Temazepam belongs to a category of drugs called benzodiazepines which contain chemical characteristics that can reduce anxiety, initiate a hypnotic, sedatory effect and relax muscles.
Temazepam is primarily prescribed to help people who have difficulty sleeping, particularly those who suffer from insomnia. (6,7)
Because of its calming effect, it is also used to relax people before they undergo operations or other medical procedures.
Temazepam is a prescription only drug and is also known under the brand name Restoril and is taken in capsule form. The usual dosage prescribed is 10-20mg. (9)
All of these aspects make it a wonderful medicine that has helped many people, however, some of these people do go on to develop dependence and Temazepam addiction.
Temazepam is prescribed to treat insomnia
Benzodiazepines can be placed into two categories – hypnotics and anxiolytics.
Drugs belonging to the anxiolytic category are mainly prescribed to reduce anxiety whereas drugs such as Temazepam fall into the hypnotic category so are therefore used to help people who suffer from insomnia develop more healthier sleeping patterns. (5)
Temazepam also helps people who find themselves regularly waking up during the night as well as those who struggle to get to sleep.
Sleep is so important in our lives to help us recover physically and psychologically each day, and a lot of body repair and maintenance processes occur while we are asleep. Any disruption to our sleep patterns can have a negative impact on our ability to function efficiently each day.
If someone has been unable to sleep for a period of time and then takes Temazepam and then begins to sleep better then this could be a very motivating factor for them to continue taking the drug.
If this happens for a longer period of time then they can start to can be become reliant on Temazepam to help them sleep. This could signify the early stages of a physical dependency on Temazepam.
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
Gender differences
It has been reported that women are far more likely than men to be prescribed benzodiazepines like Temazepam, both to sleep and reduce anxiety.
Women were also found to be more vulnerable to misusing in order to cope with stress, and reported a higher degree of anxiety and more cravings for the drug. (3)
These warning signs can be an alarm that and Temazepam addiction or dependence has begun.
The Effects of Temazepam on the Human Brain
Temazepam is a central nervous systems depressant, which means it slows down the rate of biological processes that occur in the human brain and body.
As a benzodiazepine, Temazepam tends to have the opposite effect on the body compared to stimulants which speed up physiological processes in the body when taken. (2,6)
Temazepam like all other benzodiazepines works by facilitating the workings of GABA, which is a neurotransmitter found in the brain which passes electronic messages between the millions of cells present in the brain.
The signals GABA emits between the cells after Temazepam is taken act by slowing down any communication between neurons in the brain which decreases the firing ability of neurons.
So, overall GABA has a calming effect on the brain and it also reduces muscle stimulation throughout the body. (2)
Temazepam should only be a short term solution
It must be emphasised that Temazepam is only really a short term solution for people who suffer from insomnia because people can easily become physically dependent on it.
Dependence can lead to Temazepam addiction, which is reasonably common among those using the treatment.
This is because Temazepam is a reasonably fast acting drug and so potentially very addictive.
It starts to take effect within an hour, and is only intended to be used as a short term solution for insomnia.
Temazepam therefore should not be taken for longer than 4 weeks. If Temazepam is taken beyond this period, a person is highly vulnerable to becoming physically dependent on it.
It is also likely to lose its effectiveness as a drug after four weeks of use. (2,4)
So if someone becomes dependent on Temazepam, they will only be taking the drug to satisfy the withdrawal symptoms and will not obtain any therapeutic benefits from taking it.
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
What causes Temazepam addiction?
Temazepam has a half life of 8-22 hours, which relates to how long it takes half of the drug to be absorbed and eliminated by the body, the shorter the half life of the drug the quicker the drug takes effect and the quicker the effects of the drug wear off.
This makes it potentially very addictive as people will need to take it more often for it to have the same effect on them which means it is highly likely that their body will start to build up a tolerance to the drug. (9)
It is also recommended that Temazepam should only be taken in a crisis, as it target the symptoms of the condition rather than the actual root causes that led to a person’s inability to sleep.
Medical experts therefore advise that Temazepam should not be taken more often than 1 night in every 3.(1)
Because of this, it is strongly recommended that people taking Temazepam also have access to information about how they can improve the quality of their sleep so that they can come off the medication as soon as possible.
The more often you take Temazepam, the more your body gets used to absorbing the substance.
So the effect that a particular dose you have been consuming has on your body will become less as time passes as your body adapts to the presence of the drug.
Temazepam Addiction – Tolerance
Because the brain is a complex organ it is always seeking to re-address any imbalances that it perceives in the body, this process is called homeostasis.
Every time a person consumes a drug it causes an imbalance in the human system which the brain consistently strives to correct.
In response to this the brain has to initiate biological processes that adapt to this imbalance as it seeks to minimise the effects that Temazepam has on the body.
The result of this is that as these adaptions occur the original amount of the drug that was consumed is not producing the same effect as it originally did.
This means that a person will have to take more of the drug for it to have the initial effect they experienced. (4)
The process of homeostasis that takes place in the brain as it adapts to the regular ingestion of a particular drug is called Neuro-adaptation.
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
Psychological Appeal of Temazepam
As with most drugs the effects are very rewarding for people as they provide relief from anxiety and help people sleep, so people start to rely on the drug to help them relax, particularly as it is one of the faster acting drugs from benzodiazepine category.
The effects of the drug provide a strong motivation for people to consume it as its effects become much sought after.
Taking the Temazepam will provide people with a positive feeling as well as eradicating unpleasant withdrawal symptoms so its easy to see why people will want to, and need to consume more of the drug.
These are two strong psychological reasons for continued consumption of the drug which can lead to Temazepam addiction. (4)
These effects are very powerful and can be extremely sought after by recreational users looking to experiment with new drugs as they reduce tension, improve mood, alter conscious experiences and remove any uncomfortable and unpleasant physical feelings. (2,6)
Once they start taking more Temazepam to re-gain the initial experience that was so rewarding for them, they are on the path towards building a strong tolerance to the drug.
Temazepam – Withdrawal Symptoms
The important thing to consider is that the withdrawal symptoms can only be eliminated by taking the drug so this is how the cycle of physical dependence is initiated and maintained.
Because Temazepam like other Benzodiazepines tends to have a calming effect on the body by inhibiting the firing of neurotransmitters, it leads to people becoming more relaxed and therefore more likely to sleep.
Therefore the withdrawal symptoms they experience will be the exact opposite of the sought after effects.
These symptoms will therefore be likely to be insomnia, irritability, heightened arousal, a sense of panic, depression, aches and pains and anxiety. (2,6)
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
Signs of Temazepam Dependence
Someone who is showing signs of being physical dependence and Temazepam addiction may exhibit the following signs:
- They may have been prescribed them in low doses for months or years
- They will start to need them to function adequately on a daily basis
- Someone dependent on Temazepam may find it difficult to cease because of the withdrawal symptoms they are experiencing
- The dose level they now consume has increased from the original prescription dose
- They may have anxiety symptoms and insomnia, panic and depression despite taking the drug, as the original dose of the drug is not sufficient enough to help with their condition any more. This is a classic sign of tolerance to the drug (9)
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
Temazepam Addiction
People may start developing an addiction to Temazepam if they find themselves constantly thinking about how to obtain and consume the drug and they are unable to stop themselves from taking it despite the obvious physical and mental harm that it is causing them.
Their obsession with Temazepam may affect all areas of their lives including their job, social life and close relationships and they may disengage from activities they once found that pleasurable. (4)
At OK Rehab, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
To find out more about Temazepam addiction, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 326 5559.
Temazepam Addiction – References
(1) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group NHS (2021) Coming off Benzodiazepines and “Z” drugs: A guide for patients
getresource.axd (cambridgeshireandpeterboroughccg.nhs.uk)
(2)Kahan, M. (2014) Physical Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs. In Herie, M. & Skinner, W. (ed) Fundamentals of Addiction: A Practical Guide for Counsellors. CAMH. Canada
(3)McHugh, R. K. et al (2021) Sex Differences in Benzodiazepine Misuse in Among Adults with Substance Misuse Disorders. Addictive Behaviours. Vol 112. January 2021
(4) Moss, A, Dyer, K (2010) The Psychology of Addictive Behaviour. Palgrave McMillan. New York
(5) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2019) Benzodiazepine and Z drug Withdrawal Available onlineBenzodiazepine and z-drug withdrawal | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
(6)Newton, D.E. (2016) Prescription Drug Abuse. ABC-CLIO California
(7) NHS (2021) Temazepam: A Medicine to treat sleeping problems
Available online@Temazepam: a medicine to treat sleeping problems (insomnia) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
(8) Southend Clinical Commissioning Group NHS (2021) Withdrawal of Benzodiazepines
Available online@ file (southendccg.nhs.uk)
(9) Wales NHS (2021) Hypnotics and Anxiolytics Practice Guide
Available online@ Guide_Hypnotics & Anxiolytics Practice Guide_version02.pdf (wales.nhs.uk)
(10) Wirral NHS (2021) Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
Available online@BenzoWithdrawalGuidance.pdf (wirral.nhs.uk)
