Dependence on zopiclone: a case report
BackgroundZopiclone, a cyclopyrrolone derivative, is commonly employed for the short-term treatment of different types of insomnia. In comparison to benzodiazepines, Zopiclone appears to have a lower risk of abuse potential and withdrawal symptoms. Nevertheless, as the use of Zopiclone has increased...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1592065/full |
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| author | Nana Guo Nana Guo Xuhui Zhou Xuhui Zhou |
| author_facet | Nana Guo Nana Guo Xuhui Zhou Xuhui Zhou |
| author_sort | Nana Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundZopiclone, a cyclopyrrolone derivative, is commonly employed for the short-term treatment of different types of insomnia. In comparison to benzodiazepines, Zopiclone appears to have a lower risk of abuse potential and withdrawal symptoms. Nevertheless, as the use of Zopiclone has increased, reports of abuse and dependence have begun to surface in the literature.Case presentationThis case report describes a 43-year-old male patient who has been taking zopiclone for 12 years, with a maximum daily dose of 112.5 mg. Two days after discontinuing the medication, the patient experienced withdrawal symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, irritability, hallucinations, and impulsive behavior, which resulted in his admission to a psychiatric hospital. After 17 days of treatment with diazepam, quetiapine fumarate, magnesium valproate, and trazodone hydrochloride, the patient’s withdrawal symptoms alleviated, sleep quality improved, and medication cravings decreased.ConclusionSimilar to benzodiazepines, Zopiclone may also result in abuse and dependency issues. Therefore, when prescribing Zopiclone, physicians must be fully aware of it. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-67fe55b9c5534c78841b4eede76bd50d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-67fe55b9c5534c78841b4eede76bd50d2025-08-20T03:08:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-05-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15920651592065Dependence on zopiclone: a case reportNana Guo0Nana Guo1Xuhui Zhou2Xuhui Zhou3School of Clinical Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaDepartment of Addiction Medicine, Hunan Institute of Mental Health, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), Changsha, Hunan, ChinaSchool of Clinical Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaDepartment of Addiction Medicine, Hunan Institute of Mental Health, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), Changsha, Hunan, ChinaBackgroundZopiclone, a cyclopyrrolone derivative, is commonly employed for the short-term treatment of different types of insomnia. In comparison to benzodiazepines, Zopiclone appears to have a lower risk of abuse potential and withdrawal symptoms. Nevertheless, as the use of Zopiclone has increased, reports of abuse and dependence have begun to surface in the literature.Case presentationThis case report describes a 43-year-old male patient who has been taking zopiclone for 12 years, with a maximum daily dose of 112.5 mg. Two days after discontinuing the medication, the patient experienced withdrawal symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, irritability, hallucinations, and impulsive behavior, which resulted in his admission to a psychiatric hospital. After 17 days of treatment with diazepam, quetiapine fumarate, magnesium valproate, and trazodone hydrochloride, the patient’s withdrawal symptoms alleviated, sleep quality improved, and medication cravings decreased.ConclusionSimilar to benzodiazepines, Zopiclone may also result in abuse and dependency issues. Therefore, when prescribing Zopiclone, physicians must be fully aware of it.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1592065/fullzopicloneaddictiondependencewithdrawal symptomscase report |
| spellingShingle | Nana Guo Nana Guo Xuhui Zhou Xuhui Zhou Dependence on zopiclone: a case report Frontiers in Psychiatry zopiclone addiction dependence withdrawal symptoms case report |
| title | Dependence on zopiclone: a case report |
| title_full | Dependence on zopiclone: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Dependence on zopiclone: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dependence on zopiclone: a case report |
| title_short | Dependence on zopiclone: a case report |
| title_sort | dependence on zopiclone a case report |
| topic | zopiclone addiction dependence withdrawal symptoms case report |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1592065/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nanaguo dependenceonzopicloneacasereport AT nanaguo dependenceonzopicloneacasereport AT xuhuizhou dependenceonzopicloneacasereport AT xuhuizhou dependenceonzopicloneacasereport |