What is Temazepam?
Restoril is a brand name of the generic drug temazepam. It is a benzodiazepine that is used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Temazepam is a central nervous system depressant and it works by increasing the effects of GABA in your brain, which makes you feel more relaxed, calm, and sedated.
When temazepam was first discovered in the mid-1960s, it was marketed as being less addictive than barbiturates. However, now it is well-known that this drug can quickly cause dependence so it is generally only prescribed for 7 to 10 days. The dosage varies from person to person, but it is formulated in 7.5 mg, 15 mg, 22.5 mg, and 30 mg tablets.
Restoral has been known to produce strange side effects in users, such as eating, driving, or making phone calls while taking it but having no memory of the activities later. Due to its ability to produce feelings of euphoria, misuse of Temazepam is common but it can also produce uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if the user abruptly stops taking it without a medically-assisted Temazepam detox.
If you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, Temazepam may be a helpful short-term solution. However, you should always tell your doctor if you are taking any other benzodiazepines or illegal drugs before using Temazepam because central nervous system depressants can produce dangerous Temazepam side effects when they interact with other depressant drugs or herbal products.
Is Temazepam Addictive?
Yes, temazepam can be addictive. Like other benzodiazepines, temazepam is classified as a Schedule IV drug in the U.S. This means that although it does have legitimate medical and therapeutic uses, there is also a risk of abuse and/or addiction.
Slang for Temazepam or Restoril
The following terms are street names or slang for benzodiazepines like temazepam:
- Benzos
- Downers
- Nerve pills
- Tranks
Temazepam side effects
Temazepam side effects requiring immediate medical attention
Along with its needed effects, temazepam (the active ingredient contained in Restoril) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these temazepam side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following temazepam side effects:
Less common temazepam side effects
- False or unusual sense of well-being
- fear or nervousness
- mood or mental changes
Rare temazepam side effects
- Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- Shakiness and unsteady walk
- Tightness in the chest
- Uncontrolled eye movements
- Unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
- Unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability
- Weight loss
- Difficult or labored breathing
- Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
- Large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of memory
- Nightmares
- Problems with memory
Incidence not known
- Muscle cramps
- Seizures
- Shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
- Stomach cramps
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking of the hands or feet
- Vomiting
Temazepam Overdose
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking temazepam:
- Blurred vision
- Change in consciousness
- Confusion
- Decreased or absent reflexes
- Difficult or trouble breathing
- Dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- Irregular, fast, slow, or shallow breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
- Sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
Temazepam side effects not requiring immediate medical attention
Some temazepam side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common temazepam side effects
- headache
- nausea
- sensation of spinning
- unusual dullness or feeling of sluggishness
- Diarrhea
- dry mouth
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
Rare temazepam side effects
- Backache
- Burning eyes
How Common Is Temazepam Addiction and Abuse?
Temazepam is one of the five most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines in the United States. As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is also one of the most commonly abused benzos, alongside alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin), and diazepam (Valium). People who misuse temazepam often use it simultaneously with other drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, or alcohol to enhance or decrease particular side effects.
Recent data from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that about 5.4 million Americans ages 12 or older abused prescription benzodiazepines like Restoril in the last year.
Although temazepam is a highly effective drug that helps many people sleep better, it is only intended for short-term use. Any abuse of it can cause tolerance, physical dependence, addiction, or overdose. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported 74,050 case mentions, 26,868 single exposures, and 14 deaths associated with benzodiazepines like temazepam in 2016. Despite the risks, some people may misuse Restoril by:
- Taking someone else’s prescription
- Using Restoril for longer than prescribed
- Taking larger doses of Restoril than prescribed
- Getting multiple Restoril prescriptions from several different doctors
- Taking Restoril with alcohol or other drugs to enhance its effects
People who abuse temazepam may swallow large doses of Restoril tablets, consume it as a white crystalline powder, or dissolve the powder in water and inject it. When it is used in these ways, temazepam can be highly addictive.
Temazepam Side Effects of Abuse
Short-term temazepam side effect of abuse include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Sedation
- Euphoria
- Lowered inhibitions
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Impaired coordination
- Difficulty breathing
- Low blood pressure
- Slowed pulse
- Difficulty concentrating
Long-term temazepam side effects of abuse
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Weakness
- Anorexia
Signs and Symptoms of Temazepam Addiction
Signs that someone is abusing temazepam:
- Using Restoril with other drugs or alcohol
- Hiding Restoril use from loved ones
- “Doctor shopping” to get multiple prescriptions for Restoril
- Taking someone else’s prescription
- Using Restoril for longer than prescribed
- Taking larger doses of Restoril than is medically necessary
Symptoms of temazepam addiction
- Feeling strong urges and cravings to use temazepam
- Needing more temazepam to achieve the same effects
- Experiencing physical, emotional, relational, and/or financial problems due to temazepam abuse but continuing to use it anyway
- Feeling unable to function normally without temazepam
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when the effects of temazepam wear off
- Trying (unsuccessfully) to cut back or stop using temazepam
Temazepam Detox
Benzodiazepine withdrawal can sometimes be very severe, so the recommended method for quitting Restoril is to gradually taper your dosage under the direct supervision of a doctor. You may also consider enrolling in a medical temazepam detox program, where you will receive round-the-clock medical and clinical treatment for your withdrawal symptoms and a monitored, gradual tapering regimen for a smooth and safe transition into sobriety. Restoril detox in a medical facility is often the safest and most effective way to get sober.
What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms when there is not a medical Restoril Detox?
If you are addicted to Restoril and you abruptly stop using it, you will likely experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Temazepam withdrawal symptoms typically include:
- Sweating
- Muscle and abdominal cramps
- Vomiting
- Tremors
- Dysphoria
- Insomnia
- Convulsions
Restoril Detox and Withdrawal Timeline
There is no specific withdrawal timeline for benzos like Restoril because the intensity, duration, and type of withdrawal symptoms that present themselves often vary from person to person. However, the chart below is a general timeline of what you may expect to experience during temazepam withdrawal without a medical Restoril detox.
- 6-12 hours after the last dose: General symptoms of benzo withdrawal can last anywhere from one to four days.
- 2 weeks after the last dose: Temazepam withdrawal symptoms typically peak around this time but gradually subside.
- Months after the last dose: Some withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety or insomnia can last for months after completing Temazepam detox if they are left untreated. Professional treatment can help reduce these symptoms.
Treatment for Restoril Addiction
If your addiction to temazepam has made your life unmanageable, it may be time to seek professional help. Addiction is defined as a complex chronic disease of the brain and it is extremely difficult to overcome it on your own without any treatment or support. Much like other chronic diseases, effectively treating addiction requires ongoing and individualized care.
The first step in the addiction treatment process is often Restoril detox. A medical Restoril detox program can help you break your physical addiction to Restoril and begin healing physically and emotionally. After Restoril detox, long-term drug rehab can provide individualized support and treatment services that will help you address the underlying issues that contributed to your addiction, learn how to live a sober life, and gain valuable life skills that will help you sustain your recovery.
During Restoril rehab, a team of doctors, nurses, clinical therapists, addiction treatment specialists, and peers in recovery will help you work through the various aspects of rehab and gradually make positive changes to your mindset and lifestyle. Family support is also a big part of this process that fosters group healing and the restoration of family relationships after addiction.
Evidence-based and research-based drug rehab programs will provide comprehensive, individualized treatment plans that produce desirable, long-lasting results. This type of treatment for temazepam addiction typically includes:
- Educational lectures
- 12-Step facilitation therapy (or a similar recovery program)
- Life skills development
- Behavioral therapy methods such as contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and rational emotive behavioral therapy
- Individual drug counseling
- Group counseling
- Family counseling
- Specialized therapies like music therapy, animal-assisted therapy, or art therapy
- Structured recovery programming
Reclaim Your Life From Temazepam Side Effects
Temazepam addiction is a condition that can cause major health, social and economic problems that should not be taken lightly. We Level Up California can provide you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from addiction with professional and safe Temazepam detox to ease temazepam side effects, Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about this condition by giving you relevant information. Our specialists know what you are going through. Please know that each call is private and confidential.