Struggling with Ambien Addiction and Trusting My Psychiatrist

I have horrible insomnia and this was basically my last shot with medication for treatment. I couldn't just stop taking it but I also couldn't wake up early (4am most days) so by upping the dosage I'm able to stay asleep

I did that's the best part. I addressed it at the last appointment and before I was prescribed it. I expressed my concerns and he brushed them off so I looked up the medication after he had already prescribed it (that was my mistake considering I should've looked it up before)

Ambien made me Jykal & Hyde according to my ex. I said mean things to her at night. Ambien has this known side effect. I would look out for psychiatrists who specialize in pharmacology too. Mine gave me meds to "balance" my mood, unfortunately, it also made me so spacey I was caused some minor accidents while driving. I moved & new psychiatrist took me off all meds except Ritalin that gave me better concentration at work. Also don't let insurance companies tell you you have to try other cheaper meds 1st. If ins won't pay for prescribed meds ask your doctor or psychiatrist to call them. You I would definitely seek out a psychiatrist who explains everything thoroughly!

If you don’t feel you can trust your psychiatrist for any reason, it’s probably time to try someone new. Also, if you’ve been with him a long time, a new perspective might be valuable anyway. You say you’re “known to be dramatic” which could mean a lot of things—unless you have a known history of anxiety or paranoia, or specifically having issues with all therapists/psychiatrists, it’s very unlikely that this is a you problem. Patients should always be fully informed on their treatment plan, and the features, risks and side effects of any medication. I haven’t tried ambien so I can’t speak to that part, but I’d really really encourage you to at least try a different psychiatrist. Without trust, rapport, and good communication, it’s exceedingly difficult to get good care.