Sleeping pills detox

Sleeping pills work by depressing the central nervous system and slowing brain activity helping you fall asleep. Over time your brain and body become used to the presence of sleeping pills and rely on them to feel “normal”.

When you go through sleeping pill detox your body is suddenly without the chemical it has come to rely on. A chemical imbalance is created and your body will start to crave sleeping pills until all the drugs have been removed from your system or until you relapse and start taking them again. These cravings manifest themselves in sleeping pills withdrawal symptoms which can be very unpleasant. The most common withdrawal symptoms include:

Sleeping pill detox usually takes around three weeks depending on the severity of your condition and how long you have been taking sleeping pills. It is important to remember that everyone is different and will experience detox differently.

Detox should not be considered a “quick fix” and it is important to be patient and take things one day at a time. The detox process can be difficult but it is important to remember that it is only temporary and that the goal is to get you off sleeping pills for good so that you can start living a healthy, drug-free life.

Here is a general timeline of the process and the common withdrawal symptoms of sleeping pills detox:

Week 1 – Withdrawal symptoms begin. The onset of sleeping pill withdrawal will usually begin around 24 hours after you last took the drug. At this time, the main withdrawal symptoms will include anxiety, insomnia, confusion, forgetfulness, mood changes and vomiting. During this period, it is very important to have medical professionals monitor your condition around the clock so that they can take the appropriate steps to keep you safe and comfortable.

Week 2 – The peak of withdrawal symptoms. During this time, you may start to experience frequent or chronic heads, extreme nausea, muscle pain and constant vomiting. By the end of week two, these symptoms will start to subside.

Week 3 – At the end of the third week, all physical sleeping pill withdrawal symptoms should be coming to an end. However, you may still experience cravings and some mental symptoms like mild depression for several weeks or months if you were a heavy sleeping pill user. During this time, you will be in therapy so your therapists can help you deal with these.

Recognising sleeping pill addiction in yourself can be difficult because it is a very treacherous and deceptive condition with symptoms that can be subtle and easy to ignore. However, it is important to be able to spot these signs both in yourself if you take sleeping pills and in loved ones who may require sleeping pill detox.

There are many myths about sleeping pills which are widely believed but are not true. It is important to be able to separate fact from fiction so that you are not unduly worried and are well-informed about the right course of action: