Medical Miracles with Ambien: Hamilton's Pharmacopeia

Zolpidem tartrate, or Ambien, has been prescribed to millions of insomniacs internationally, yet those who use the drug to ensure a good night's sleep are seldom aware it also possesses the ability to normalize functioning in certain types of damaged neurons, a phenomenon called "the Ambien effect." The first awakening occurred in 1999 when a man who had spent three years in a persistent vegetative state spontaneously regained consciousness after ingesting a 10mg tablet. Since then, hundreds of patients have experienced miraculous recoveries from traumatic brain injury using Ambien. Hamilton Morris travels from South Africa, where the Ambien effect was first discovered, to England to interview a physician on the cutting edge of Ambien research, and then to Florida to meet a voice-over artist who depends on Ambien to speak.

[baseddoggie]

Why all the hate for Hamilton?
He's the most entertaining Vice reporter
Most of his "reports" are just excuses to get really fucked up on weird drugs.
Man's a legend.

[inkey]

Love that wake up in the morning all kitchen has been mysteriously cleaned, a quart of ice cream vanished and somehow my beard is shaved off.

[danieloliver]

Louis’s mum is so strong talking about it and not shedding a tear.

[NateDWGG]

I have a lazy eye, and the few times I took Ambien I was able to see clearly through that eye, it was actually one of the most relieving experiences of my life and I finally felt like I was able to see life the way everyone else does. I hope this drug can become more accessible because just mentioning it makes me come across like a junkie unfortunately

[ErosTheKing]

my grandmother took this after about 3 years living with Alzheimer and it was amazing she could talk and remembered me and my family.

[lupegaru]

I know someone who was in the hospital, after a car accident, and was given Ambien for the first time. The nurses later found him naked in the break room (IV and all) cooking some of his clothes in the microwave. When they asked him what he was doing, he said he was making chocolate.

[WwHalowW]

*man in a coma*
“Should probably give him a sleeping pill”
*man in a coma* wakes up

[iEatSweets]

I love you Hamilton for being there, face to face, with so much pain and complication in the name of science. Thank you for trying to give us a better quality of life.

[michaelhall]

i want to hug everyone in this. feel good dudes. all of us watching this love you.

[wesleydaub]

I'm one of those people who got wrecked by Ambien from taking it for insomnia but now after watching this I believe that Ambien should be re-labeled for treatment of nerulogoical disorders rather than being taken off the market entirely.

[Digitalhunny]

I am crying. Because of _this_ video, _your_ video VICE. I _might_ get to speak with my grandmother again! She suffered a stroke & we are going to try this road to see if there's a positive change. We'll be working closely with her doctor during the process. Please keep up the great work. Thank you _all_ for the stories like these. xo

[pinam]

I read an article on this in 2006, tried to interest my MD friends...I worked with some persistent vegetative children. They looked at me like I was insane, I said, "What do we have to loose?" Nope, years passed and I heard about studies in SA and even in the USA, but so low key. God bless the researchers, this needs to be mainstream already!

[Ninjamitosai]

When I was younger I took Ambien and drank some vodka. Woke up at 4am in an abandoned K-mart parking lot with patches of burnt grass around me and a lighter in my hand. Good times.

[davidburm]

How is it that, if you have brain damage and take 20 mg you can do math and stuff, but if the average person does 20 mg they're out stealing cars?

[danielrichard]

I love Hamilton's coverage of these psycho-pharmacological miracles, I hope in the future more people come to understand the importance and fundamental connection our mind has with these incredible compounds. There is so much to be discovered, the minds eye remains open.

[this_is_ironic]

Doctor wally is so pure I'm actually crying wtf

[SB-ormj]

I took Ambien once. Was prescribed to me years ago for insomnia. I "woke up" in the middle of the night, drank an entire bottle of scotch, rearranged all the heavy furniture in my bedroom, and then peed all over the hallway floor right outside the bathroom. Woke up with my bedroom window wide open in the coldest month of the winter and absolutely *zero* recollection of doing ANY of it... Terrifying stuff. I flushed the rest of the bottle the next day.

[brunonator]

I personally like his voice, its very relaxing. I watch these documentaries before i go to bed, better than ambien.

[Surms]

This popped up in feed today. When the dude said "It feels like being alive, when I do that." after he just repeats a script. This man has a passion for the commercial spokesman's business.

[one_nation_fanwear]

Before social media voices like Tom were the golden age of advertising. It’s sad to see his talent stripped from him but also amazing to see it come right back via “sleep meds”. Wishing him nothing but the best. 👍