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Taking Long Term Zolfresh 10mg. How To Get Rid Of This?
Question: I have been consuming zolfresh 10mg for the past 8 mths. how can i give it up.
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Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
Zolfresh is a sedative belonging to the non-benzodiazepine class. Though it was initially claimed to be a "non-addictive sleeping pill", recent data show evidence for drug tolerance, drug dependence and withdrawal effects on stopping.
Interestingly, both alcohol as well as sleeping pills, including Zolpidem, act via the same brain receptors (called "GABA"), and this may be a reason why your drinking problem has ended-up rather being substituted with a similar addiction.
Now, it's a good thing that you have taken stock of your situation and have sought help. Your level of addiction (taking up to 100 tabs a day) seems to be quite high, and so it is important to take serious steps to give this up, especially considering the potentially XXXXXXX health consequences.
Stopping abruptly would be very difficult and not advisable also, since it can cause bad withdrawal symptoms. So, tapering down the dose very gradually (you may need to do this over several weeks) would be the best option.
I think that it's best to seek professional help from a psychiatrist, since counselling is also essential to improve your motivation, and help you remain these pills or any other addictive substances in the future. There are many forms of counselling / psychotherapeutic techniques like Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Aversion therapy, Hypnotherapy, etc. Sometimes, anti-craving medication may also be prescribed to control the "craving" or urges to take these substances. A combination of medication plus psychotherapy has been found to yield the best results for de-addiction. So, please see a psychiatrist in person so that he can assess you in detail and plan which treatment option is appropriate for you.
Till you get an appointment, you can plan a gradual tapering schedule of the medication, and make sure that you stick to the schedule. You can tackle the insomnia by engaging in daily physical exercise, by practicing relaxation techniques and by following strict sleep hygiene practices.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
Zolfresh is a sedative belonging to the non-benzodiazepine class. Though it was initially claimed to be a "non-addictive sleeping pill", recent data show evidence for drug tolerance, drug dependence and withdrawal effects on stopping.
Interestingly, both alcohol as well as sleeping pills, including Zolpidem, act via the same brain receptors (called "GABA"), and this may be a reason why your drinking problem has ended-up rather being substituted with a similar addiction.
Now, it's a good thing that you have taken stock of your situation and have sought help. Your level of addiction (taking up to 100 tabs a day) seems to be quite high, and so it is important to take serious steps to give this up, especially considering the potentially XXXXXXX health consequences.
Stopping abruptly would be very difficult and not advisable also, since it can cause bad withdrawal symptoms. So, tapering down the dose very gradually (you may need to do this over several weeks) would be the best option.
I think that it's best to seek professional help from a psychiatrist, since counselling is also essential to improve your motivation, and help you remain these pills or any other addictive substances in the future. There are many forms of counselling / psychotherapeutic techniques like Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Aversion therapy, Hypnotherapy, etc. Sometimes, anti-craving medication may also be prescribed to control the "craving" or urges to take these substances. A combination of medication plus psychotherapy has been found to yield the best results for de-addiction. So, please see a psychiatrist in person so that he can assess you in detail and plan which treatment option is appropriate for you.
Till you get an appointment, you can plan a gradual tapering schedule of the medication, and make sure that you stick to the schedule. You can tackle the insomnia by engaging in daily physical exercise, by practicing relaxation techniques and by following strict sleep hygiene practices.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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