabs for sleeping pills addicts use both types of treatment methods.

Outpatient rehabs for sleeping pills addicts, on the other hand, provide therapies exclusively.

Therapies for Sleeping Pills Disorder Treatment

Psychotherapies are effective in treating sleeping pills abuse because they tend to address the root cause of addiction.

Instead of obscuring the signs of addiction and suppressing the withdrawal symptoms, psychotherapies take an in-depth approach to uncover the triggers that lead to addiction.

For this reason, all four of the most common sleeping aid addictions are treated by psychotherapies and counseling approaches.

It is important to understand that the function of each psychotherapy is different. Therefore, they can be used at different stages during the treatment.

However, in terms of efficacy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will always take the charge for sleeping aid addiction treatment.

1-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Sleeping Pills Abuse Treatment

As the name portrays, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has two parts:

The cognitive aspect that tends to challenge the thought process of the individuals who are addicted to sleeping aids.

The behavioral aspect that tends to alter the behaviors and actions that venture as a result of the triggers.

Because, at times, even simple thought processes can enable addictions, it is important to analyze each feeling and emotion that accompanies a certain situation.

The overall purpose of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to identify the thoughts that motivate individuals to opt for self-destructive behavior.

Once a psychotherapist recognizes such thoughts, they can be altered to incline towards positivity. In this manner, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can work as an instrument that solidifies positive, abstinence-friendly behaviors.

With the assistance of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for sleeping pills addiction treatment, you can learn coping mechanisms to fight high-risk situations that would otherwise trigger a “fight or flight” response.

2-Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Sleeping Aid Addiction Treatment

You see, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy has been derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

However, it works independently from CBT for two reasons. First of all, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy prioritizes the interconnectedness that exists between acceptance and motivation.

In other words, addicts who undergo treatment for sleeping aids abuse should accept that their actions have led them down a path of destruction. After acceptance, the addicts will become motivated enough to change their life for the better.

This is a prospect that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy does not create. So, in short, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy influences the thought process of addicts by creating chances for acceptance.

Secondly, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is the most useful approach when it comes to the treatment of comorbid disorders.

To put it differently, if your sleeping aid addiction is accompanied by a case of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or anything that falls in the vicinity of mental health illnesses, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy will be the foremost choice for your therapist.

3-Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Sleeping Pills Addiction Treatment

Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy are two approaches that can be used interchangeably or one after the other throughout the treatment plan.

Because they have one similar goal – to create an incentive for behavioral change – both the therapies can be integrated without any significant differences in the outcomes.

While Motivational Interviewing will take a psychoeducational approach and counseling approach to teach the patients about the possible outcomes of continuing with the sleeping aid abuse, Motivational Enhancement Therapy takes a collaborative approach.

In other words, Motivational Enhancement Therapy enables the patients and their therapists to embark on a route of consistent feedback and future planning.

Both the therapeutic approaches follow a step-by-step protocol:

The patients are educated about the downsides of not seeking treatment and the possible physical, psychological, and cognitive hazards that sleeping aid addiction poses to their health.
The patients are motivated for change.
The patients are made to realize the importance of change.
The patients plan for long-term change.

Note: Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy offer limited support when it comes to polysubstance abuse. So, these therapeutic approaches for sleeping pills abuse treatment must be used in combination with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Recovering from an addiction to sleeping pills is a process that continues even after treatment. For this reason, there are certain alternative and complementary treatments that can be used to assist therapies for sleeping pills addiction treatment.

The alternative treatments have one purpose: To deal with the withdrawal symptoms – especially insomnia – by reducing the incentive for drug abuse.

The alternative sleeping pills addiction treatment methods include:

Yoga and Meditation: Because of parasomnia, many addicts might feel that they are not in control of their physiological functions and their actions. Now, yoga is not a silver bullet when it comes to sleeping pills addiction treatment.

However, with the assistance of talk therapies, yoga can prove as an effective method to enable addicts in finding the relationship between their body movements and mental relaxation.

Meditation can be as effective as yoga since it is a self-relaxation technique that also aids sleeping pills addicts in combating insomnia.

Light Therapy: This form of therapy uses artificial light through a “light box” to alter the biological clock of an addict. By resetting the circadian rhythms, the withdrawal symptom of rebound insomnia can be dealt with.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Biofeedback: Biofeedback is an effective method that is used to treat anxiety and restlessness in patients who are detoxing from sleeping aids during the treatment.

The patients are given gadgets that display their physiological data – heart rate, skin conductance, respiratory rate, etc. The purpose of this mechanism is to create a sense of responsibility for the patients to adhere to.

Once this data is recorded, patients who are withdrawing from sleeping aids can use it as leverage. Following this, patients can perform breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation to ensure that anxiety does not suffocate their recovery plans.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture is alternative Chinese medicine. During the procedure, a qualified, professional acupuncturist is required to insert pinpoint needles at different locations on the skin.

As agreed upon by the researchers, the pressure points where the needles are inserted can relieve stress and anxiety, while inducing feelings of calmness.

Note: The aforementioned treatment methods are useful, indeed. But their effectiveness can only last as long as psychotherapy is maintained as a priority.

Did you know that the greatest contribution to our treatment for sleeping aid addiction is made by our lifestyle?

Certain lifestyle modifications can assist the process of treatment. In fact, changing specific elements and replacing them with new patterns of life can motivate you to prevent relapses in the short term and enable you to stay abstinent in the long term.

First, you need to realize that doctor shopping is morally incorrect. It is also very much illegal. So, develop a system that demotivates you from committing prescription fraud. Your addiction should be a lesson for a lifetime.

Secondly, remember that your addiction might take hold of you even after you have undergone treatment at an inpatient rehab for sleeping aid abuse treatment. For this reason, you must opt for aftercare.

Build a habit to go to 12-step facilitation programs. The concept of answerability and accountability holds much importance in the prevention of relapses.

Thirdly, opt for a sleep rehab, which is an inpatient or outpatient facility that can help you healthily contradict insomnia. Even though a sleep rehab might not be your ideal “shortcut,” it is the only recommended way. At the very least, a sleep rehab might not cause you to become an addict like medications do.

Fourthly, even after sleep rehab, you must maintain sleep hygiene. Meaning, you need to establish a homely, peaceful environment that promotes sleep. Meanwhile, you should also minimize distractions that keep you from drifting off in bed.

Fifthly, your “rule book of life” should dictate that your bed is a place for sleeping ONLY. You should not use your bed for other activities. Overall, avoiding relapses can only be possible if you maintain a healthy sleeping routine.

It is, in fact, the only course of action that will lessen your determination to consume sleeping aids.

Yoga and meditation, along with a little cardio sprinkled here and there, should become a part of your everyday routine. Not only will it help you as a self-relaxation technique but, it will also help you adhere to a newly welcomed sleeping schedule.

Not to mention that alcohol and drugs are to be considered your nemeses. Do not fall prey to the intoxication and the “high” that they can induce.

Lastly, always consult the doctor before taking medications. Do not self-medicate. Also, always conduct adequate research for a new medication to ensure that you know all the dangers before consumption.

So, the bottom line is that an inpatient, private rehab for sleeping aid addiction treatment is crucial to opt for.

Whether you suffer from addiction to Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, or Amytal, a luxury inpatient treatment center can provide you with exclusive benefits.

Alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy, you can implement lifestyle changes that can help you ease into your journey of recovery.

Integrating alternative and complementary treatments like Yoga and Meditation, Acupuncture, light therapy, and Biofeedback can also assist you throughout the treatment process.

In fact, we are ready to provide you with the best opportunity to seek psychotherapies, alternative treatments, as well as guidance about lifestyle changes at our celebrity treatment center.

We are the best luxury treatment and therapy center. With the assistance of our professionals, sleeping aid addiction recovery will feel less like a war and more like a productive mission to you!

Speak to us today and open a door to recovery from sleeping aid addiction!

FAQs

How to cure addiction to sleeping pills?

To be fair, there is no immediate cure for sleeping pills addiction. However, effective treatment with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational interviewing, along with Yoga, Biofeedback, light therapy, and acupuncture can help manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapses.

How to tell that you need sleeping pills addiction treatment?

Looking for the warning signs for sleeping aid addiction can help monitor if you require effective sleeping aid rehabilitation. Memory impairment, parasomnia, consistent cravings, withdrawal symptoms upon lack of consumption, and “doctor shopping” are some of the warning signs observed in addicts who require inpatient treatment for sleeping pills addiction.

Is inpatient treatment for sleeping aid addiction a necessity?

Yes. Inpatient treatment for sleeping aid addiction is important, considering that the processing of weaning off requires 24/7 medical attention. It is even better if you opt for a private rehab to acquire luxury facilities.

Are your loved ones experiencing extreme parasomnia and memory impairment due to sleeping aid addiction? Our team of well-qualified professionals can aid you in developing a strong resistance against their triggers. Our high-end, luxury treatment facilities can make recovery from addiction to sleeping pills as easy as possible.

HOW THE BALANCE CAN HELP WITH Sleeping Pills

The Balance RehabClinic is a leading provider of luxury addiction and mental health treatment for affluent individuals and their families, offering a blend of innovative science and holistic methods with unparalleled individualised care.