Zopiclone Addiction

Treatment and medication
1

Hi, I was wondering if someone could help me. I am a 23 year old student, and I initially started taking Zops in 2013...so its been over 4 years

Please dont judge me, as what I am about to reveal may seem alarming. I am ashamed but I feel trapped and I feel like these pills have ruined my life. I want my freedom back

So basically I started to take these when I was around 18-19....I cant remember. I remember my grandad gave me a pill once when i couldnt sleep, and I remember feeling euphoric. So what I started to do, was pick his medications up for him and keep the zopiclone for myself. I know, I am so ashamed but I was young and stupid then. After college I began working and thats when i started taking them. Now Ive always been super shy and extremely insecure, and these seemed to have boosted my confidence. So guess what? I take them as soon as I wake up now. Otherwise I stay at home, trapped and isolated without them. I used to take 9, sometimes 5...sometimes 3. I cant remember, ive abused so many.

God what have I done. I couldve easily built up my confidence at work with the support of my coworkers. Now I am fully addicted. After leaving work I have attempted to study twice, but my memory is so bad because of these I cant study. This is my second year attempting to study Psychology. Noone knows about my addiction. I have also been buying them online, as the prescription only gives 30. I basically spend most of my loans on buying them online. Once last year I didnt have any on me for 2 weeks. My god, the withdrawal symptoms were so awful, I felt suicidal. Why did i mess with these? They are ruining my life. I think about the future it scares me. I cant talk to anyone If i dont take them. I cant leave thehouse without them. I want to pass my driving, I want to finish my education, i want to find someone to love, i want children and a successful career but these pills are stopping me from doing so. I cant live like this anymore i feel so trapped and I just want my freedom back. My grandad found out someone had been taking his tablets, and Im so ashamed i lied and said I had no idea. However the pharmacy recognise my face and know i pick them up for him. They dont realise I order double for a monthly repeat, one for him one for myself. But now theyve picked up on it. So now I am taking 2 a day, and I wont be going to the pharmacy anymore as i will get caught. I cant speak to my doctor because they know i pick my grandads pills as i sign them off. Ive tried to wean off them before but i relapsed because i was so depressed and I couldnt even leave the house. I have no siblings and its just me, my parents have always been too busy fighting they have there own problems. From young, ive seen nothing but violence, too busy fighting to ever spend time with me or take me out to social places. I have no friends either.

I have an exam soon and revising whilst on these is so hard. I beg anyone not to touch these tablets, they have ruined my life and i dont know what to do. Its that bad, i have to take one as soon as i get up, in order to be motivated to brush my teeth wash my face and communicate.

Please someone, tell me what can i do? Where can i recieve help from. I feel so lonely and trapped. I want these out of my system for good so I can live my life like normal 20+ year olds do. I beg for forgiveness from God everyday and confide in him. But my confidence and self esteem is so bad I always feel like someone is watching me if i dont take them, even in my house.

I would be so grateful to hear stories or some kind of support. I wish you all nothing but happiness and good health. I found my happiness through zopiclone, i hope you dont take my route

Thank you for reading

2

Hi Sarah

No one will judge you. We all make mistakes. You have opened up now I hope it helps

Are you in the UK?

You must go to your doctor and show him this letter or explain to him

You doctor will prescribe sop and help you come off it. This will take a long time don't rush it or you will relapse

You can cut back.maybe stop but yo7 can't do it alone

I told my gp I was buying online she has helped so much

3

What you tell your gp is confidential. You won't be reported

Or go to your local drugs clinic

4

Hi sarah.

I have never heard of anyone taking zops in the morning.

how do you stay awake?

I would be zonked out if I took these in morning.

i don't sleep,particularly well even after taking one at night, the tiredness is always there.

are you in the Uk.

Go to your GP and ask him to put you on the Ashton withdrawal plan.

Its basically a diazepam slow reduction plan.

You can't do a withdrawal any other way really, not with your level of tolerance and abuse.

Research it yourself first so you can explain what you want to do.

If you can focus on this, you might stand a chance.

But you have to want to give them up in the first place.

I still take them, but only one a night.. they won't prescribe them easily now as they have become a class C drug. And no more than 28 per month.

i do hope you have the strength of mind to do it.

5

Hello Sarah

Your story is very similar to mine & I feel really sorry for you too, I had up to 5 & a half & a vodka premix with them also & a vodka premix with them @ night time too, my family didn't know how I managed, due to a real bad relationship, I too stole them off my mother as she is a widow & can't sleep @ night without them, the Dr found out & nearly stopped Mum getting them too. I feel sorry for you with no friends or family as I came off them cold turkey & it was the hardest but quickest thing to do, but if you have no support would be very hard, could you ask the Dr for how to get off them slowly, & give yourself a reward & give yourself a goal to work towards also. Would you be able to go to a Drugs Clinic or google for help in your area. I know what this is like. it is not easy, I have been off these for over 4 years & Mum still keeps them hidden, I know even now I still feel like them, free to talk anytime, would you be able to tell your Grandpa, not that you pinched them, just you have got on drugs & want his full support coming off them, if you can't do this, I wouldn't worry about it, google Zopliclones, you may be able to even sign up for online help or go to a group self help that talk about their problems, I was gng to but I was too shy to do a group, & go to counselling also, just make sure you get a really good counsellor, it is expensive, but you will feel better for it, I am also on the highest dose of Antidepressants also & one of my Dr's was hopeless & quite a few of my friends thought I was nutty gng on them, so I set myself a goal & went to another Dr.

Good Luck, hope you get the help you need

6

You could also call a Bristol based charity who have an excellent telephone support service. I've been working with them for two years after being prescribed zopiclone in 6-month batches 2009-2013 (crazy how I used to be waved off with a script like that), I also illicitly bought online. Since moving back to Bristol, this excellent organisation, that's non-judgemental, have been the bridge with a supportive GP. I was transferred onto 15mgs of valium in Oct 2015 and now currently on 4mgs a day, cutting 0.5 mgs every four-six weeks. I'm able to work and progressing well. The organisation is Battle Against Tranquillisers and they are excellent in what they do.   

7

Please try and contact me, I am struggling with them too. i have had months off the things but each time return to the high they give me

8

Very slowly you have to cut down,  stop feeling bad about what you call your addiction.   Cut down cut down at your own paste.  It s the only way.  I used to take 3.5mg every night to sleep.  Now i sleep without it.   At first you wake up but usually if you are patient,  you ll fall back asleep and you ll start dreaming again  it s possible to stop.  Benzos are hard to quit not Zopiclone if you do it slowly.

All the best to come!

9

I don't know if you are still struggling with this as you posted 5 months ago. If you are still really struggling I would suggest you get help trying to get off of them. Some people find rehab helps, for me I came off zoplicone in the psych ward which felt like an appropriate place to be since I was on other meds for bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. I have found Narcotics Anonymous to be very helpful for long term support. Don't feel ashamed. I was taking 18 tablets a day towards the end. Hope you are doing better.

10

Hello Sarah i read ur post and waas wonderung if u r still on the forum and how u r going. I take zopiclone too ans have weaned myself off... may have some ideas from my experience

11

I'm sorry but what kind of medicine is this? I've never heard of it.what's it for?Just trying to help, I'm gonna look on line and get bk too you!

12

Hi Sarah

I have only just been prescribed these, as I have always had problems sleeping. Someone told me they are highly addictive, so I decided to check it out, and came across your story. I haven't taken any yet, and don't think I will now. This is one of the reasons why I don't really go to the doctorsfor medication. I have tried everything and basically drink wine at night to get any sort of a decent sleep.

I am so sad to hear your story. I know you feel you can't tell your doctor, or your family because of problems there. Is there a network at your college or university you could talk to? There usually is. But please please please, talk to someone. This is your life. Don't waste any more of it by keeping it to yourself. Talk to someone.

Thank you for changing my mind. You have helped me. Now please help yourself.

All the best. I hope you make the decision soon and find the help you need.