[bxtt]

I've actually decided to take some time off work because of my addiction issues. It's more so the cycle. I'll stop taking Zolpidem/Zopiclone for several weeks/month (the first several days -- terrible shakes, chills, nightmares, several days without sleeping etc. Zopiclone/Benzo withdrawal is far worse) After a while, I'll eventually adjust but I have insomnia/poor sleep so I'll eventually cave in due to sleep deprivation then I'll pick back up.

For the past year, I would roughly take 90mg of either Zolpidem/Zopiclone in a single night. On average, I roughly go through 100 pills a week (I have pharmacies that sell to me...I know sketch).

It wasn't always like this, when I first started taking medication after going to Stanford Sleep Clinic, I would just take a pill or two a night and have fantastic sleep. It was like this for several years but eventually my tolerance increased and my work stress/insomnia got worse with age.

I want to reiterate that I've destroyed/damaged every meaningful relationship in my life. I state this all out because I've realized that people have a strange fascination with Ambien.

[irrational]

I can understand the strange fascination with Ambien. My wife was prescribed it one time. She would take it and then soon after want to have sex. Mind blowing sex (for me) every time. She was insatiable and wanted to do things way outside her norm. But the next day she had absolutely no memory of any of it. That weirded me out and I encouraged her to stop taking them. Though to be honest I wouldn't mind one or two of the ambien fueled sex sessions a year. Absolutely mind blowing, but also exhausting.

[rdevsrex]

That really makes you question how much free will we have, if a drug can produce that kind of behavior and affect short term memory.

But more fascinating still is what functionality in the brain even enables that.

[foxhop]

I'm of the school of thought that we have at 2 minds, my guess is this drug inhibits our egoic executive mind and our unconscious mind takes over.

[Nexxius]

I've been witness two sleepwalking events with different peopl. Both were fully conversant and aware of their surroundings, they just did odd things and we assumed they were drunk. Later we found out about the ambien and how neither had any recollection of the event.

[mensetmanusman]

It’s often a question of how much.

Do we have free will when sleeping? No. There goes a large part of our life.

How about when zoned out? No.

Do we ever have free will? Atheists looking at the scientific evidence argue that we never have free will.

[sjruckle]

If I were you (and I was) I'd seriously consider going to rehab. They'll have experience easing your withdrawal symptoms and getting you on a road to breaking the cycle.

[refurb]

For the past year, I would roughly take 90mg of either Zolpidem/Zopiclone in a single night.

Holy crap. The typical dose is 5 mg or 10 mg. I’ve taken 10 before and I’m out.

90 mg?!?