Should you give ambien (zolpidem) to someone with ptsd and is a recovering alcoholic?

I would be very: Cautious in that situation and exhaust all other options before trying ambien. That said, sleep, good quality and length, is tremendously restoring. I have found that Lunesta (eszopiclone) can suppress nightmares in ptsd patients.

Other choices: Prazosin has become very popular for ptsd treatment as it helps with both insomnia and nightmares. The combination of Buspar (buspirone) with melatonin can also be quite effective. Insomnia can be devilishly hard to treat with ptsd. Ambien would not be my first choice of medication for the situation described and would warrant monitoring for tolerance or side effects. Take care.