# Ambien (Zolpidem) Need help!!!



## HackerZC (Jan 2, 2011)

I've been taking Ambien to help me sleep for about a year now, and one of the side effects that I experience from it is a sense of motivation/drive to do things. 
One of my largest issues is a constant lack of drive or motivation. I mean it gets so bad that I'll feel like I don't want to eat, or shower, or even do the sorts of things that I would normally find enjoyable (like watching TV, Sex, playing a computer game, etc). 
When I take the Ambien however it often makes me feel like doing stuff. It causes me to be interested in going to college, makes me want to go hang out with friends, be social, work out... it causes me to feel as driven to accomplish things as I used to over a decade ago. 
Of course because it's a sleep aid I can't actually DO much because it does make you sleepy and eventually knocks you out. 
I've tried to talk about this with my psychiatrist but she seems rather avoidant of the entire subject. She just said that it's likely the active ingredient (the bit that makes you sleepy)... and it was never discussed beyond that. 

I honestly thing that whatever the ambien is doing to me to cause me to feel driven/interested/motivated might be the key to regaining a lot of functionality in my life, but I'm finding it extremely difficult to do research on my own (again, a motivation issue), and my psychiatrist doesn't even seem interested in exploring the effect at all, so I could really use any insight or information that anyone here might have about this medication. 

Have any of you had a similar effect from ambien at all?


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## rustybob (Nov 19, 2009)

It might seem like a parodoxial effect, but it's certainly not uncommon. Sometimes anxiety makes it seem like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. The Ambien helps relieve that anxiety, and suddenly you feel almost engergized and extremely motivated. Valium had this effect on me. Even a puny 5mg dose was enough to provide significant relief with zero side effects. Ativan works similarily, although it has some amnesic side effects.


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## rustybob (Nov 19, 2009)

Have you been diagnosed with any disorders yet?


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## HackerZC (Jan 2, 2011)

rustybob said:


> Have you been diagnosed with any disorders yet?


When I was in high school I was diagnosed with ADD and minor depression, but I never really had any issues back then that I can remember. 
Most recently I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety (Social Phobia to be specific), but since I also had insomnia and sleeping issues she prescribed me the ambien to help with that. 
I tried a few different meds to help with anxiety and/or depression, but none of it seems to do what I need it to do. The ambien however does tend to have this positive affect on me, but I only get to experience it for a short time before I fall asleep.

Oh, and the ambien can cause some minor memory loss issues. As in, I'll end up having a conversation with someone, then won't remember it the next day unless the other person mentions it, then I'll start to remember. Or I'll sleep with someone and not really remember everything that happened or was said. But at least it get's me out.


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## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

Ambien has a tendency to do that and has caused many people to leave the house or make sudden decisions that get them in trouble when the real effects start.. Your doctor can't really help you though because none of the related drugs do the same thing most of the time and like you said eventually ambien knocks you out. As a whole benzos and zdrugs are sedating so a discussion about the effects of ambien on your motivation really can't help your doctor. Sometimes I use the cr pills to get stuff done when I don't have to drive anywhere. Take one in the afternoon or early evening and it takes hours before the sleepy effect kicks in.

I would leave out the ambien discussion and just say you are too unmotivated to do anything and would like to try a daytime antidepressant for it.


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## HackerZC (Jan 2, 2011)

Akane said:


> Ambien has a tendency to do that and has caused many people to leave the house or make sudden decisions that get them in trouble when the real effects start.. Your doctor can't really help you though because none of the related drugs do the same thing most of the time and like you said eventually ambien knocks you out. As a whole benzos and zdrugs are sedating so a discussion about the effects of ambien on your motivation really can't help your doctor. Sometimes I use the cr pills to get stuff done when I don't have to drive anywhere. Take one in the afternoon or early evening and it takes hours before the sleepy effect kicks in.
> 
> I would leave out the ambien discussion and just say you are too unmotivated to do anything and would like to try a daytime antidepressant for it.


Well it doesn't get me in trouble, but it does get me interested/motivated enough to actually do things (which is great). 
I already have discussed the lack of drive, motivation, and interest with my pdoc and she just keeps giving me some line about how "there is no magic pill" yada yada. 
The thing is I know she is full of sh*t because I haven't always been like this, there was a time when I was driven, motivated, inspired, felt good, and could function perfectly fine... so I know the difference between how I felt THEN and how I feel NOW. 
I'm on pristiq right now and while it's better than nothing (and not as numbing as prozac) it's still not getting me anywhere near what I need. 
So far the only thing I've tried that gets me close to how I used to feel IS the ambien. I mean unless I want to go the illegal route and take Oxycontin. That stuff doesn't just get me to a where I can function but also eliminates any insecurity or issue I have at all (oxy makes life absolutely wonderful). But I don't want to go to that length if I don't have to. I'm seriously getting frustrated due to the lack of progress with normal meds though. 
I'm even beginning to think I'm not being treated for the right thing. I honestly think I might need something for ADD.... not just anxiety or depression.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

HackerZC said:


> I already have discussed the lack of drive, motivation, and interest with my pdoc and she just keeps giving me some line about how "there is no magic pill" yada yada.
> The thing is I know she is full of sh*t because I haven't always been like this, there was a time when I was driven, motivated, inspired, felt good, and could function perfectly fine... so I know the difference between how I felt THEN and how I feel NOW.


What about Wellbutrin, Adderall, Concerta/Ritalin? These meds have a reputation for enhancing drive and motivation.


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## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

Have you tried something legal and otc like racetams or there are plenty of herbals that get mentioned on here occasionally. I stay away from those particular ones though due to insomnia so I can't help with that. Racetams are my replacement to caffiene due to insomnia and easily triggered tachycardia (excessively high heart rate). I like oxiracetam but it's hard to get consistently, aniracetam is about equally as strong but tastes disgusting so has to be capped which is only cost effective if done yourself, and piracetam is the cheapest and most common that most use but I happen to react badly to..


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## Timbolin (Oct 27, 2012)

I totally feel the same about Ambien. It was the best period of my life, and like you I used to be great, started feeling **** thanks to various things and Ambien reversed that.

As typical doctors had no balls and refused to prescribe it saying it's "addictive" I said medically speacking it's not addictive and they said "well psychologically addictive" - I mean - sausages can be psychologically addictive - it's not meaningful. And anyway, I wasn't addicted, I just found that it had a really positive effect on me.

now im trying to find some through non legitimate means, years later. which is stupid

I've had nothing but positive experiences with ambien. apart from the occasional wacky **** - like burning holes in stuff by mistkae or painting or weird things



HackerZC said:


> Well it doesn't get me in trouble, but it does get me interested/motivated enough to actually do things (which is great).
> I already have discussed the lack of drive, motivation, and interest with my pdoc and she just keeps giving me some line about how "there is no magic pill" yada yada.
> The thing is I know she is full of sh*t because I haven't always been like this, there was a time when I was driven, motivated, inspired, felt good, and could function perfectly fine... so I know the difference between how I felt THEN and how I feel NOW.
> I'm on pristiq right now and while it's better than nothing (and not as numbing as prozac) it's still not getting me anywhere near what I need.
> ...


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

jim_morrison said:


> What about Wellbutrin, Adderall, Concerta/Ritalin? These meds have a reputation for enhancing drive and motivation.


Wellbutrin is handed out like candy, so no problem there.

But C-II stimulants are a problem. Unless they believe you have ADD you're not at all likely to get them. And then there are folks like me who prove that even potent stimulants aren't real motivating. I took Adderall and I'm just pissing away time online now getting noting of value done in my life.


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## FiringBlanks (Mar 7, 2012)

HackerZC said:


> When I take the Ambien however it often makes me feel like doing stuff. It causes me to be interested in going to college, makes me want to go hang out with friends, be social, work out... it causes me to feel as driven to accomplish things as I used to over a decade ago.
> Of course because it's a sleep aid I can't actually DO much because it does make you sleepy and eventually knocks you out.
> I've tried to talk about this with my psychiatrist but she seems rather avoidant of the entire subject. She just said that it's likely the active ingredient (the bit that makes you sleepy)... and it was never discussed beyond that.
> 
> ...


Long time social anxiety sufferer here, and I totally understand what you mean about the Ambien. I've been using it (5mg once/twice a week) as a sleep aid but noticed quickly that I am a completely normal person the next day. I'm no longer a cold/distant/aloof stranger to others. Rather, I want to socialize and let my inner light shine. I'm no longer haunted by my insecurities, shortcomings, or facial dysmorphia. I have a great outlook on life the day after. Even attractive girls look the other direction in self-consciousness when they see my confident, exuberant, glowing face walking down the pathway.

Ambien is a special drug; google *The Ambien Effect*. There's a short documentary Vice did about the miracles of this drug. It's brought consciousness back to man who had been in a coma for years after an accident, among other things.

Don't bother talking to a 'professional' about these sorts of things. They are only educated to know and remember some of the most common and poignant issues (anxiety, depression, insomnia, ptsd, etc.), and to administer predefined protocols that they were taught would work.

Has Ambien lost effectiveness for you, in terms of social anxiety relief, over time or not?


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## barry1685 (May 25, 2011)

HackerZC said:


> Well it doesn't get me in trouble, but it does get me interested/motivated enough to actually do things (which is great).
> I already have discussed the lack of drive, motivation, and interest with my pdoc and she just keeps giving me some line about how "there is no magic pill" yada yada.
> The thing is I know she is full of sh*t because I haven't always been like this, there was a time when I was driven, motivated, inspired, felt good, and could function perfectly fine... so I know the difference between how I felt THEN and how I feel NOW.
> I'm on pristiq right now and while it's better than nothing (and not as numbing as prozac) it's still not getting me anywhere near what I need.
> ...


You might as well give up and not go the drug route. Hate to break it to you but you will continue taking addictive drugs until you are dependent and will withdrawal. If you make it through the suicidal thinking because of the withdrawals, then you might actually have a chance at living.

Believe me, I thought things like benzos and opiates like oxy were my solution. Nope, ends up screwing me over and making me worse. You know how much damage this has done to my brain chemistry? Look, we all want to feel great and blame ourselves for not being a super social person or being outgoing. Truth is, god created people differently, some people enjoy talking, others not so much.

I really suggest you never take this route of using abusive meds to get by. Because I promise you, that you will end up way worse off than you are now. Trust someone who has tried going down that route.


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## amp5 (Jan 5, 2014)

*Could Zolpidem help with anxiety. Asking same ?*



HackerZC said:


> I've been taking Ambien to help me sleep for about a year now, and one of the side effects that I experience from it is a sense of motivation/drive to do things.
> One of my largest issues is a constant lack of drive or motivation. .....my psychiatrist doesn't even seem interested in exploring the effect at all, so I could really use any insight or information that anyone here might have about this medication. ...Have any of you had a similar effect from ambien at all?


I have been taking Ambien for quite awhile, started right after several deaths in family, and then doc didn't seem to notice she kept giving me refills.
What I noticed is its effect of 'removing emotions'. This is what I most liked about it at the time because the sadness was heavy. 
If you are anxious type, using guilt to motivate, etc., if Ambien dulls that I can see where the 'real' motivations you have come out. You don't feel fear of failure, or whether it will be good enough, all the negative blah, blah blah.
Of course it's always interesting the first time a person takes ambien and then makes the mistake of not going to bed directly. The you can bump around indefinitely with no feelings of judgment about whether going to bed is a good idea. I found this out when I thought I would read a bit - at 4:30 in the morning, half-asleep, I realized how careful one should be. If you lay down you will go to sleep. 
But it is classified as an hypnotic, which might explain the zombie behaviors. You literally can get up, thinking you are fully aware, go on to eat half the stuff in the fridge and start painting the basement, and then barely remember it the next day because it also causes amnesia. So if you are not using ambien to sleep, you MUST be aware of the dangers of running around with your emotions switched off, and really not as 'with it' as you think.
I still suffer from depression for several reasons, so it's important to know if this drug could be contributing to depression. I think it can contribute to shallow breathing and eventually issues there. But I agree, when I am in a high anxiety mode, a little piece of ambien seems to be as good as anything else. Apparently it functions by affecting the GABA site receptors. GABA is the chill neurochemical, while its partner, Glutamate, is the excitor. Glutamate and GABA can use parts of each other to form the balance your brain is calling for. Too much glutamate makes it an excitotoxin- too much stimulation makes the nerve explode or whatever. But you need it to bother to think at all. So the question I want to know is whether ambien in small doses could be a safe treatment for anxiety, because I too find myself feeling normal and getting stuff done when the negative stuff is gagged. Because of the side-effects of 'amorality' and impairment, I kind a doubt it. But don't give up, there is apparently a new drug that works on the NMDA site versus the ever present seratonin focus. Called GLYX 13. I think.


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## Captainmycaptain (Sep 23, 2012)

Drop the Ambien (I don't even know how that stuff gets you to sleep. I took 300 mg a few nights ago and felt wide awake.) Try to get prescribed 15 mg zopiclone at night. That stuff works wonders for insomnia.


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