Zolpidem is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It is used to treat insomnia as it helps people to fall asleep and stay asleep. Most people use it successfully as a shortcut to obtaining sleep. They may not have been getting proper rest for some time and find that taking a pill is the easiest solution to fix the problems that fatigue creates in daily life. Zolpidem can be abused in which case it becomes addictive.

Abuse of this drug is characterized by misuse of the drug for non-medical purposes. It is often combined with other psychoactive chemicals when being abused. Physical dependence is the state where the body has adapted to the presence of Zolpidem. Suddenly ceasing or reducing the dose of Zolpidem will result in withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance is the state where the body has become used to Zolpidem and the effectiveness of the drug diminishes.

Addiction to Zolpidem is a primary illness with a neurobological impact. It is a chronic disease with psychosocial, environmental, and genetic factors influencing its development and manifestation. It is characterized by impaired control over drug use, compulsive using despite negative consequences, and craving in the absence of the Zolpidem. Drug addiction is a treatable disease and a program in a drug rehab in South Africa is a good way to address this problem. A drug rehab will use a multidisciplinary approach to treat this illness.

So abuse of Zolpidem would mean that the patient exceeds the dose that a doctor recommends or uses the drug for longer than a doctor recommends. When Zolpidem is abused it is sometimes crushed and cooked to be injected or snorted.

Zolpidem addicts have found that if they try to fight off the effect of the drug by forcing themselves to stay awake they obtain a "high". They report feeling euphoric and experience changes in perception, auditory/visual distortions, and even hallucinations.

The most common side effects of Zolpidem tartrate tablets are:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• diarrhea
• “drugged feelings”
• You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking Zolpidem. Do not drive or do other dangerous activities after taking Zolpidem until you feel fully awake

Other side effects include symptoms such as hallucinations, euphoria, and impaired judgement. These are often desirable side effects for abusers of Zolpidem.

Zolpidem addiction can be treated in a drug rehab in South Africa at affordable rates by highly qualified professionals. Such an addiction treatment would utilize a multidisciplinary team to address the core elements of the individual. This helps to address the Zolpidem addiction problem holistically and effectively.

After finishing the addiction rehabilitation program ongoing attendance at 12 step fellowship meetings (eg: Narcotics Anonymous) and aftercare sessions at the clinic are highly recommended. Aftercare sessions allow the patient to return to the drug rehab center and receive individual or group counseling sessions. This helps to keep the lessons fresh in memory and reduce the risk of relapse.