Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve experienced insomnia. One in three people complain of mild insomnia, and one in ten have chronic insomnia, defined as trouble falling or staying asleep for at least three months. The effects of insomnia are devastating to the body—impaired attention, focus, and reasoning, as well as  a host of physical tolls like high blood pressure and heart disease—which explains why so many people turn to prescription sleep aids or sedatives like Ambien to help them sleep well.   Ambien, a brand name for the drug zolpidem, is a sedative-hypnotic that depresses the central nervous system and produces a euphoric effect if the user can stave off sleep. Despite the fact that Ambien is regularly prescribed by doctors to treat short-term insomnia, the drug is addictive, and people can form an addiction in as little as two weeks.   As time goes on, the insomniac can develop a tolerance to Ambien and may resort to taking higher doses to fall asleep. Soon, they may be inadvertently addicted to a drug their own doctor prescribed. Unlike other drugs, most people who abuse Ambien acquire the pills from family or friends with legitimate prescriptions, or go doctor shopping to get several prescriptions. Oftentimes, these people—who started out with a desire for a good night’s sleep—must be admitted to drug rehab.   The people most likely to abuse Ambien appear to be females; 68% of ER…