What Happens When You Mix Ambien and Alcohol?

There’s a reason doctors prescribing sleeping aids such as Ambien(zolpidem) forbid drinking while taking these pills. Extremely serious interactions can occur upon mixing these depressants, and it’s impossible to control the harmful consequences you risk by doing so. As you build a tolerance to sleeping pills, you may turn to alcohol to amplify the sedative effects of the drug. This is extremely dangerous since both Ambien and alcohol depress your central nervous system, slowing your heart rate and damaging your respiratory system. Mixing Ambien and alcohol causes severe physical and cognitive impairment, can harm your liver permanently and increases your risk of ambien overdose exponentially. 

Combining two addictive substances like Ambien and alcohol is asking for trouble. In the short term, you run the risk of fatal overdose. Over time, you could end up with a chemical dependence on this deadly cocktail of depressants. If you or a loved one cannot stop using Ambien and alcohol, it’s time to seek professional help. Call The Recovery Village today to get started. 

What Is Ambien?

Ambien, a brand name of the sedative zolpidem, is a hypnotic drug generally prescribed for insomnia. The drug works to calm your central nervous system by altering your brain chemicals, creating a conducive state for sleep. Ambien tablets, or “zombie pills,” can become habit-forming after only two weeks of usage, and as you form a tolerance, it may require more pills to achieve the same dreamy euphoria. However, continued usage of Ambien decreases your ability to do ordinary tasks, like driving, and can lead to psychological and physical harm and fatal overdose.

What Are the Side Effects of Ambien and Alcohol?

When you take Ambien and drink alcohol, you can feel sleepy, uncoordinated and disoriented, at first. Each drug amplifies the effects of the other, creating an uncontrollable domino effect of harmful consequences for your mind and body. Under the influence of Ambien and alcohol, you’re likely to experience:

• Hallucinations 
• Memory loss
• Slowed heartbeat
• Trouble breathing
• Uncontrollable shaking
• Delusions
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Fainting
• Collapse

Dangers of Mixing Ambien and Alcohol

It is not uncommon for people to combine Ambien and alcohol to enhance the effects of both drugs, and to possibly experience a deeper sleep, but this is a very slippery slope. Mixing Ambien with alcohol slows your brain activity and vital functions to a dangerously low rate. On their own, sedatives like Ambien are habit-forming after a short period of time, and as your tolerance to them builds, you’re more likely to overdose. Another central nervous system depressant, alcohol exacerbates the mind-altering effects of Ambien, and only contributes to addiction. 

Combining the two drugs can leave you disoriented and confused, and it is very easy to unintentionally take more Ambien or drink more alcohol when you’re in this state. Along with irreparable damage to your liver, cognitive state and respiratory system, continued usage of Ambien and alcohol increases your chances of fatal overdose.

Treatment for Ambien and Alcohol

Polydrug abuse (Ambien and alcohol) is an increasingly common — and deadly — issue in America, but it is highly treatable. If you or a loved one is addicted to Ambien and alcohol, do not attempt to detox at home, as this can land you back in square one, abusing drugs again. Breaking the bonds of addiction takes more than willpower. It takes a team of compassionate, trained professionals to get on the path to true healing. 

When you’re ready to be free from drug dependency, The Recovery Village can help. Our addiction specialists will work one-on-one with you to understand your current situation and get you the treatment you deserve. All of our programs — drug detox, inpatient and outpatient — are designed to help you leave Ambien and alcohol behind for good. If you’re ready to change, we’re ready to help you take the first step.

• Visit the following websites to learn about The Recovery Village’s network of rehabilitation facilities. Call today for admissions. Each center is ready to help people learn how to cope with their Ambien addiction and uncover the root causes for their substance use disorder.
• Orlando Recovery Center: A premier rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida that helps individuals recover from addiction and substance use disorders. The center also offers the opportunity to treat co-occurring disorders.
• The Recovery Village Columbus: Located in Ohio, this facility provides inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment for people looking to begin detox. The center provides individualized plans to help patients through recovery while addressing their unique co-occurring disorders or any setbacks that may happen during recovery.
• The Recovery Village Palmer Lake: In Colorado, this facility offers inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for individuals looking to kick-start their journey to recovery.
• The Recovery Village Ridgefield: Located right in southern Washington, this facility provides patients with outpatient and aftercare programs. Just 20 minutes outside of Portland, this facility assists individuals who are ready to begin treatment.
• The Recovery Village: In Umatilla, Florida, this is a rehabilitation facility that provides resources for individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment. There are inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment programs available for those suffering from Ambien addiction.
• IAFF Center of Excellence: Specializes in assisting firefighters who struggle with behavioral health problems and addiction. Members can enter the recovery process sooner so they can return back to work as quickly as possible. Inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs are all available at this facility, where patients can address their Ambien addiction in a safe, supportive environment.
• Denver Mental Health & Counseling: Denver Mental Health and Counseling by The Recovery Village is a physician-led outpatient center specializing in evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, offering services such as TMS, IOP, and personalized care for both ongoing and new patients, dedicated to fostering long-term recovery and overall well-being.
• The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health: The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is a premier physician-led treatment center in South Florida, offering a comprehensive spectrum of services from medical detox to outpatient programs for alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, with a commitment to rejuvenating lives, families, and communities, and facilitating same-day admissions.
• The Recovery Village Atlanta: Located in Roswell just outside downtown Atlanta, is a 62-bed physician-led treatment facility offering a comprehensive range of services, from medical detox to outpatient care, specializing in alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, dedicated to transforming lives, families, and communities throughout Georgia.
• The Recovery Village Kansas City: The Recovery Village Kansas City, an 80-bed facility in Raytown just 10 miles from downtown, offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, overseen by physician leaders, and is dedicated to revitalizing lives, families, and communities throughout the Midwest.
• The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Health: The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, situated just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, is a leading rehab facility in South Jersey providing comprehensive, evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, ranging from medical detox to teletherapy, with a dedicated team committed to guiding adults on their path to lifelong recovery.