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Addicted to sleeping pills

Posted , 7 users are following.

aspel05060
aspel05060

I have been taking zopliclone for years and I have never had problems before with the dose,but lately I have had to take more so I guess it’s what they call tolerance. I have had to take alcohol as well sometimes to get me to sleep. I feel like my life is spiralling out of control and I desperately need help. I have a good job and I love my children deeply so I need to get out of this for their sake as well.  Please can anybody suggest a help group or help of any kind?

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Lizzie46881
    Lizzie46881 aspel05060

    Posted

    Hi aspel

    I was put on Zopliclone when I was hospitalised for bipolar in 1999 as I was just so manic at times.  Fortunately I got off it quite quickly afterwards as I didn't like the way it made me feel the following day.  My advice would be to try to stop adding the alchohol to the mix, it only makes things worse, and is quite dangerous I've done that with diazepam and can sympathise wirth you very well, but it you can do it you are taking a step in the right direction.  Perhaps try to get to see your psychiatrist or GP,  there must be other sleep aids they can prescribe and I'm sure they'll support you in your troubles

    God Bless

    xxx

    • aspel05060
      aspel05060 Lizzie46881

      Posted

      Thank you Lizzie,

      your kind words mean a lot to me but I feel a bit helpless at the moment. I need a way out of this mess that I have made.

      God bless you too.

    • Lizzie46881
      Lizzie46881 aspel05060

      Posted

      Hi

      We are all here for you, rooting for you.  Lack of sleep is crippling and makes depression worse, as well as being a symptom of it too for soem people.  I know I used to sleep a lot when I was depressed but always woke early, still do. I get anxiety too and that keeps me awake, so my gp gave me hydroxyzine, which is a sedating anti-histamine and less addictive than either the Z drugs or benzo's.  Keep going and be strong, I'm following your thread

      Love

      Lizzie xxx

    • aspel05060
      aspel05060 Lizzie46881

      Posted

      Thanks LizzIe,

      i really appreciate your support. It's amazing how uplifted you feel when You receive encouraging words from someone like you.

      Thank you again and God bless.

       

    • Lizzie46881
      Lizzie46881 aspel05060

      Posted

      Its my pleasure, I just want to help.  I'm following this thread so if you have any questions, just ask, as I've been through the anxiety/depression/mania mill myself.

      God Bless

      xxx

  • tangjo
    tangjo aspel05060

    Posted

    Hi

    Like you, I was also on Zopiclone and one stage, resort to drinking with alcohol to make my sleep better. But I stopped and have cut down the disage, to the advice if my psychiatrist. I didnt tell him I add it with alcohol. He would have stopped prescribing me.

    I tried many things. Nothing seem to work. I could omly learn to lie down still and wait till sleep comes. I thought Of trying acupuncture and hynopsis even. Somd Someone even suggested having regression therapy until I stumbled upon this write up on how blue light is suppressing melatonin and disruoting your circadian cycle something like that and started trying wearing amber glasses in the evening and installing amber lights which may be helpful. I just started so it would take a bit of time but Im quite optimistic of it.

    Im a single mum with a toddler and fir my child sake, I decided not to mix zopiclone with alcohol, stop drinking and do something including imoroving my sleep hygiene for my child sake. Give it a shot, for the sake of your children.

    Jo

    • aspel05060
      aspel05060 tangjo

      Posted

      Thank you Jo.

      i,m doing exactly the same now. It's good to know that there are other people out there with the same experience. I hope you are doing well. I have vowed not o drink again and will continue with the zopliclone until my depression gets better. Please keep in touch in let me know how you are doing.

      lots of love.

    • Lizzie46881
      Lizzie46881 aspel05060

      Posted

      Hi Aspel

      Just to clarify, are you hoping the Zopliclone will help your depression? My experience is that it won't, what you need for that is an SSRI anti-depressant like Citalopram.  I found the Zopiclone made things worse, which was the reason I came off it as soon as I got out of hospital.

      I hope you are doing OK and your plan to keep off the alchohol is going well.

      Lizzie xxx

  • david92512
    david92512 aspel05060

    Posted

    Hi,the med you are taking is not really to be used for extended periods as it loses its effect(tolerance)but if you stop taking it for,say 2 nights then start again it will help for a while.It may be advisable to see your GP and ask if something during the day would help to calm you as you may be experiencing perhaps a greater level of anxiety than usual which can build up during the day not allowing you to relax in rediness for a more restful sleep.Venlafaxine worked for me,and this you can stay on if necessary as it tends not to lose its desired effect.I hpoe this is of some help to you.

     

  • New85
    New85 aspel05060

    Posted

    There is a whole forum on here devoted to zopiclone you can have a look at. Lots of people on there with similar problems. Some have been stuck on it for 20 odd years. There are some pretty horrific stories on there which might serve as a motivation to kick this in now before it gets too late and also some positive stories of people who have come out the other side. Might be useful to have a read through there and maybe re post this to see if you can get any extra advise. Sorry if this is too late I realise this is quite an old post. Hope you found some help
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