Tessa Blake is describing the typical addictive behavior associated with many mind-altering drugs. Cut-off and unhappy without the drug...euphoric and gushy with it.

I think the article is interesting, in part in that it points out how we can get really "addicted" to another person's pseudo-loving behavior and not leave them even though on some level we do know the behavior's not real and on some level we recognize that it is interspersed with periods of apathy and even abuse.

In the past I have taken Ambien for months and months without difficulty, although I don't drink very often and it sounds like that might be most of the problem here. I didn't know what bad news Ambien could be. I appreciate the author's story, because people need to hear about these odd and dangerous Ambien reactions. I notice a lot of people have posted similar stories in response to this letter. I think it's good to get the dialogue going about this serious problem. I'm glad Salon printed this article.

Maybe Ambien's too dangerous, since of course we really can't prevent people from drinking with it. Maybe it should come off the market. I sure hope no one I love ever encounters some Ambien-and-alcohol zombie barreling down the street at 90mph going the wrong way!

In any case, I really don't think this author's wealth is especially relevant to her cautionary tale. Like it takes money to fall prey to an irrational "addiction" to insincere affection? I'm sure sunbathing on Ibiza and being gifted with expensive tchotchkes and running around meeting celebrities must be exhilarating in and of itself, but many people find having a loving (or even a "loving") partner a quantum leap more compelling than all that material crap and I don't think we have good reason to believe the author is an exception just because she mentions the glitz factor in her relationship with this guy.

In any case, what are you all doing being so nasty to each other? Why do you think you ought to be able to say ugly, unnecessary things to each other just because you are anonymous? What's wrong with your good manners, that you exercise them only when you have to answer for it? I say we return to civility, as a culture, before we all wind up at war out on the street, at each others' literal throats and clawing people's eyes out.

My boyfriend told me I did and said some things the night I took Ambien (before my December '05 colonoscopy--couldn't sleep because of what turned out to be needless apprehension) that I don't remember at all. And it's very disconcerting to think that I was on auto-pilot and responsive to him with ABSOLUTELY NO RECOLLECTION of it. I think Freud called that a fugue state? A few years ago I took some Ambien and had to fake it when my boyfriend (then new) asked the next morning, "So did you enjoy that last night?" The look on his face told me the answer was "God, yes," but still, I vowed never to take that drug again. It does make you sleepy, though. Horny, pliant and sleepy.

I found this article to be invaluable. I have taken Ambien off and on for almost a year now and I've had the best sleeps of my life. However, several weeks ago I took an Ambien soon after I'd consumed 2 glasses of wine. I remember telephoning my ex-boyfriend and I remember sobbing, but I cannot remember anything besides that. I have no idea what we discussed! I later learned that we had had spoken for more than 2 hours. But about what remains a complete mystery to me. Quite mortifying.

I realized that I had been foolish to mix booze and pills, so after that event, on nights that I took Ambien I carefully avoided all forms of alchohol. However, in the past 10 days I've telephoned my ex three times after popping an Ambien. I have hazy recollections of one or two points discussed - he's going to Mexico next month, he might vote in his coutry's upcoming elections - but I literally recall less than 3 minutes-worth of conversation from all those calls combined. (And in case you're wondering, I'm not the kind of person who calls up an ex just to shoot the breeze... hadn't talked to this guy in over 6 months before this spate of weird, Ambien-induced phoning).

So please, just consider yourself warned. And if you're taking an Ambien, you just might want to unplug the phone on your bedside table, first.

I take Ambien...I heard a news report about the "new-found" side effects and started searching the internet. I can vouch for what the writer has said about Sam in this story...not the sex part...but the phone calls. I have called an ex-lover while under the influence and said things that I didn't remember. So for me, this article was some good information. I applaud Teresa for writing it and killing one bird with two stones:

1. Outing the effects of Ambien

2. Outing the effects of dating a B(fill in the letters.

I wish I was rich like the writer, I may not need Ambien to get to sleep at night while my fear of debt keeps me awake! (Laughing out loud - and cryin)

Good Article!! Loved it