Eminem addicted to sleeping pills?
I saw an article that had the rock star Eminem claiming that his recent rehab check-in was due to his sleeping pill addiction. What is so interesting about this statement to me is that few of today's sleeping pills are actually addictive.
If you have an older medication, e.g., a benzodiazepine, then yes it could be possible, but hardly anyone prescribes these anymore for those who are young with good insurance (which I suspect he has).
He claimed that his constant on-the-road life style and flying back and forth to see his child made him need sleeping pills to catch some shut eye whenever he could. I think I can understand where he is coming from, and I certainly do not know his social calendar, but I find it hard to believe that he could not get sleep without the help of sleep aids.
If that is true, then my next question would be what is the problem? So what if he is addicted to the pills? Is he uncontrollably taking them before a show? Is he trying to "score" some pills from his buddies after hours in an alley somewhere? I guess I must be missing the point.
If he is addicted and all they do is make him sleep and nothing else, what is the big deal?
Related Topics: Sleep Drugs: None Stands Out As Best, Better Sleep -- Naturally
Technorati Tags: Eminem, sleeping pills, sleep disorders
If you have an older medication, e.g., a benzodiazepine, then yes it could be possible, but hardly anyone prescribes these anymore for those who are young with good insurance (which I suspect he has).
He claimed that his constant on-the-road life style and flying back and forth to see his child made him need sleeping pills to catch some shut eye whenever he could. I think I can understand where he is coming from, and I certainly do not know his social calendar, but I find it hard to believe that he could not get sleep without the help of sleep aids.
If that is true, then my next question would be what is the problem? So what if he is addicted to the pills? Is he uncontrollably taking them before a show? Is he trying to "score" some pills from his buddies after hours in an alley somewhere? I guess I must be missing the point.
If he is addicted and all they do is make him sleep and nothing else, what is the big deal?
Related Topics: Sleep Drugs: None Stands Out As Best, Better Sleep -- Naturally
Technorati Tags: Eminem, sleeping pills, sleep disorders
50 Comments:
I guess the issue is that he was short-tempered & explosive because of it...or, at least, that's what his wife thought.
also, if you're taking them all of the time, wouldn't it make the person seem sort of out-of-it?
in addition, I'm wondering if he was taking them with something else to get a more "stoned" effect.
I think people need to stop worrying about what other people are doing in their personal lives, and start worrying about whats happening in their own lives. So what if Eminem uses or abuses sleeping pills. Nobody else lives his life, and nobody else has to deal with any long term (if any) consequences. So......why are you concerned?
I don't really care about a rap singer who's addicted to sleeping pills...but I am curious about whether there's truly no bad side-effects taking them every single day...as this doctor is implying.
Perhaps this story comes from his marketing department?
Nobody else has to deal with the long term effects??? Why was the other poster concerned??? How about him using any sort of drug that impairs his alertness and getting behind the wheel of a car to drive or walking in front of the car you are driving and getting hit? If he cripples you, your child, or is himself killed by you, I think that greatly impacts others.
I was going to say perhaps there is no problem if he stays at home when impaired but realized if he cuts himself or starts a fire while attempting to cook and other building residents or rescue workers are injured while responding to his call, it still impacts others.
The only way I see an addiction to a sleeping aid (if there is such a thing) not being a danger to others if it is taken and used as prescribed and the user is safe and sound asleep in bed while impaired.
How can anyone possibly think someone out and about while impaired can present long term consequences only to himself?
I agree with the comments of Dr. Breus, 100%!!
If you're taking them AS PRESCRIBED they aren't physically addicting but they can be psychologically addicting. Meaning you don't think you can sleep without them. If you're abusing them (taking more than one a day), then you probably will have to go into rehab.
"So what if he is addicted to the pills? Is he uncontrollably taking them" if he's addicted, then he is taking them in an uncontrolled manner- perhaps before a show, perhaps before driving.
"Is he trying to "score" some pills from his buddies after hours in an alley somewhere?" If he is addicted, he could be doing that, or he could be going to (and lying to) multiple doctors.
I've had insomnia for many years, and you can indeed not be able to sleep, even with the use of sleeping pills. Unfortunately, I know because that's how I am. I've tried many sleep aids over the years, all per my doctors' instruction, but no luck with any of them consistently. . It's pure hell. I slept two hours last night - and that's WITH sleep aids!
. . . And by the way, without knowing the details of Eminem's lifestyle (and none of us do), it seems to me very unfair to judge him.
DUH! The new sleep aids are just as harmful as the benzos. Get a clue!
what he is addicted to is obviously xanax, my guess is that his manager or publicist released the statement that he was addicted to "sleeping pills" to lessen the blow to his image---although he admits in a lot of his songs that he has taken tons of benzos....Benzos can be used for TONS of things--seizures, alcohol withdrawal, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and they USED to be used in the 60's, 70's, and 80's for sleep, until the newer non-benzos such as Ambien and Lunesta came about. Hence, they released the statement that he was addicted to "sleeping pills." Xanax is HUGE on the black market, especially the 2 mg "bar", and is the most abused benzo there is. Nobody goes to rehab for addiction to ambien LOL
Sleeping pills are addictive. It nearly drove me insane when I tried to get off of Ambien. Nothing would help me relax and I felt hopeless. I didn't sleep for 6 straight nights & days. You cannot imagine the horror thinking you will never sleep again. I am only getting a little better sleep now because I am taking Klonopin, melatonin and Calms Forte.
Many people are addicted to one Rx or another. Prescribing Ambien/Lunesta, etc. for months can lead to disaster. At 25 years old, I was definitely addicted to Ambien. So, I just want to warn others never to start taking sleeping pills to begin with.
I'm wondering about something...I had a very irresponsible doctor prescribe me TONS of 2 mg bars of xanax per month for sleep and anxiety. I usually only took them to sleep. Back then, I wasn't aware of the dependency and tolerancy issues. Of course, she is now out of practice.
I do have anxiety issues that keep me from being able to "shut my mind off" enough to fall alseep. I have tried them all: Tylenol PM, Ambien, Lunesta, Restoral, Rozeram, and now am resorting to Xanax. The problem is that if I don't maintain a steady sleep schedule I will definitely get a horrendous migraine.(suffered from them for 18 years). It has now become so bad that 6 mg of xanax will not put me to sleep.
I honestly just want to be DRUG-FREE!! But I worry so much about NOT being able to sleep and then getting a migraine that I keep myself awake! It's insane. I can't even work because of this insomnia problem.
I am desperate. I just want to stop all sleeping meds, keep the xanax for the occasional anxiety attacks, but essentially be drug-free.
Any advice? This is hell. I've tried the relaxation cd's and all the tricks for writing your worries down on a piece of paper but nothing seems to work.
I've gone through spells where I couldn't sleep for close to a week straight, had unimaginable migraines, throwing up, and hallucinations.
If anyone has any advice I beg for your help. I just want to SLEEP like a normal person without having to take medicine!!
Thanks very much in advance.
Sleepless and Desperate
Addiction to sleeping pills doesn't have to be Ambien, Xanax, or anything like that. I have been fighting addiction to sleeping pills for the past 6 years. Now, I take 1.4 grams of diphenhydramine hcl a day. It used to be 3-4 times more than that. OTC's can be just as bad as script meds.
Hi everyone. I'm working on a national talk show and want to hear from you if you have been battling against sleeping aids. It's far too prevalent and sharing your concerns and stories might help others in need. Please contact me at mike@montelshow.com THANKS
Read more about the "new" sleeping aids here:
http://www.benzo.org.uk/
Even though they are not classified as benzodiazapines, they act in a very similiar fashion and are just as dangerous.
Please heed my warning if you are seriously considering taking Ambien, Lunasta or Sonata. Don't let the misleading advertisements sway you. Do your own research.
Don't be mis-led. I used to shoot ambien and get a bigger and better high than the street drugs I had been using. There are ways to abuse any drug and many ways to use them. inject, snort, etc.... nothing is ever "safe"
I agree about using the new sleeping pills. My daughter is totally addicted to Sonata. She has been in rehab three times but she goes right back to it. Does anyone have any ideas of how to deal with her addiction?
I'v been taking one Clonazepam for sleep for 1.5 yrs. Started with 1mg & now cut the pill in half. Nothing else worked for me. I don't feel any high from it & blood work a few months ago showed no liver damage. It's the only prescription drug I take---oh yes, Actonel once/wk.
i 'ant no one to judge eminem like i think he has hes own reasons why???? dont you agree i feel so bad for those terrible people that can get no sleep is anyone out their that can truly help them they sound desperate they want to be drug free before it turns into aDDICTION!!!! my sister suffers from sleeping disORDER and it pisses me off they keep prescribing her more and more drugsssss heLP!!!
I'm sick of hearing advice and opinions from drug addicts and abusers. They are people who don't want to take any responsibility and blame everything else for their problems. I don't want to hear from someone that shoots ambien that I better beware of this drug.
I can't believe that an MD, presumably expert in sleep disorders, can post such a statement that sleeping aids aren't addictive, and further, that benzos aren't prescribed to people who have good health insurance.
I have excellent insurance and have been prescribed xanax to sleep as recently as 3 years ago, when I stopped taking it. Since then I've been suffering from withdrawal of one sort or another, slowly improving.
There has been peer reviewed published research on this so there's no excuse for a medical professional not knowing the extent of benzo addiction. The leading researcher/publisher in this area is Dr. Heather Ashton, a professor of psychopharmacology, University of Newcastle, England. And she has written a manual describing the addiction, as well as the treatment. I suggest, Dr. Breus, that you educate yourself in this area and read current research, starting with The Ashton Manual, which you can get at www.benzo.org.uk as well as many other sites.
U Don't NO
To the person who said they don't want to hear advice or opinions from a drug user or abuser you must be in denial who better? to listen to they know they know what addiction is really like because they've lived and fought it and maybe trying to warn and save someone else from the hell they're going through with it. If you've ever had insomnia you pray for sleep and anything that will give it to you. So until you know don't judge!
what about the new extended release xanax? Is it safer
i understand that extended release xanax is safer to take with less dependency..........does anybody know anything 'bout that?
I have chronic headaches. I also have insomnia for long time. I have been taking Tizanidine HCL 2mg every night for almost 2 years. It helps me to fall asleep but not totally 7 hours sleep. It also did not help with my headaches. I still get headaches and tightness everyday and I always took Exedrin. What should I do? Should I continue to take Tizanidine pills or quit and use sleeping pills instead?
I have chronic headaches. I also have insomnia for long time. I have been taking Tizanidine HCL 2mg every night for almost 2 years. It helps me to fall asleep but not totally 7 hours sleep. It also did not help with my headaches. I still get headaches and tightness everyday and I always took Exedrin. What should I do? Should I continue to take Tizanidine pills or quit and use sleeping pills instead?
hell i dont blame eminem at all im sure he has stress and worries like everybody else no one should judge him or anybody else if they dont know them.
Leave Eminem alone already, he took responsibiltiy for what he takes and got help. No one knows what he goes through every day. So don't judge the guy. Just because he takes benzo's (or did) doesn't mean he is a drug addict or dealer. I take benzo's and I'm 24 yrs old. I'm not a drug addict. I have sleep problems, and you can say otherwise, but it is true. I also have anxiety and panic attacks. Do you want me to die because you think taking this medication is not right? Well look at who made it. The government. Not me. I don't smoke crack or shoot up or anything else. I take 2 10mg Valiums a day, 3 Loricet 10mg for pain a day, and I was on Klononpin 1mg twice a day. So you don't know my problems and you don't know me or Eminem for that matter so don't judge others. Judge yourself. If you think everyone should listen to the doctor and take depresstion crap that doesn't help, then be my guest, I almost died from it and it doesn't get you a high or help at all no matter what anyone says. So just shut up already.
i have been taking ambien for about 2yrs and roughly4 times a week. the nites i do not take it i am up til 4 in the morning. as far as being able to take ambien and leave the house is crazy. so for the guy who used to shoot it and snort it plz thats beyond addition thats crazy and just plain stupid.
people need to get a grip. if you are a abuser of drugs,booze,cigs,or nething else take a damn step back, im sorry but thats week, control urself and not label ur self,
It's a poor method to attain information from blocking out others' opinions. Drug abusers are speaking in the same place as normal drug users. Sometimes it's better to hear opinions you don't agree with. Any drug will carry a risk of becoming addicted, whether it is psychological or physical. Look at America's legal drug - caffeine. I know people who are completely addicted to it, and no one ever writes on the side of an energy drink to be careful, it may become the answer to all of life's little problems. The only fair response to a celebrity in rehab is to acknowledge that first, they know all the same risks that you do, and second, they're doing something about it to better their lives and those around them. There are worse things to fret about than Eminem wanting to sleep without aid. Go gripe about genocide. I promise it hurts more people than Eminem in a car.
Which sounds worse from a public relations perspective? A rapper with a cocaine addiction? or a rapper with a sleeping pill addiction? When I first heard this it seemed pretty obvious to me. Being a past recreational drug user, I've learned that cocaine users (especially heavy users) need benzos or sleep aids to sleep at night, and to fight off the anxiety and paranoia. My speculation is that he was/is was actually addicted to cocaine (possibly other uppers,as well as ecstasy) and simply needed the benzos or 'sleeping pills' to help with the crash from the harder drugs. Eminem's public relations person made a smart move and told the public that it was a sleeping pill addition. Besides who doesn't sometimes wish they had more sleep? This also plays into possibly custody hearings that might pop up between Marshall and Kim's turbulent relationship and the custody of their children. I know a judge would quickly refuse custody to a cocaine addict (although Kim, his wife has supposedly also had a problem in the past.) Anyway this is mostly speculation but from Eminem's lyrics I think sleeping pills were some of the weakest drugs he's done in his life. I've been through the torment of addiction and I truly wish him the best.
I have been all over the internet trying to find information on the effects of Ambien abuse. Finally I have found SOMETHING here even if it's in a comment forum. I have made notes on other medications and possible sources from the comments made here. THANK YOU!
The problem is this...a number of years ago I suffered a serious neck injury as a result of an accident that resulted in horrible excruciating pain for which there was NO relief no matter what medication I was prescribed. Believe me, I was given the most powerful pain meds available but they didn't help at all. I very nearly went insane. The only thing I found that could take away the pain was sleeping pills. I know it was crazy, but I was desperate. After about a year I realized that I had ALL of the symptoms of abuse listed on the medication. I stopped taking Ambien cold turkey. It has been several years now and I still have major sleeping problems. I am so sorry that I ever started taking the sleeping pills. The pain from the accident slowly resolved. Thank goodness that part is in my past, but this lingering problem sleeping is driving me crazy! Can anyone tell me if there's hope? How long will it take for me to be able to sleep after STOPPING the AMbien. It has been about three years and I am still having trouble. Let me tell you from experience...NEVER TAKE SLEEPING PILLS for more than a night or two. It can cause such heartache in the long term. Any help will be VERY appreciated.
i give you so much credit for stopping the ambien cold turkey.
i think i am doing well because i make a month script last 2 months. like you i wish i never started them.the nites i do not take them its hell!! i do have a question tho did you happen to notice when taking them you forget things? not when you took them but after you have been on them a while?
i seem to be for getting while in the middle of a sentence at times. walking in a room and for getting why more times then not. leg cramps.having a hard time concentrating mid-day.
Sorry, it has been a while since I have visited this site. Since only one comment has been made since I wrote, I would like to address that last person. ONE, and I stress one of MANY terrible things I noticed about myself while in full blown abuse of AMbien and now after stopping, was that my memory, both short term and long term, was horribly affected. It has been three years since I stopped taking AMbien and the memory damage is still there...slowly getting better, but not fast enough for me. I don't know if I will ever be the same again. I know I did permanent damage to my brain in that respect. When I reached a point that I was having such excruciating headaches, memory loss, thoughts of suicide, muscle cramps that would make my legs just ache, twitching eyes and limbs, etc. I knew I was in serious trouble and started looking for a cause. That's when I realized it was the AMbien. (Just read the information that comes with the pills! It's all there!) I know it sounds weird, but I didn't know who I was and was experiencing bouts of blacking out and lost an extreme amount of weight. The lack of real sleep, REM sleep, was slowly killing me and driving me nearly insane. I can only THANK GOD that I realized at that point that I had to stop taking them or DIE! I went through HELL and I mean HELL for weeks, months and now years...slowly, slowly, slowly getting better and better. I can now sleep at night...not like I used to before AMbien. I won't ever be able to sleep like that again I'm afraid. I'm such a light sleeper now that ANY noise at all wakes me. I am lucky to get four hours of continuous sleep, but even that is such a gift and a wonder that I feel blessed. Please, STOP TAKING THE AMBIEN. It will be horrible, horrible for a long time but your body will eventually get over the addiction, and your brain will start to produce the natural melatonin that produces sleep. Believe me, every day you delay, is that much longer it will take you to recover. GOOD LUCK!
To any and all who take, or are considering taking a sleeping aid...DONT DO IT! Nothing is worth the pain of trying to quit, or dealing with the permanent damage after. TRUST ME!!!
I admire Eminem for getting help and admitting it. I have been taking Xanax to sleep for seven years. It gives me a good night's sleep. Whether I am addicted to it, most likely. But weighing the pros and cons of getting off it and perhaps long term effects of taking it to sleep, the continuance seems to far easier. As John Lennon said: "Whatever it takes to get you through the night." If I had to do it over again, I would probably not take them. A naturalist doctor has told me that one needs to get off of refined sugar for 18 days and then accupunture can help one off Xanax. Unfortunately, I am also addicted to sugar so never made it. The stress caused by withdrawal is probably worse for you than taking the damn pill to begin with. Chill peolple!
I am currently in the midst of a med addiction which raged from 150 mg of over the counter Tylenol free PM to 5 to 6 ambien. If the withdrawals I feel are psychological I dont know what is physical. I think the reason we do not hear more about the dark side of sleep meds is because of our capitalist based drug lobby and the sever lack of focus on preventive based medicine. Now don't get me wrong, it is my responsibility for buying into this poison but it is also my responsibility to search for the way out.. and as far as I can see unprivatization of the drug industry is the only way to fight Americas pharmaceutical drug problem.
ONLY someone who does not sleep without the aid of any one of these meds, knows the MISERY that accompanies insomnia. And YES they can be just as physically addictive as they are psychologically (see JAMA, Oct 2007)..As a medical professional, AND someone going thru the hell of trying to sleep without an OTC or Ambien.. I only wish that UNITED healthcare paid for rehab! I would have already signed up.
I started having trouble sleeping because of endomitriosis. I thought my sleep problems would return to normal after surgery but that didn,t happen. months after the surgery I strted taking tylenol pm occasionally. Sleep problems got worse and was diagnosed with menopause so I started taking tylenol pm everynight for relief. I still was only sleeping 3 or 4 nights a week. So i went to a sleep specialist , sleep therapist, and had overnight studies done, nothing was found except reasons for lack of sleep due to menopause. I have been on lunesta now for over 2 years . I still have inconsistent sleep , I go to bed not knowing if i will sleep 3 hours, 6 hours, or not at all. I am reducing my dose gradually to get off lunesta , doing as much research as I can and knowing that I serve Jesus Christ who has healed me of many things and helped me through terrible things and changed my life completely for the better! I am happy and at peace whether I sleep or not. Nothing can do that But Jesus himself.
I was taking 8mg. a day for the last 5 years of xanax for a total10.5 years on the stuff. Sounds horibble but i didn't check into the drug before i started. It took that long to find a Dr. to tell me i was going thru withdraws. It started after i was put on a fentanyl patch. I kept telling everyone since i was put on the patch the xanax just didn't do what it use to. I was having bad panic attacks that sent me into the ER. I went into a rehab center for ten days and went threw alot of different withdraws. Rehab was the best thing for me!! I am still battling sleep issues, and a few other physical problems. In Rehab they told me it could be as long as a year before things are better. 3 months drug free
jeah & fyne
I have been using sleep aids for over 25 years. I am 42. I have taken imovane every night for the past 10 years. I am absolutely addicted. I now experience severe back pain, feeling like I am in a constant state of stress.
I quit working recently, having retired from a very stressful job. I took the sleeping pills in order to function. It enabled me to have a life: work, have fun, do things and build a good life for myself. without it, I would have had a very miserable life and acheived very little. I would never have been able to make enough money to retire at 42, let alone support myself. I have no idea how I would have coped.
I wish I had another choice, a better method than sleeping pills. I am now so addicted and I am unable to find adequate help. This is causing me to be depressed.
I just wanted to say that "benzo's" are horrible. About 4 years ago I went to the Dr. for headaches I have been having for quite some time. Both tension and migraine headaches. Well he put me on klonopin to relieve the stress in my neck. I didn't realize that I was addicted until I decided to stop taking it one month. I couldn't sleep, I started having panic attacks, my muscles were spasming. I ultimately had to start taking it again just to get back to normal. I didn't know anything about "benzo's" before I started taking klonopin, and now I feel like it's something I will never be able to get off of.
How about all you people who have never taken these pills (I'm speaking of ambien) quit posting your ignorant comments.
I don't care if you're a doctor or not. I don't care how many books you've read or how many articles you've written. Until you've done it and been through it, you have no idea what you're talking about.
I have been addicted to sleeping pills (over the counter) for about 5 years. I am a professional woman in a high income bracket. I am a good mother, though would be better without the pills. I started taking them to get sleep when my children had erratic sleep schedule. I have tried to come clean, but it is hard because you feel sick and nausceous and can't sleep...so it is a vicious cycle. Is there a support group for people like us?
well.. i take xanax and love it!!
but it does have addictive qualities i would know i have been prescibed them like candy for years, just for the sheer purpose of taking them to feel good and relax especially during a stressfull moment but the moment you are out and your body comes to your worse off than before not to mention your tolarance is through the roof
This condition is a sad one, my heart goes out to the people who are having to deal with this condition. I am not dealing with an addition personally but my husband was prescribed a benzo and we are now having to get help from a rehab facility. My husband was given this medicine for a sleep disorder. Almost two years have passed and we are just now finding out the effects this medicine has on his life and body. Withdrawl symptoms started about 6 months ago when he thought he didn't need the meds any longer. He started feeling really nervous and couldn't sleep. Once he took just half a pill 5 mins later he said he felt tremedously better. This medicine tricks your brain into thinking you have to have it to make it. Through prayer and believing he will be delivered he will press forth. I pray each and every one that wants to come off these horrible meds are able to do so. DON'T GIVE UP!!!!
I have been taking ambien for over 2 years and have tried repeatedly to get off of it, my doctor advised against it. I have chronic pain and RA sometimes even taking ambien I can't sleep for 48 hours or so. I have tried not taking for several days and it is horrific. I cannot find anything medically that says it's addictive but I believe thru my own experience that it is
I too have been taking Ambien for three years and i want more than anything to stop. I want my normal life back being able to sleep with out it. It has been 3 days with out it and the withdrawls have been HELL. I slept the first night without it ok, then came last night no sleep, anxiety, sweating. Not to mention the pure hell of today, crabby mood the constant feeling internaly that i am gong cray. I was so close to asking my parents for help getting the rapid detox. If any one else is going through this how long will this last i am so tired of it all?
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