The Dark Night: the Sinister Side of Sleeping Pills
Author: Alesandra Rain
Five years ago I quit a cocktail of sleeping pills and anxiety medications and felt my world implode. I’ve had 34 surgeries on my spine and legs and thought I was strong. But I was not prepared for the horrific withdrawals from these medications. For many months I questioned my sanity without any belief that I could regain my cognitive function or normal sleep patterns. I am a writer and I lost that magical connection to the written word. It was the blackest of times, filled with the deepest despair.
I was not a drinker nor did I doctor-shop, and I always waited for a consultation with my pharmacist to confirm my combination of medications was safe. Yet after a decade on the pills, I felt consumed by this chemical straightjacket and wanted my life back.
All I was seeking was a good night’s sleep and instead I became trapped by medications I initially believed were my salvation. It started with one prescription, and as my body reached tolerance and the pills stopped working, others were added. By the end I was taking Ambien, Klonopin (Clonazepam), Restoril (Temazepam), Sinequan (Doxepin), Effexor, OxyContin, and Norco (Hydrocodone). I rarely slept and incessantly paced my home, filled with anxiety. I aged rapidly and my pain level soared, but it was the all-consuming fear that I found most debilitating. I became agoraphobic and did not leave my home.
My cocktail of medications was similar to Heath Ledger’s and it saddens me greatly that he lost his life to prescription drugs. I’ve read interviews where Ledger spoke of his raging insomnia, and I knew that he found himself in the same trap I had faced. Even his appearance deteriorated as mine had. How I lived through my debacle is a mystery, but it had such a profound impact that I began an organization to help others escape the clutch of this epidemic.
Ironically, mercury poisoning was the cause of my insomnia, but I would not discover this for many years. Instead, I became a willing participant to a chemical experiment that ripped through my world. Unfortunately the same is happening to millions of other people and often starts with insomnia.
The sleeping prescription pill market is an enormous industry and we are essentially supporting products that are slowly hurting us. I didn’t know that forcing my brain into submission was not true sleep, but that natural sleep is a complex mechanism triggered by a group of hormones that create a state of rest for the body and mind. As we sleep, consciousness is suspended wh
ile the brain undergoes a cycle of brainwave activity that includes dreaming. The heart and lungs slow and our normally active brainwave patterns diminish tremendously, until we dream. Our blood vessels dilate and the blood that is usually stored in our organs moves into our muscles for tissue repair. The growth hormone in children is secreted during sleep, as are critical chemicals that protect the immune system. So it is no surprise that children placed on stimulant medication have stunted growth and weakened immune systems. I had reoccurring bronchitis and pneumonia and even contracted a staph infection in withdrawal.
Natural sleep doesn’t just support physical health, but has a profound effect on our brain as it organizes and archives memories. It is also essential to the creative process. Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards claims the riff in “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” came to him in his sleep, while Dmitri Mendeleev, the 19th century chemist, said he literally dreamed the periodic table of elements.
During the night, we shift from the predominant NREM (non-rapid eye movement) dreamless sleep to short segments of REM (rapid eye movement) state where dreams occur. Both NREM and REM sleep cycles are necessary to have restorative effects. But sleep medications dramatically reduce the length of time we spend in the dream stage and instead keep us in a light dreamless sleep. To make matters worse, sleeping pills (Ambien, Lunesta) and benzodiazepines (Valium, Klonopin, Restoril, Xanax, Ativan) do not actually improve sleep, but rather create an amnesiac effect that make us forget we are waking up. Unfortunately, most of us misinterpret this memory loss as deeper sleep. The longer we take the pills, even the dreamless sleep shortens in duration and leads to deeper exhaustion and anxiety. To compound matters, sleeping pills only induce sleep an average of 12 minutes quicker and 30 minutes longer than without them. But chemical dependency can occur within three consecutive nights of use, causing painful rebound insomnia, raging anxiety, and memory impairment.
Many people add herbs and over-the-counter medications in an attempt to gain a few hours of needed rest. It is not that herbs are dangerous—that is a misconception. But most people do not realize there is risk of a serious interaction when sleep medications are combined with items like passionflower, valerian, or antihistamines. Sleeping pills and benzodiazepines accentuate the GABA neurotransmitter, which keeps the nerve cells in the lung tissue from firing. That is why sleeping pills combined with over-the-counter medications or herbs that accentuate GABA or intensify the effect of the pills will overly suppress respiration, causing asphyxiation. This is what killed Heath Ledger.
But GABA doesn’t just affect the lungs. It is an amino acid that naturally occurs in our nervous system. There are approximately 45 million GABA receptors in the body, and 75 percent are affected by sleeping pills and benzodiazepines. GABA regulates our sleep cycles, body temperature, muscles, and all hormone functions of the body. It’s no wonder the withdrawals from these drugs are deemed the most challenging—even more than heroin or cocaine. I remember clearly wishing I had been an illegal drug addict, as the cold-turkey withdrawals would have passed quickly. The only safe way to withdraw from these medications is through a gradual taper, which allows the brain and body a chance to adjust at each level of reduction.
It wasn’t my path to have an easy withdrawal, and I firmly believe the reason was to help address this epidemic of pill usage. I’ve worked with people from all over the world who are addicted to these medications. Most are taking one or two prescriptions and suffering the same intensity of symptoms I did on a cocktail of drugs. I realized long ago that any dose of sleep medication is dangerous.
In spite of the fact that I made every step of my medication journey improperly, I also made it back to complete health. I no longer suffer from pain, anxiety, or insomnia. My sleep patterns have returned, and at the age of 50, I feel better than I have in 20 years. You see, what I’ve also realized is that our bodies are amazing machines with a symphony of chemicals that yearn to be healthy. It has a remarkable capacity to heal if given the right nutrients.
So now, in spite of the fact that I have chosen to help people in their darkest hour, I also get the privilege of watching them regain what I now have—freedom.
Alesandra Rain is the author of Deeds of Trust. She is also the co-founder of Point of Return. For more information, visit www.PointofReturn.com or call 866-605-2333.
Rain: L-on meds; R-Current
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/the-dark-night-the-sinister-side-of-sleeping-pills-503283.html
About the Author
http://www.pointofreturn.com/alesandra_rain.html
[TEMPLATE]cannibis[/TEMPLATE]
Psychology, please help. It’s easy to understand, first part is question then underneath are answers. help pls
Dissociation or a split in awareness is an experience commonly associated with
hypnotic induction
amphetamine intoxication
schizophrenia
withdrawal symptoms
relaxation training
The reduction in the body’s response to a drug which may accompany drug use is called
withdrawal.
addiction.
dependence.
tolerance
aphasia
According to psychodynamic psychologists, the unconscious
processes information of which you are unaware
includes unacceptable feelings, wishes, and thoughts
is characterized by a loss of responsiveness to the environment
is synonymous with the preconscious
develops after the ego and superego
After her bridal shower, a young woman dreamed that she was dining with her parents when a young guy grabbed her wallet containing her driver’s license, credit cards, cash, and family pictures. She awoke in a cold sweat. After discussing the dream with a friend, she realized that she felt anxious about losing her identity in her approaching marriage. The explanation of her dream represents the
manifest content
latent content
ego
activation-synthesis theory
cognitive analysis
Drugs with names like Xanax, Halcion, and Valium are
opiate
stimulant
hallucinogen
tranquilizer
alcohol based
Of the following, which does you hypothalamus regulate over the course of 24 hours? I. body temperature, II. Hormonal levels, III. Memory of the day’s events.
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
I, II, and III
Which of the following is a circadian rhythm?
The ebb and flow of an individual’s emotions during a 24-hour period
Jet lag experienced after an airline flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo
A cycle of biological functioning that lasts about 25 hours
The series of four stages that people go through during a normal night’s sleep
The systematic alternation between alpha waves and delta waves during sleep
Nicotine is classified as a
barbituate
stimulant
hallucinogen
tranquilizer
depressant
Perhaps the best known hallucinogen is
alcohol
cocaine
heroin
LSD
nicotine
Alcohol is classified as a
depressant
stimulant
hallucinogen
barbiturate
opiate
“Humans developed a unique waking-sleep cycle that maximized our chances of survival,” is a statement most typical of
developmental psychologists
physiological psychologists
psychoanalysts
sociologists
evolutionary psychologists
Which of the following is most likely to occur as a consequence of hypnosis?
increase in strength to superhuman levels
loss of bodily and mental control
genuine regression to earlier age levels
altered sensory experiences
increased clarity and accuracy of memory
Zen Buddhists and others practicing meditation are better able than most other people to stimulate their
sympathetic nervous systems
parasympathetic nervous systems
somatic nervous systems
salivation
urination
Of the following, which psychoactive drugs shares the most similar effects on the brain?
alcohol-marijuana
caffeine-morphine
nicotine-heroin
amphetamines-cocaine
barbiturates-LSD
REM sleep, generally an “active” state of sleep, is accompanied by which of the following paradoxes?
Slowed heart rate
Slowed respiration rate
Lowered blood pressure
Paralyzed muscle tone
Reduced eye movements
Which of the following will NOT increase behavioral and mental activity?
Cocaine
Caffeine
Benzedrine
Amphetamines
Barbiturates
Nightmares most frequently occur during
stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
REM
Which stage of sleep typically has spindles?
REM
1
2
3
4
During paradoxical sleep, muscles seem paralyzed and
eyes dart about in various directions
breathing is slow and shallow
night terrors are likely
sleepwalking occurs
the sleeper is easily awakened
Night terrors most often occur during
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
REM
Hypnosis:
is characterized by brain wave patterns similar to sleep
is an altered state characterized by narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestion.
is a sleep state in which the subjects are partially aware of their actions and able to perform many activities not normally carried out during sleep
is considered by most scientists as a trance-like state where hypnotists have complete control over individuals
was introduced by the Austrian physician, Karl Zener
When a person is shut off from the world such that he or she cannot even tell what time it is by light or dark, their sleep-waking cycle
stays at about 24 hours.
shortens to an average of about 20 hours.
lengthens to an average of about 25 hours.
becomes completely disrupted
shortens to 12 hours
As you are reading this question, you are probably not thinking about what you ate for lunch. The memory of what you ate for lunch is most likely in your
nonconscious
preconscious
unconsciousness
sensory memory
attention
Which stage of sleep is characterized by brain waves with spindles and K-complexes?
stage 1
stage 2
stage 3
stage 4
REM
A person who has trouble getting to sleep is said to suffer from
narcolepsy
sleep apnea
insomnia
somnambulism
night terrors
Hypnosis is best characterized as a state that
gives the hypnotist complete control over the thoughts and emotions of the person undergoing hypnosi
induces heightened suggestibility in the hypnotized individual
is similar to the condition produced by excessive alcohol consumption
is similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder
is similar to the REM stage of sleep
The chief characteristic of hypnosis is
heightened arousal
increased suggestibility
enhanced creativity
increased awareness
increased clairvoyance
According to Freud, dreams are very often a means of
wish fulfillment.
solving daytime problems.
telling oneself what’s missing in one’s life.
categorizing one’s experience
organizing random neural brain activity
Freud believed that, in order to protect sleep and prevent the arousal of conscience, the content of our dreams is
suppressed
disguised
enriched
synthesized
fixated
Research suggests that the two most basic states of sleep are
alpha sleep and beta sleep.
light sleep and deep sleep.
alpha and delta sleep
REM sleep and non-REM sleep.
REM sleep and paradoxical sleep
A sudden, irresistible urge to sleep, which lasts a few minutes to half an hour during the daytime, is called
narcolepsy
hypersomnia
sleep apnea
sleepwalking disorder
insomnia
Physical cravings for a drug and unpleasant reactions when the drug is withheld are signs of
drug tolerance
psychological dependence
emotional dependence
physical addiction
mental dissociation
In small quantities, alcohol can be mistaken for a stimulant because it
inhibits control of emotions
stimulates the sympathetic nervous system
speeds up respiration and heart beat
induces sleep
affects the cerebellum
Which has enabled psychologist to learn the most about sleep processes over the last 50 years?
psychopharmacology
lesions
EEGs
CT scans
MRI
do you own homework.
Parasomnia – any practical advice?
Has anyone got any practical advice or natural remedies to help get quality REM sleep?
All the experts and sleep clinics have done is proudly identify the predicament for me but have no real solutions to overcome this insurmountable problem. Things that have been tried so far: hypnosis – diet – herbal teas – exercise – drugs beta blockers histamines valium codeine – relaxation CDs like hemi-sync – nothing works. This is really impacting into the quality of my life.
The parasomnia came first – it exisited long before 20 years or more than the time that I ever toook various drugs to cure it. It is NOT the result of the drugs. I dont take anything for it now havent for some time in fact – still have the problem. Yes have tried many natural remedies. I have only had two answers to this so I dont hold out much hope.
figure out of you have anything on your mind that’s bothering you and talk it out. Figure out what’s taking your REM sleep, is it noise, is it a too-warm or too stuffy room, is it too much light from the window, is it noisy neighbors, is it that someone else sleeps in your room, is it someone who slams their door as the go to work about 5am that wakes you, etc. Fix all those things and then take some cold milk, lay down, say a prayer and ask for good sleep, then start to put yourself by starting at your feet and tell them all is calm now and they are allowed to go to sleep, then mentally say that to your knees, to your hips and all the way upward. By the time you get half way up your body you should be sleeping. I use hypnosis tapes. Most times I can’t get past the first sentence on the tape and I’m asleep. For some reason the hypnosis tape throws me into immediate REM, I just conk out and wake up refreshed. Try it. I’m thinking that you’ve filled yourself with so many drugs, noise, caffeine, and excitement that for sure you can’t sleep now.
ambien cr helps improve your sleep?
i was just wondering if ambien cr disrupts normal sleep cycles. it says its safer than (ex: xanax,valium, etc) in reserving REM sleep. is this true? it has no eefect on any stages of sleep and if so why?
Rather than try a drug, try these non-medication sleep tips. medicines only help for a few days or a couple weeks, after that, patients will swear the meds are still helping, but sleep studies show otherwise. What they are getting is rebound insomnia. Sleep meds can cause memory problems, and a certain percentage of people freak out & get aggressive on them (happened to me) and that information is now, finally, on the warning label. Benzos are the same (ativan, xanax, etc).
***
Google “sleep hygeine”
Here are my sleep tips:
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even weekends.
Do only boring things that last hour before bed. no exercise, no computer or TV time. Avoid bright lights (the TV and computer screen light wakes you up too).
Make sure your bedroom is totally dark, including covering up that digital clock and shutting the drapes/blinds/shades.
Exercising during the day will tire you out so you sleep well later.
Avoid caffeine. A morning cup of coffee is OK, but nothing after 1 PM or so. Some meds like cold remedies (Sudafed, etc.) can ramp you up, too, look for the “agitation in children” label-some adults get trouble too,
Try meditation like progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery. It reduces stress. See The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne for examples. There is a free 15 minute guided imagery download at healthjourneys.com. Try a noise generator or CD of ocean waves or soft music to sleep if you live in the rackety city. Get some MP3 downloads at soundsleeping.com
Don’t use your bedroom for anything but sleep (or sex, if you are an adult). No computer, no TV, no reading in bed.
If you are worrying about what you have to do the next day, then get up and write down a list of what to do, then go back to bed with your mind more at ease.
If these things don’t work after a month or so, you may have depression interfering with your sleep, and you should screen yourself for that. there are online depression screening tests. Or there could be something else medically wrong. Don’t take Ambien, Lunesta, etc. they are addictive and only work a week or so, then you’re hooked and they aren’t really helping anymore. (But you will get rebound insomnia if you quit).
Good luck! Google this topic and you will find some things I’m sure I forgot.
No type of pain killer or procedure works on me. Why??
Over the last 5-6 years I’ve developed pain in several areas of my body; upper & lower back, neck, sit-bones, wrists, etc. To be more specific…
a. chronic pain between shoulder blades
b. frequent low back throbbing
c. constant pain at sit-bone area that spreads down back of thighs (this is the worst one, daily pain 2+ years)
d. cramping in both wrists, up to elbows sometimes
e. tendonitis on top of left foot
I’ve sought medical help for all, and only saw minimal relief upfront, but pain always returned and meds or treatments no longer worked. Here were the treatments for each…
a. initial treatment was 4 months of chiropractic (some relief, hard on pocket-book) – then 3 years worth of physical therapy (on and off roughly 2-3 months at a crack)
b. same as “a”
c. naproxen, something stronger than naproxen, 4 steroid injections by Ortho, 2 months physical therapy, iontophoresis (electro-therapy), x-ray guided steroid injections into ischial bursa, coidal epidural steroid injections, Facet joint block injection testing; which worked to prove I needed a Lumbar Radiofreqency Neurotomy (that didn’t work)
d. anti-inflamitory and wrist support
e. naproxen, worked for the first flare up, but never again.
In addition to the above treatments I’ve also been given the following pain meds: Tylenol-3 (gives me a 12 minute rush, but never touches the pain), Valium (no “woozy”, no relaxation, no pain killer), 3 other “azepam” muscle relaxers (all worked once or twice, but not again), Skelaxin (no relief). The only thing I’ve gotten from any treatment has been sore muscles from PT, sore injection sites, and one time frostbite from sitting on an ice pack too long out of desperation.
Notable facts: I am a “super” narcoleptic, according to my sleep doctor. Have the ability to fall asleep in less than 2 minutes and do directly into REM sleep – even after 8+ hours of quality sleep (per sleep study results). Take double dose of Provigil daily to stay awake, Ritalin is a backup just in case. Also, I suffer from TMJ disorder, which causes neck and jaw pain.
When I have a headache I take advil or tylenol and the pain goes away in like 20 minutes. When I have a cold I take alkaseltzer or other OTC’s and feel relief to make it through the day. It’s like only certain types of pain/discomfort are receptive to treatments.
The worst one is the pain in the butt – I know sounds funny right. It started a little more than 2 years ago. For the first couple months I experienced discomfort when sitting for more than 10 minutes; which i wrote off to gaining 10lbs and my body was mad at me for having to support it. The discomfort though caused more back pain as I seemed to compensate for it and soon became restless enough to stop whatever activity I was doing and go home. The docs original thought was hip bursitis, or ischial bursitis; which is common on both sides of the buttocks in people who sit on hard surface ( ie, bleachers at a football game, also called weavers’ bottom). Now I’ve been through 3 specialists + yoga + PT + massage + heat/ice, blah blah blah. I’m sick of it.
I swear my brain is telling my body to keep the pain despite what I put into it. Fyi, drinking and weed also don’t relieve it – trust me i’ve tried.
Anyone else experiencing this dilemma? Not necessarily the same issue, but same reaction to pain relieving measures being an absolute waist. I’m going broke here constantly in and out of ambulatory operating rooms.
Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Always hurting
Wow, I’m sorry you are in so much pain. I don’t think I have a good answer for you, but I want to relate to you my friend’s experience. She was having a variety of symptoms (I don’t remember the details), but pain was definitely a problem. She was even having trouble walking b/c the pain was so bad. She tried to lift weights during this period and experienced shooting pains. She was constantly sleeping and exhausted. She saw something like 20 doctors and none of them could provide any answers, though some told her she was a hypochondriac. Finally she saw an endocrinologist, who on a whim, gave her a test for a vitamin D deficiency. It turned out that she had a very severe deficiency, which was not b/c of inadequate intake of the vitamin. Her body was only able to absorb a tiny amount (inadequate). When the doc put her on super levels of the vitamin, all of her symptoms disappeared. Some other vitamins such as calcium cannot be absorbed without the presence of vit D, so I’m sure there was secondary deficiencies. Maybe you can get a detailed blood test that looks at your vitamins/minerals. Also, hormone deficiencies can absolutely wreak havoc (including mysterious pain). An endocrinologist would be able to ID hormone imbalances. I hope you find this info useful and I hope you feel better soon!
I had surgery on my penis, need to prevent erection for 3 weeks?
As the title states, I have had recent surgery on my penis and must prevent erection for 3 weeks, or else I could bust my stitches and cause a lot of problems. Don’t ask why…regardless, its irrelevant to the answer. I’ve been prescribed Valium to use while sleeping to prevent me from REM sleep(dreaming, resulting in morning wood), however, its completely up to me during the daytime. Please help!
Please don’t suggest “waistband it” or “wear briefs” or something along those lines. I’m not trying to CONCEAL it (I am in the privacy of my own home) but I do need to prevent it from happening.
Any serious answers are appreciated. Thanks.
Yes, I KNOW its going to suck really bad. I get it. Unfortunately I dont have an ugly aunt Edna, and even if i did, thinking of her would only make it go away, not prevent it. Realistically I can not stare at a picture of my dad or think of my naked grandma for 3 weeks.
Are there any foods that prevent it? How about cannabis? (heard a rumor…)
Actaully, Dawn, nice try. No, I am not trying to justify the use of cannibis. If I wanted to try it I would WITHOUT the need for justification. I have no moral problems with it, and I dont think it should be illegal. I only suggested this because I have access to it where I live. I did not invent this question,My urologist prescribed me with Valium. He is the doctor, not me. I am going by the explanation he gave me.
first off morning wood as you call it has nothing to do with dreams, sorry nor rubbing on sheets it is caused by the body being in a relaxed state most guys have no idea about how the penis works apart from that it fills with blood.
most guys think the muscles at the base of the penis have to tighten up so wrong it’s the other way round they have to relax to allow blood in which is why guys cannot get hard when nervous the other thing which comes into play far more importantly is the bladder enlarges through the night pressing down onto the blood vessels which take blood from the penis easy blood in restricted blood out result erection and sorry but Valium would make things worse not better, and any doctor would know that, which brings you whole question into suspicion, but the answer to your question would be a mild bromide solution.
and as far as food is concerned, you could try Kellogg cornflakes, no sugar that’s why he invented them to take away sexual desire because there is nothing in them that your body needs for a healthy sex life
Also a cold shower works very well as your skin cools your body sends more blood to just under the surface to try and raise the temperature which diverts blood away from the penis which retracts to reduce surface area and keep warm !
Dawn
strikes me that you invented this question just to try and validate your desire to experiment with cannabis which once again acts as a relaxant at first so just the opposite of what you would need sorry you will have to think of another excuse to smoke some weed
re added details
then may I suggest that you go see a urologist who knows what he is talking about because the use of Valium will defiantly NOT stop morning wood !
how do I know !
because my brother is a Urologist.
If it was so critical that you did not have an erection then you would be given injections to prevent it from happening
you say “Don’t ask why…regardless, its irrelevant to the answer.” humm ! why do you say that! is it because you don’t know of a condition which would require you not to have an erection for three weeks come on if this is not a bull question what surgical procedure did you have !