There are a lot of different prescription medicines out there—some are meant to treat pain, some the common cold, and others mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Each of these medications can also be abused for one reason or another, but mostly for their euphoric effects.

Temazepam is one of the many sedatives that can be used to help a person sleep, but in the illicit market, there’s a lot of room for diversion and abuse of it. Perhaps you’ve never heard of it, but temazepam a much bigger problem than most of us realize.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), temazepam is the fifth most prescribed and abused sedative in the United States, and there were “8.5 million temazepam prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2011.”

Abusing temazepam, or using it for a long period of time can result in tolerance, drug dependence, and eventually painful withdrawal symptoms. Some people find the safety, re-assurance, and help they need with an inpatient detoxification, but no matter which way you look at it, withdrawal from Restoril should never be taken lightly.

What Is Temazepam?

Temazepam is the generic version of Restoril; a benzodiazepine that produces central nervous system depression, and is used to treat insomnia and anxiety. Temazepam helps a person sleep by de-activating the brain. This can be a rarity for someone who hasn’t slept in a while, so when they start taking Restoril, it can be life changing. Unfortunately, it is because this calming euphoria that a lot of people abuse benzodiazepines.

Temazepam and other benzodiazepines are classified as schedule IV depressants by the DEA, because even though they have a medical purpose, they are still considered controlled substances with high potential for abuse and dependence.

The problem with Restoril is that even though it works well to help a person sleep, it’s only meant to be a short-term solution. So when someone uses it for longer than 7 to 10 days, it can rapidly become more than just a sleep aid, and as tolerance builds up so does dependence.

As this person becomes physically dependent to Restoril, they may begin taking it every night to take the edge off, even though they only think they need it—this is one way to pinpoint dependence.

Now the problem lies with maintenance, because if a person whose dependent upon benzodiazepines abruptly stops taking them, they’re almost definitely going to experience withdrawals. So they continue using it.

What Are The Dangers Quitting Temazepam Cold Turkey?

To make quitting benzodiazepines safer, medical professionals will have patients slowly wean off of the drug by shrinking doses gradually.

Not everyone abuses Restoril, becomes dependent or addicted, for that matter. Nonetheless, it can be helpful to understand what those terms actually mean. The Food and Drug Administration clearly describes abuse, dependence, tolerance, and addiction as follows.

• Abuse is characterized by misuse of the drug for non-medical purposes, often in combination with other psychoactive substances.
• Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug and/or administration of an antagonist.
• Tolerance is a state of adaptation in which exposure to a drug induces changes that result in a diminution of one or more of the drug’s effects over time.
• Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations.

Some people might not realize how dangerous benzodiazepine withdrawals are so when they abruptly stop using them, they’re left with an intense withdrawal or drug craving that they can’t really explain. Quitting Restoril cold turkey can be life threatening.

Temazepam Withdrawal Timeline

For someone who is dependent on Restoril, 1 to 4 days after discontinuing use provokes a serious issue known as drug-rebound.

Rebound is the beginning stage of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, and is basically has the opposite effect of benzodiazepines whereby a person experiences extreme dysphoria, anxiety, and insomnia. Oftentimes even just the thought of not having Restoril to sleep can bring on these intense feelings of panic and anxiety.

The most intense period of withdrawals generally begins after 4 days of Restoril abstinence. After that, the symptoms can last anywhere from 10 to 14 days and may include:

• headaches
• convulsions
• trembling
• muscle cramps
• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• sweating
• insomnia
• anxiety
• panic attacks
• irritability
• headaches
• heart palpitations

Other severe symptoms include:

• hallucinations
• seizures
• psychosis
• relapse as a result

How To Safely Detox From Temazepam

You aren’t alone if you worry about what will happen if you stop taking Restoril. You can feel at ease knowing that there are people who make it their life’s purpose to help you overcome addiction, dependence, and get through the hardest part of recovery.

In an inpatient rehab center, a detoxification is required to safely overcome the physical dependence of benzodiazepines like temazepam. In a medical detoxification, you’ll be under the supervision of people who know what they’re doing.

During this time, you’ll gradually be taken off the benzodiazepine, and your withdrawal symptoms will be carefully monitored by professionals.

Detoxification is an important step to getting your life back, but it isn’t the whole package. After safely and thoroughly completing detox, a treatment program at a rehab center is almost always your best bet. Even after inpatient rehab, addiction is a chronic disease, and recovering from it will be a lifelong journey.

This might all be new to you, so to avoid leaving you hanging, here are some of the best treatment programs and services out there:

• Professional Intervention
• Detoxification
• Medication-Assisted Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Inpatient Rehab
• Outpatient Rehab
• Peer Support
• Family Counseling
• Aftercare Support

Avoid Fighting Addiction Alone—Find Help Today

Quitting drugs is hard, but it’s a lot harder to do it alone. Reach out to our addiction specialists today at 1-877-584-9419 to learn how to overcome Restoril addiction. Your recovery, privacy, and safety are our main priorities.

For More Information Related to “Temazepam (Restoril) Withdrawal and Detoxification” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

• Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms
• Signs of Librium Abuse
• The Most Addictive Prescription Sedatives
• Signs Of A Valium (Diazepam) Overdose
• Ambien Addiction And Treatment Options

Sources

U.S. National Library of Medicine – Temazepam
U.S. National Library of Medicine – The Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome