Is Lunesta Addictive?
Addiction comes in different shapes and sizes. Some people struggle with mild opiate addiction while others suffer from severe alcohol addiction. Regardless, addictions can develop very quickly and without warning. Sometimes those who suffer from an addiction never set out to be addicted in the first place; they started taking medication that was prescribed to them and got hooked. This is possible with many different medications, including the sleeping pill, Lunesta. Thus, if you ever wondered, is Lunesta addictive? The answer is yes, it is possible to develop Lunesta addiction.
What is Lunesta?
| Lunesta is a sedative-hypnotic medication that reduces anxiety and tension and sedates people so that they can sleep. It is often prescribed by doctors for individuals who have trouble sleeping. However, it’s a prescription medication, which has a tendency to mask its addictive potential. Doctors who prescribe Lunesta for sleep disorders usually only do so to treat short-term insomnia. Lunesta is extremely addictive and its usage should be monitored very closely in treatment. Lunesta, otherwise known as Eszopiclone, is a non-benzo sedative-hypnotic that treats insomnia. It is not the only one of its kind, as there are other sedatives that help people sleep such as Ambien and Sonata. These medications are also known as “Z-Drugs.” Lunesta is taken orally, and its small, circular shape makes it easy to swallow. Although it’s supposed to be taken orally, some people crush it up and snort it. Those who are prescribed or take Lunesta have a much easier time falling asleep. This happens because Lunesta binds to brain receptors and slows down the input. Lunesta is incredibly effective at what it does, and because of this, the potential for abuse and Lunesta addiction are dangerously high. But how can it be abused if it’s closely monitored by a doctor? Lunesta is not typically available for those who haven’t been prescribed the medication. However, this doesn’t stop people from finding it. When purchased legally, by order of a doctor, Lunesta is intended for short-term use only. However, like any other substance, people will find a way to get a hold of Lunesta. Most of the time, this is through illegal sales on the streets.  What is Addiction? Addiction, otherwise known as substance use disorder, is a mental health disorder. Those who suffer from addiction have little self-control as it relates to substances of abuse. The ability to control one’s impulses is greatly diminished the more of a substance they abuse. This is because these substances impact a person’s behavior at the most basic level. Typically, when it comes to addiction, those who suffer from a substance use disorder have a hard time denying their impulsive thoughts. Some substances people who suffer from addiction may abuse include the following:
This experimentation comes from curiosity to try something that he or she hasn’t before. However, this intrigue could overtake a person’s ability to think rationally, and the possibility of becoming addicted could escape that individual. Before that person knows it, he or she is then hooked. When a person becomes addicted, his or her substance abuse becomes more frequent, making the addiction more severe. The severity increases because the more substances a person abuses, the more that he or she will need in the future to satisfy their itch. Because of that, addiction has the capability to wreck a person’s life for the worst. Can You Become Addicted from Prescription Medication?Using prescription drugs, such as Lunesta, has the potential to cause people to develop substance addiction if not carefully monitored by medical professionals. Those who have been prescribed medication with addictive potential are more at risk of developing Lunesta addiction than those who haven’t. Even if a person has been prescribed medication by a doctor and becomes addicted though, he or she may still feel as though it’s his or her fault when in all reality, it’s nobody’s fault. These things happen. How can it be nobody’s fault if they’re the ones taking the medication (or the doctor is the one prescribing)? Those who are taking these medications are trying to get healthier; they get hooked on the very medications that they’re using to cope with their illnesses. Dependency ensues and leads a person to become addicted (though addiction and dependency are not the same things).  Other Ways to Develop Prescription Drug AddictionSometimes, those who become dependent never even had a prescription from a doctor. If a person takes a substance that hasn’t been prescribed to him or her, that person is in danger of becoming addicted to self-medicating. The severity of these addictions could depend on a variety of factors (including self-medication). Some other factors may include the following:
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