Sleeping pill addiction?
Question by Brandon: Sleeping pill addiction?
About two years ago I worked as a Jail supervisor inside a county lockup. They had me on call 24/7. The minimum amount of hours I would work a day was 12 (if I was lucky) and I worked six days a week, and every 4th seventh day. It sucked. So, naturally, I was constantly exhausted. I remembered seeing sleep-aids at Wal-Mart (the ones without the pain killer) and figured i’d give it a shot.
I was taking 50mg of Diphenhydramine every night for the next two or three months until I moved to Texas.
Fast forward to now. It started out with me taking them to help me fall asleep. Now, I’m taking them TO fall asleep…and in much, much higher doses. These days, if I don’t have these blue little guys or at least a prescription sleep aide (like Ambien) I will literally lie awake for hours upon hours, not falling asleep until the sun has long been up. Fortuantely I work nights so this doesn’t have any effect on my personal life but it gets very frustrating lying in bed when the sun is coming up, tired as hell, but unable to sleep.
On average, over the past 2 years, I probably take around 800mg of Diphenhydramine a night (sixteen 50mg pills). I’m well aware that it’s probably unsafe and probably way more than what I should take.
I’ve tried other things, like Melatonin to no prevail.
My question is…despite claims that Diphenhydramine isn’t “addictive”, couldn’t it be, though? Is it all in my head? Should I just bite the bullet and make a doctors appointment to be checked for chronic insomnia, perhaps?
Any advice or shared similar experience would be wonderful. Thanks in advance!
Best answer:
Answer by nick k
have that shit checked out with a doctor or if you feel couragous just don’t sleep untill you get exausted(when off work) and hopefully you can get a routine going to get to bed after that.
Answer by Icecream
Sleeping pills are reallly bad for your health and for your liver. Your body is not designed to fall asleep based on chemicals you take telling it to. I don’t think you are giving yourslef enough chance to withdraw from them, expecting to fall asleep within days normally once you get off the pills. Give yourself a few weeks until your body adjusts. Don’t have caffeine especially 5 hours before it’s time to sleep. Maybe at first you can even have a glass of wine to make you drowsy the ‘natural’ way without pillsl. Cover your windows so the sun doesn’t shine in – that alone could distract you. Good luck.
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