SLEEPING PILLS: WHAT IS ADDICTION?
Addiction means an increased tolerance of the body to the drug; hence a higher and higher dose is required to achieve the same drug effect. The body also becomes physically dependent on the drug to function effectively. If the drug is withdrawn suddenly, the body craves it, and the person experiences a whole range of psychological and physical symptoms. With benzodiazepine about 20 withdrawal symptoms have been described. These include tension, sweating, agitation, muscle ache, and irritability, but the most important is ‘rebound insomnia’.
Insomnia is a subjective feeling and is influenced by many factors. The main component of insomnia is the distress felt as a result of not being able to sleep. People who say they are suffering from insomnia may in fact be getting enough sleep. But why do these people say they are not sleeping? It is because of the distress they feel when they are not able to fall asleep when they want to. These people who get enough sleep biologically and yet complain of insomnia.
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