Can Ambien Cause Racism? Roseanne Says ‘Yes,’ Ambien Maker Says ‘No’

Valerie Jarrett was an advisor to Barack Obama during his presidency. She was also the focus of an offensive tweet posted by Roseanne Barr, where the star of the highly acclaimed show Roseanne essentially called her a cross between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Planet of the Apes. Within just hours and with a single sentence, the network canceled the show and called Roseanne’s tweet “abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values.”Roseanne immediately removed the tweet and initially apologized on social media for what she called a “bad joke.” Later, she said that her actions were caused by the insomnia treatment drug, Ambien, tweeting, “It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien (sic) tweeting.”

It was a swift, zero-tolerance response to racist and Islamophobic comments that many describe as the correct response. Some, however, say that it is possible that Ambien really was part of the equation, and if it was, it demonstrates the risks associated with taking the drug.

What do you think?

Side Effects of Ambien

There have been a number of side effects reported by people using Ambien and reported by their friends and family members. The most concerning are hallucinations and an altered state of consciousness. While under the influence of Ambien, there have been reports of people driving, eating, and having sex voluntarily but with no recollection of their behaviors the next day. To others, the person may appear to be awake but oddly unable to interact and communicate as they normally would.

Is it possible to post on social media, write texts, or pen emails while in this state? Probably not. The act of reading someone’s post, thinking out a coherent response, typing out the words, and responding is potentially beyond the ability of someone who is essentially sleepwalking. There has been no anecdotal evidence or reports that this has ever happened, so it’s unlikely that it played a role in the actions of Roseanne Barr, someone who says that she is struggling with significant mental health issues.

Are You Struggling with Ambien or Other Prescription Medications?

It is not just Ambien that can cause problems for people who legitimately set out to take medication in order to deal with an honest medical problem. Medications prescribed to treat chronic pain, acute pain, and anxiety, as well as other drugs commonly prescribed for insomnia like Ativan or Xanax, are also addictive. Especially when they are taken too often, for too long, in larger doses than prescribed, or combined with other substances, including alcohol, prescription medications can become addictive or worsen an ongoing mental health issue that is contributing to insomnia and other chronic issues.

Are you living with a prescription drug abuse problem? Is it time to learn more about what you can do to improve your life and move forward into recovery?