Sleeping pills are substances under the sedative-hypnotic class. Other substances under this class include alcohols, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates. In general, there are two types of sleeping pills, that is, over-the-counter and prescription type.
These drugs are known by other medical and street names. Other medical names for sleeping pills include sleep-wake cycle modifiers, GABA medications, and tricyclic antidepressants. Meanwhile, in the streets, they are more commonly known by the names sleepers, totem poles, tranks, zombie pills, and candy pills.
In the market, these drugs are sold in various forms, commonly in capsules and tablets. However, some are sold as spray type products like Zolpimist. Like other medications, these drugs appear in different colors, pill identifier, and some even have holes in their center. Its pill identifier typically includes weight in milligrams and brand name.
Sleeping Pills, How They Work
Both over-the-counter and prescription types share the general effect of inducing drowsiness to promote sleep. However, there is a slight difference in terms of active component and operation between the two classifications.
For the active ingredient, over-the-counter types have an antihistamine component to induce sleepiness while the prescription one utilizes a nonbenzodiazepine component to induce a similar effect.
In terms of their operation, there are two sites in the brain where these active components work on. The active component of the prescription type binds on the GABA receptor site of the central nervous system. The GABA site is responsible for releasing the GABA neurochemicals which slows down brain activity and induces relaxation.
In contrast, the active component of the over-the-counter type binds on the histamine receptor site to stop allergic symptoms. Sleepiness or drowsiness is one of the side effects of this process which is beneficial to those having sleeping problems.
Addiction and Dangers
The Drug Enforcement Agency classified these medications under Schedule IV controlled substances. There are different kinds of medications of sleeping pills and each has a corresponding duration of effects.
For instance, Rozerem alters the sleep-wake cycle and has a duration effect of 4 to 6 hours. Meanwhile, selective GABA drugs such as Sonata, Lunesta, and Ambien have effects lasting for around 6 to 8 hours. Other examples, like Diphenhydramine, contains an antihistamine as an active component works for around 4 to 6 hours.
A person who practices self-medication and uncontrolled intake of these medications are highly prone to progressing to drug addiction and dependence. These medications have a lesser addictive potential but the continuous and unprescribed intake can pose a higher risk for tolerance and higher dosage consumption.
Self-education is the key to having early detection and prevention from abusing these substances. To determine if a person suffers from an overdose of these substances, the following signs can be observed: low energy or enthusiasm, tired body, slow reflexes, difficulty breathing and frequent stomach pain.
The moment a person starts taking these medications, the following immediate effects can be observed: stomach pains, drying of the oral cavity, dizziness, and a change of eating habits. Meanwhile, continuous use and higher dosage intake can have serious health consequences on the user in the long-run. Some of the obvious health impacts for long-term abuse include slight memory loss, chest pain, narcolepsy, unpleasant dreams, and tremors.
These substances might not be as dangerous and addictive as the illicit substances like meth, heroin, and cocaine but the inability to tell one’s dependence and tolerance poses a great danger to one’s health. If one’s intake is not properly monitored, the person can experience severe health consequences which include slow reaction to stimuli, intense sadness, hypotension, paralysis, suicidal behavior, and respiratory failure.
Medications and Treatments
Addiction and abuse from these substances can still be treated with proper medications and therapies. The first step to any treatment process is for the patient to recognize the need for external help and acceptance for having the condition.
Once a person starts to cut off or slowly inhibit from using these drugs, certain physical and behavioral withdrawal symptoms can be felt. Some of the common withdrawal symptoms include lower heartbeat, excessive sweating, uncontrolled body shaking, muscle pains, and highly irritable.
A person suffering from an overdose with these substances can undergo certain steps for treatment and medication. The first thing that can be done is to check on the person’s pulse rate and heartbeat. This is to ensure the patient has a normal heart rate. For detoxification, one can do washing out of the stomach in order to remove chemicals.
People suffering from excessive usage of these substances will experience difficulty in breathing. To maintain proper breathing, do not allow the patient to wear tight clothes. These sedative-hypnotic drugs lower blood pressure which can cause death if the blood pressure continuously drops. To counter this, one can use a vasopressor to have a temporary constriction of blood vessels to increase blood pressure.
Aside from gastric lavage, one can remove toxins from the body by ingesting activated charcoal. This compound has a great surface area and enhanced the adsorptive property to absorb harmful chemicals inside the body.
Treatment from overdose and addiction of sleeping pills can also be supplemented allowing the patient to undergo therapies. Some of the common therapies applied include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Reward System, and Recovery Groups.
For the Reward System, the therapist and patient will outline certain rewards for any accomplishment towards recovery. For instance, the patient can gain monetary or non-monetary reward for each day of successfully not taking craving for the drug.
For Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the therapist will assist the patient in determining unhealthy thoughts which triggers the craving for the drug. Once identified, the therapist will assist the patient in formulating positive means of coping from these unhealthy thoughts.
Lastly, for Recovery Groups, the patient is allowed to be in a group of people sharing a similar condition. This intervention aims to promote social interaction and communication skills among members during group sessions. Likewise, it also allows each member to share one’s experiences about trials and success from the condition. Eventually, members of the recovery gain insights and motivation from the group session.
