Sleeping Medication Dependency and Addiction

Sleeping pills are often prescribed to assist people who have trouble with sleeping, however they are never meant to be taken long term. Recently medication abuse has caused the death of many celebrities including Heath Ledger who was found dead January 22, 2008. Most celebrities that have died recently have had many types of prescription medications in their systems and therefore it is extremely difficult to blame any one specific medication for their demise.

Anna Nicole died February 8th, 2007 of a prescription medication overdose that was stated to have been a lethal medication cocktail of sorts consisting of several different drugs ranging from sleeping medications to narcotics.

Sleeping medications have a definite place in medical treatments, especially for anyone suffering from chronic insomnia problems. These types of medications typically are used to give people who can't rest a much needed means of getting some sleep, so that the body can revive itself. In some cases the use of an occasional sleeping pill can put the body back into a normal sleeping pattern, similar to resetting a clock.

Sleeping pill addiction is like any other abusive behavior of medication and can overtake rapidly a person's life. Addiction to prescription medications such as sleeping pills can affect a person's ability to function such as in handling their daily activities. A person that is addicted can become driven by the medication and cease to function otherwise; affecting their ability to work, drive a motor vehicle, be involved with social activities and even cause a person to withdraw from their family.

There are many types of sleeping medications some medications are intended to make you fall asleep such as Lunesta. Lunesta however may be contraindicated in people with a history of alcohol and drug abuse. As well as anyone that has a history of mental conditions such as severe depression. Lunesta also can be affected by high fat content meals that can make the medication be not only less effective but may also slow the absorption of the drug. When stopping Lunesta a person should be tapered off the drug so that the risks for side effects such as unusual dreams, nausea, anxiety and other kinds of withdrawal can be minimal.

Another type of sleeping medication is sedation drugs such as Trazodone, which is an antidepressant that has a heavy sedation side effect. Trazodone should not be taken by anyone who is going to operate a motor vehicle or any kind of heavy machinery. These kinds of sedation medications cause severe drowsiness, blurred vision and dizziness. Trazodone is contraindicated in anyone with high blood pressure and can adverse react to anyone taking blood thinning medications such as Coumadin.

Some medications for sleep are meant to keep you asleep and therefore should be taken when it is possible for you to get at least 8 to 10 hours of restful sleep before having to wake up. An example of this type of medication would be Ambien CR, which is an extended release medication. Ambien however has been known to cause some people to walk in their sleep and have unusual dreams. Medications such as Ambien are contraindicated in people who have kidney disease, severe depression and respiratory disease as well as some other medical conditions. Some people have been reported to have strange or unusual urges on these types of medications which may indicate a real need to discontinue the medication as soon as possible.

Any drug can be misused and all medications, especially sleeping pills should be monitored carefully for improper medication usage. Sleeping medications can in some instances slow the heart rate and cause decreased respirations, which can cause life threatening or fatal consequences. Careful observance of medication instructions and usage of sleeping medications sparingly is always advised. However medication addiction can cause people to mishandle medications and abuse them without concern for their own well-being.

If you think you may have trouble sleeping it is best to discuss it with a physician and follow carefully any instructions they give you on the proper usage of prescription medications. If sleeping pills are indicated they should be used sparingly. Always take medications as prescribed and if you notice any side effects consult a physician immediately, sometimes the medications may need to be changed or discontinued if the side effects outweigh the benefits of the drug.

References for this article include:

www.mahalo.com/sleeping-pill-overdose
today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23636642
www.ideaconnection.com/solutions/4462-Overuse-of-sedatives-and-tranquillizers.html
ezinearticles.com