Ambien addiction

[MandyDL]

I have been treated for depression since 1991 and am on lexapro and just started gabitril.  The problem is that I never sleep well and have become addicted to ambien but do not know how to tell my psych this.  I get the ambien over the internet and sometimes take 100mg or more at a time.  How do I stop on my own? I cannot afford a clinic and I know my psych will make me go to the hospital if I tell her.

[bsills]

One is definitely playing with fire when they switch to another closely related drug.  But that is also, paradoxically, the absolute key to tapering successfully.  Good Luck.

[dancinginthedark]

And if someone who follows your formula eventually becomes addicted to "the helper drug", than, what, be damned?

To urge addicts to use other addictive drugs to get off their DOC is nothing short of that which you know all too well. Insanity.

Why do you insist on staying at a party where you are clearly not wanted?

Dancing

Have I been there?  Oh, yes.  BIG time.  I just switched from opiates, to valium & finally F3 (plain now only) & each time, I was convinced by addiction docs as well as my own & follow their recommendations.

In some circles, it's known as "switching poisons".

P.P.S.  Why don't you send all these heinous posts to medhelp?  We can too, to demonstrate the context.  And I'm certain I did call you a know-it-all a few times but I switched fast as I thought know-it-nothing was far more apropos.

[bsills]

This is the first time I have seen you even attempt to deal with the content of my posts, instead of getting all bent out of shape.  See., I have even reached you, and thank you for disagreeing with the content of what I had to say.

Yeah, I have switched meds numerous times and their is a lot of danger.  It's hard to continue to taper anyway.  The best "long term' results, i.e., fewer relapses, come from those who voluntarily go through WDs cold turkey.  But some can't do it that way, and some can't due a voluntary detox without other strong meds.  Of course you can get addicted to the other MEds, like Benzos (even Clonodine), and that is why you don't want to take them for too long.

And the reason that the secondary phase after "acute" withdrawals can seem so bad sometimes is because of the fact that the person who tapers never really feels that first acute stage, so psychologically the next 30-40 days seem harder than for someone who went to cold turkey hell.

[theGolden1]

If your heart was in the right place when you posted then don't worry. Obviously, people use drugs to get off drugs and although it can work on a physical level (if done correctly) we need another approach to arrest the obsession. This forum is open to all members and is not a private place. Right or wrong, we should all be treated with kindness and respect.

[hippy]

is that a anthony demello quote.

we have to share our experence, not say it with arrogance,
for we all know that arrogance is a mask for low self esteem.
also every person is different , thus each person reacts
different , to each method of getting clean.

some people are going to be in a lot of pain for life,
as we get clean , we all find out if that is the case.
one thing for sure is as we get older , the issue of pain
becomes more of a reality.
when i was younger and got clean at 24  i went cold turkey,
pain was not an issue.
now that i am 43  pain is now part of the equation,
during the past few years , wether im clean or taking pain meds.
i have hobbled around, and suffered a lot because of pain,
it is truely a difficult thing to deal with.
it has left me very frustrated,
peace hippy

[gbjade]

Dear Mandy & others