Ambien Withdrawal

If you are dependent on Ambien, it’s generally recommended that you slowly taper your dose to safely withdraw from it. This generally takes a couple weeks.

Ambien withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, shakiness, tremors, insomnia, irritability, depression, and overall distress.

What Is Ambien?

Zolpidem, commonly known by the brand name Ambien, is a prescription drug used to help patients who have difficulty sleeping.

Ambien is a depressant, meaning it slows down the functions of the brain in order to induce sleep. Ambien is sometimes considered to be a safe and less addictive alternative to benzodiazepines, another type of depressant drug.

However, Ambien is not recommended for use by anyone who doesn’t have a prescription for the medication. If you take it without a prescription or take higher doses than you are prescribed, this is abuse. 

While Ambien is generally considered to be safe when taken as prescribed, it is still not the first option to turn to if you are having trouble sleeping due to its potential for abuse. If you are having difficulty sleeping, consult your doctor about finding the right treatment for you.

How Long Does Ambien Withdrawal Take?

Given Ambien’s short half-life of just under three hours, the effects of Ambien withdrawal can begin within the first two days after last taking the drug. 

After the initial, mild symptoms of withdrawal, people may feel the peak of their withdrawal symptoms from the first to the fifth day of withdrawal. Two weeks after taking Ambien for the last time, withdrawal symptoms should completely disappear.

Again, a tapered approach to withdrawal is generally recommended, and this will prolong the withdrawal process but largely reduce withdrawal symptoms.

What Affects Ambien Withdrawal?

While the above timeline may be accurate for a general case of Ambien withdrawal, there are a variety of factors which can influence how long and how severe the withdrawal process can be. Here are some of those factors:

• Presence of another disorder: Ambien withdrawal may be more severe if a person suffers from a separate disorder. Withdrawal from Ambien may also heighten the effects of another disorder.
  
• Substance use: Some substances may react negatively to Ambien, which may influence withdrawal symptoms. Those with a history of substance use disorders are more likely to abuse Ambien.
  
• Dosage: Those taking higher doses of Ambien may suffer from more severe effects when they go into withdrawal from the drug. Seizures may be more likely to happen in cases where a person has been taking higher doses of Ambien.
  
• Age: Older people may suffer more severe withdrawal compared to younger people, given their slower metabolism for drugs.

How Can You Recognize Ambien Withdrawal?

Ambien withdrawal may be easy or difficult to recognize depending on the severity of the symptoms in each specific case. These are some of the symptoms of Ambien withdrawal:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Tremors in the hands and feet
• Palpitations
• Agitation
• Heightened heart rate or blood pressure
• Sweating
• Delirium
• Cramps
• Vomiting or nausea
• Seizures (for those taking high doses)

Treatment Options for Ambien Withdrawal

It is advised to go through Ambien withdrawal in a medical facility or under the supervision of a medical professional if you have been misusing the medication.

Though Ambien is a non-benzodiazepine drug, a tapered approach to withdrawal is still recommended in most cases. If you are taking a low dose of Ambien, it’s likely that you can simply stop taking it. But talk to your doctor first to confirm.

If you have been taking a high dose, you will likely need to taper your dose gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor can design a tapering schedule that works for your specific case. 

In some cases, withdrawal symptoms will be mild and mainly interfere with your ability to sleep. However, in other cases, symptoms may be as severe as spontaneous seizures, which can be extremely dangerous if not handled in the presence of medical personnel. 

References

Prescription CNS Depressants DrugFacts. (March 2018). National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Zolpidem. (May 2022). National Library of Medicine.

Ambien CR. (August 2005). Sanofi.

Dependence on Zolpidem. (October 2006). Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.

Prescription Sedative Misuse and Abuse. (September 2015). Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Zolpidem: Efficacy and Side Effects for Insomnia. (June 2021). Health Psychology Research.

Zolpidem Withdrawal Delirium. (November – December 2011). Indian Journal of Pharmacology.

Zolpidem Dependency and Withdrawal Seizure: A Case Report Study. (November 2014). Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal.

Abuse and Dependence Potential for the Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotics Zolpidem and zopiclone: A Review of Case Reports and Epidemiological Data. (October 2003). Addiction.