Ambien causing depression

[kpraw]

I have taken ambien for 18 months every night. I am now desperate to get off this drug. I haven't taken it for about a week now and basically haven't really slept. I have tried OTC drugs like unisom and bendryl...they don't do anything for me. Any advice? How long does the withdrawl last?

[Jimbo]

i am a failing highschool student who was prescribed ambien for sleeping. i used to get a's, now i struggle to socialize or apply any effort to life. every night, i take 10mg and listen to music till i fall asleep. the next day, all the difficult and troubling aspects of life are endlessly present. i'm addicted to ambien and i have wasted my life as a student with it. no schooling, or scholarships, or promising opportunities lie in my future because my addiction. my advice to all those who want to try it-

stay away from ambien. it never helps, it only hurts.

these are the pills that should be made illegal.

[ccoderun]

Same experiences. I experience depression the whole time I'm taking it. Good bye ambien and good bye to the doctor prescribing it to me. It's junk.

[in Vegas]

I've been taking Ambient for about 4 weeks and lately I've been feeling sooo depressed, I've actually thought about suicide. This is not like me which is why I decided to search the web for depression caused by Ambient. I will stop taking it immediately. I am in so much emotional pain right now it is hard to even type this.

[southpaw]

I can't believe I found this site and some answers. I have been taking for a few months and lately getting more and more hostile, angry, paranoid and depressed. Been taking 10MG. I think I will try 5 for 2 nights and then take Melatonin or just not sleep for a while. It's GOT to be this medicine causing all this emotional crap.

[MaryD]

I have been on sleeping medications for over 7 years. After I built up a tolerance to Ambien, my doctor switched me to Lunnesta. I'm back on Ambien CR now because Lunnesta quit working. I want to quit, but like everyone else, I'm addicted and afriad of not sleeping. I take it and stay awake for hours, I wake up multiple times a night and never sleep in. I'm on Cymbalta for depression, but maybe my depression is being caused by the Ambien? I find very little happiness in life anymore, the things that used to give me peace and pleasure, don't seem to do that anymore. This is tough, hopefully not tougher than me.

[UpsetWife]

My husdand started taking Ambien about a year ago and in that time I feel like he's changed. I wasn't sure what the change was, but it dawned on me that it could be the Ambien. We were pretty happy, but now we seem to fight all the time. He's very senstitive about what I say and snaps at me, which is not how he was pre-Ambien. Does anyone think his change in behavior could be linked to Ambien?

[T-Jay]

I hate to sound hoaky but meditation does work well for me to aid sleep. I do a sort of modified version, like repeating or visualizing a word...say "relaxation" for about 10 mins a day....It's not a cure-all & certainly not as immediate as Ambien (in fact is effects are only apparent after you do it for about a week or so) but it doesn't have the side effects.

Overall I like Ambien, but it does seem to have the depression side effect, which sucks.

[mrcurie]

I have been taking ambien for several years and I agree, this "medicine" is not worth it. I could go on and on with stories about all the terrible depresion and wrecked cars because of ambien but the one thing that has me determined to get off this crap is the fact that I almost lost my job because of it. I called in sick and did not follow protocal because I wasnt awake. I even said that I had spoken with my supervisor and that she knew I was going to be out...but I didnt. Anyway, I was written up for not following protocal and for falcifing records and I cant tell you how bad I feel for "lieing". I have appologized, but I getting my integrity back will take some work.

DO NOT TAKE IT! Find another way or drug or something but leave this one alone.

[V in Texas]

I have never had depression until I started taking Ambien. When I first started taking it, I didn't notice the depression symptoms, but now I feel lost, lonely, very down and like there is no hope for tomorrow. I have no energy and no interst in doing anything. My doctor never warned me about these symptoms. Also, I still don't get much sleep -- maybe an hour or two after taking the Ambien. I am not taking any more Ambien -- it is not worth the feelings I am having lately.

[hawaii]

hey i currently had a friend pass away a doctor percribed me ambian and zanex i was also taking pain meds that was my big problem i decided to quit the pain meds but and im going through withdrawls i cant get any sleep and i have been taking 5 mg of ambiam to help i just want to do this for a week or a little less you think i will get withdrawls from the ambian

[Kristine]

Do not take this medication, especially if you have been diagnosed with depression. When he is off the Ambien and taking his Cymbalta he begins to level out and actually enjoy life again. But then he will fill another prescription. Even though my husband knows how it affects him, he will not stop taking it. He swings between aggression and anger and crying/depression spells. I am filing for divorce tomorrow, and it breaks my heart because he was not like this when we originally married.

[Claudia Slover]

I was wondering what could be causing my depression when I,ve tried everything for it. My daughter said I don,t like you anymore the last year.I started about a year ago when I couldn't sleep. Im gonna try to get off of it.

[James]

mburk wrote:

Has anyone experienced depression as a side effect of ambien?

I am in the mental health profession and consulted a colleague about taking Ambien for sleeping issues. No history of depression or any issues before, though long history of insomnia. Ambien worked well for a while, but I began to see GERDS symptoms (never experienced those before), and then noticed my coping skills beginning to deteriorate. Before I knew it, I was thinking suicidal thoughts and was in a major depression. It almost cost me my marriage. I have been off the drug for nearly two weeks (took it for about 5 months) and will never take it, or any other prescribed sleeping medication ever again.

[Lynn]

I find that when I take 5 mg of the generic, I'm fine, but when I take 10 mg, watch out. 10 mg definitely causes depression for me, and the few times I'll take 10 mg, I *really* notice it the next day