For people suffering from insomnia or other sleep disorders, short-term treatment with prescription sedative-hypnotics can correct the underlying chemical imbalance in the brain and promote normal sleep cycles. Ambien, also known as zolpidem tartrate, is widely prescribed to help people fall asleep quickly and stay asleep during the night. Ambien does have the potential for side effects such as anger and aggressive behaviors.
Identification
Ambien has been associated with a number of abnormal behaviors and thought processes, states Rx List. These include visual or auditory hallucinations and depersonalization---a state of feeling in which individuals feel detached or disconnected from themselves or their environment. During hallucinations, individuals may hear voices when no one is around, and they can become angry at what the voices are saying. People who take Ambien are sometimes agitated, less inhibited and more extroverted than usual. In some cases, the anger, agitation and lack of inhibitions cause aggressive behavior for no apparent reason.
Significance
Patients who use Ambien sometimes engage in complex behaviors such as sexual intercourse, sleepwalking and even sleep-driving before they're fully awake. They are not aware of what they're doing, and they don't remember those activities after they awaken. People who are angry and agitated are at increased risk of hurting themselves or others at home, in the neighborhood or on the highways.
Considerations
When Ambien is combined with alcohol or other drugs that depress the central nervous system, people are more likely to experience abnormal thinking, emotions or behaviors, notes PubMed Health. Individuals on prescription drugs to treat seizures, depression, anxiety or other psychiatric disorders may need a lower dose of Ambien to prevent adverse effects.
Prevention/Solution
It's important for all Ambien users to take the drug right before going to bed and to plan on staying in bed for seven to eight hours to reduce the risk of side effects such as anger, hallucinations and sleepwalking, says PubMed.
Tips
Ambien comes in both 5 mg and 10 mg tablets, and the maximum daily dose is 10 mg per night, says Rx List. It's easy for people to forget they've taken a dose and then reach for another tablet, increasing the risk of inappropriate emotions and behaviors. Everyone using Ambien should make a written note when taking their nightly dose to serve as a reminder.
