Restoril is a medication primarily used to treat insomnia. It is meant to be used on a short-term basis, but this potent drug can cause addiction if misused or abused for its effects. This medicine is a federally controlled substance under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule IV, meaning that it has a low potential for abuse.
Still, some people will misuse Restoril and become addicted to it. They may need to enter an addiction treatment program to help them end their Restoril use and relearn how to live without abusing the drug.
What Is Restoril?
Restoril is in the class of medications called benzodiazepines or benzos for short. These potent drugs enhance the neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that communicate messages from one brain cell to another. Messages can either have a stimulating or a calming effect. GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) is the chemical that sends calming messages to your body. When you feel anxious, your brain will feel overstimulated, but the drug reduces anxiety symptoms when you take a benzo.
Restoril slows down the central nervous system (CNS), which causes sleepiness and helps you fall or stay asleep. It usually starts to work
within the first hour of taking it, and it is slowly absorbed into your body. If you have trouble falling asleep, it is suggested to take it one to two hours before you go to bed. GoodRx says it can take from one to two hours to work and should only be taken for seven to 10 days.
Temazepam is the generic formulation of Restoril. It is generally less expensive than the name brand. This medicine is also sold on the street and by nefarious drug dealers and fake pharmacies. Street names for temazepam are jellies, jelly, tams, terms, mazzies, temazies, tammies, temmies, beans, eggs, green eggs, and several more nicknames.
Long-term Restoril use and its generic equivalent can result in chemical dependence and addiction. Dependence is known when your body adapts to the drug, and more of it is needed to feel the same effects as when you first started taking it. You may also feel withdrawal symptoms of the drug if you stop taking it abruptly.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) defines addiction as “a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.” Individuals who are addicted to drugs, including Restoril, engage in behaviors that can be compulsive and usually continue despite adverse consequences.
What Are the Signs of Restoril Addiction?
If you have been taking Restoril for a long time or are using it for recreational purposes, you may feel that it’s not working anymore. You may want more of this medication and will do whatever you need to obtain it. There are clear signs or symptoms indicating that you are abusing Restoril. These include:
- Taking it for longer periods than prescribed
- Taking larger doses of it
- Hiding your Restoril use from everyone
- Seeking a new prescription of it from different doctors (“doctor shopping”)
- Stealing and taking someone else’s Restoril prescription
You may recognize these Restoril addiction signs of yourself or someone else:
- Feeling unable to function normally without it
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms of Restoril
- Feeling unable to reduce or stop taking the medication
- Experiencing strong cravings to use it
- Needing Restoril to feel the same effects as before
- Having physical, emotional, financial, legal, and other problems related to abusing Restoril but continuing to abuse it anyway
Restoril abuse is not a medicine to suddenly stop taking at once. It is a short-acting medication that can produce withdrawal symptoms within eight to 12 hours after using it ends, per Verywell Mind. How severe withdrawal might be depends on several essential factors, such as:
- The current dose you are taking
- How long you have been taking it
- If you have taken it with other benzos
- If you have any substance use issues
- If you are using any other drugs when taking it
Addiction treatment is strongly suggested for you or anyone abusing Restoril.
What Is Involved in Restoril Addiction Treatment?
Benzodiazepines, like Restoril, have the capability to cause what is known as benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. In its early stage, you could experience rebound symptoms right after you stop using the drug. For Restoril, this can be rebound insomnia, which is more intense than the insomnia you initially had. Other withdrawal symptoms you may experience are:
- Muscle spasms
- Hyperventilation
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Depression
- Grand mal seizures
- Detachment from reality
- Hallucinations or delusions
These symptoms can be dangerous. If licensed medical personnel do not treat them, death may occur. It is for this reason that our clinical stabilization services (CSS) are recommended.
Acute Treatment Services
Detox, which is also called Acute Treatment Services (ATS), is the first and most critical step in addiction treatment. Upon being admitted to detox, our medical and clinical team will conduct a full assessment of your most urgent needs, along with your history of addiction. This is necessary as it helps us best determine the most effective course of action for your stay.
ATS is medically observed to ensure you are receiving everything you need while your body is eliminating Restoril and other toxins from it. Restoril withdrawal could last from five to seven days.
Inpatient/Residential
This level of addiction care, also known as clinical stabilization services, is often recommended because it focuses on the behaviors that led to Restoril addiction. Your initial assessment will include an individualized plan that you and we think will be the best for you. It may consist of evidence-based and proven therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational enhancement (MI), emotion regulation, and other known therapy types, while you live on-site at one of our sister facilities.
You should expect to participate in individual and group therapy sessions and attend educational sessions on medication management, relapse prevention, and wellness. Holistic treatments can enhance your recovery and aid you when you complete treatment.
Intensive Outpatient
Intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) usually comes after inpatient treatment and before outgoing treatment. It is best if you do not need round-the-clock medical care, stabilization, and/or have a co-occurring mental health disorder. You should expect to engage in nine or more hours of treatment for three to five days per week in IOP, which could last for up to 90 days (three months). IOP also allows you to live at home and attend to your responsibilities and attend therapy sessions.
Outpatient
Outpatient treatment entails fewer than nine hours of treatment a week. You could attend 12-step meetings or process groups as part of this therapy while you live off-site. This level of treatment reinforces the skills and tools you’ve learned to assist and strengthen your resolve to end addiction. It is usually covered by most insurance plans.
Aftercare
Aftercare is there for you once you have completed addiction treatment and are out on your own. It provides a steady support network of others in the same situation. There are many resources to take advantage of in our aftercare program.
How Dangerous Is Restoril Overdose?
Restoril is a benzo, and therefore, is a dangerous drug to abuse. Restoril overdose can produce symptoms that may not appear harmful or possibly fatal but can be if neglected. It is imperative to know what they are because emergency services are required to save a life. Below are the symptoms or signs to know:
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Fainting
- Loss of consciousness
- Slow or difficult breathing
Also, taking Restoril with alcohol or other drugs can cause respiratory problems and severe drowsiness. Always take the prescribed dose. If it doesn’t seem to be working, contact the doctor who wrote the prescription.
Summit Behavioral Health provides Restoril addiction and rehab in several convenient locations. Our experienced and caring staff helps individuals overcome addiction and find life anew in sobriety. Our well-respected program focusing on adolescents struggling with addiction may be the savior your child needs. This is the day to get help for your substance use disorder.
Restoril Abuse Statistics
- Clinicalc reports that there were 2,324,388 temazepam (generic Restoril) prescriptions written in 2019.
- The 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health notes that 4.8 million people over age 12 abused benzodiazepines, like Restoril, in the past year (2019).
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that emergency room visits for benzo overdoses increased 24% from 2019 to 2020.
Also, they note that benzos were involved in almost 7,000 overdose deaths from January 2019 to June 2020 and that prescription benzo deaths went up 22% from 2019 to 2020.
