[mm_throwaway]

Here is one addiction I wish I could grow out of: benzos and other benzo like drugs such as Ambien (zolpidem). I've been on them for almost 9 years, and they are unbelievably hard to quit. I take them for my insomnia. I don't have to take much (10mg of Ambien for example), but without them I'll lay awake in bed for 8 hours not getting any sleep. I've done all the sleep hygiene stuff such as CBT or forced sleep deprivation, but it doesn't seem to work.

I've been through various doctors, and I'm seeing a psychiatrist right now to deal exclusively with the sleep issue. Apparently my GABA receptors are shot from taking these drugs for so long. Unfortunately I have but two real choices: taper quickly from the Ambien and deal with 3-6 weeks of little or no sleep, or do a slow taper with Valium which only has a 20% success rate.

Not sleeping for days really, really sucks.

[nomorebenzos]

I was on benzos for about 7 years myself before tapering off. I eventually tapered off. I think if you taper off at a slow enough pace you should be able to do it, though not without some discomfort. However, it doesn't have to be horrific as some people say if you don't go too fast. I used cannabis to help sleep during the taper. Never switched to Valium, but it all really depends on your body chemistry. My taper was rather rapid, but it was not too bad. Insomnia and some minor panic attacks were the worst of it. I definitely recommend checking out http://www.benzobuddies.org/ for information and support.

Regardless, without going through the withdrawal process, that is one addiction you will not grow out of as stopping suddenly can be quite dangerous.

[Theodores]

Have you tried getting an allotment and digging it? All of it, two feet down? Working it from dawn to dusk with three short breaks?

Better still, hard manual labour on shifts in a factory where slacking off stops production and is therefore not possible? Maybe in a hazardous environment where you have to be alert to avoid getting burnt or injured by machinery.

Seriously, put yourself through a few weeks in some industrial job and you will not have sleep problems after that.

[kar2014]

I agree, I've seen it time and again, people taking multiple medicine for sleep disorder and nothing works. What works is taking a manual job or if you cannot take such a job, put yourself on treadmill and keep going till you fall off, I mean an hour or two. And see how you sleep after that.

[alphydan]

Have you considered polyphasic sleep? This lady: http://www.puredoxyk.com/index.php/polyphasic-sleep-portal/

had lots of sleep troubles and polyphasic helped her sleep more and better. (Of course, if you have a 9-5 corporate job, it's unlikely to work)

[RankingMember]

Have you tried Seroquel? That stuff is insta-knockout.

[mm_throwaway]

I've tried Remeron (Mirtazapine) which at low doses is a sedating H1 antagonist like Seroquel. It worked for about 2 years and then like an idiot I started playing around with the dosages and it stopped working completely.

Thanks for the suggestion though, much appreciated.

[duderific]

I really feel for you. I have experienced bouts of insomnia when I've been really stressed. I got laid off twice last year in a three month span, and even after I found a better and steadier gig, the stress persisted for a few months. Additionally, my wife was pregnant with our first child as I was starting the new job. Over the span of a few months, I would have week long stretches where I might sleep 2 or less hours a night, sometimes not at all.

I managed to work through it without using any medication, but it was only time and learning to trust that my body knew how to do the right thing (sleep), without my mind interfering, that eventually righted the ship.