Lunesta is the brand name for the generic drug eszopiclone. It is a sedative and part of the non-benzodiazepine drug class. Lunesta drug is habit-forming and may require a Lunesta detox to wean off the drug.
When this drug is abused in high doses for a long period of time, the user will likely experience withdrawal symptoms if they discontinue use, especially if they do so abruptly.
In addition, people frequently abuse Lunesta with alcohol and opioid drugs, increasing the risk of dependence and overdose.
Medically-assisted Lunesta detox and rehab can provide tools and resources to get sober.

Level Up West Palm offers a comprehensive inpatient treatment for Lunesta Detox
Lunesta affects Gamma-Aminobutyric Acidreceptors (GABA).
In doing so, this medication can calm neural activity and slow the central nervous system, helping people fall asleep and stay asleep.
It is also referred to as a “z-drug” because it is considered to have a lower tendency for addiction. However, it can still trigger addiction after regular use or abuse.
According to Women’s Health, Women may be more prone to abusing sleeping pills than men as two-thirds of the emergency department visits for the non-medical use of sleeping pills were for women in 2010.
Side Effects of Lunesta Abuse
Lunesta or sleeping pill addiction can severely disrupt someone’s life. Like other sleeping pills, people who are addicted to this drug can find themselves sleeping too much, feeling drowsy, or getting into accidents because of the drug.
Additive effects occur with the accompanying use of other CNS depressants like alcohol, antidepressants, and opioids. This is according to the US Food and Drugs Administration [2].
Serious physical and psychological side effects can occur as a result of Lunesta abuse.
Short-term side effects of Lunesta abuse
- Coordination impairment
- Depression
- Memory loss
Long-term side effects of Lunesta abuse
- Memory loss
- Lasting cognitive problems
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
- Anxiety
- Muscle twitching
- Tinnitus
- Sensitivity to light
- Liver and kidney damage
- Hallucinations
The Things You Should Avoid While Taking Lunesta
Avoid Travelling
- Avoid taking eszopiclone during a tour or travel, such as sleeping on an airplane. You may be waked before the effects of the medication have worn off.
- In addition, Amnesia (forgetfulness) is more common if you do not get at least 8 hours of sleep after taking eszopiclone.
Avoid Drinking Alcohol
- Dangerous side effects or death could occur because of the combination of these two substances. In addition, avoid taking eszopiclone within 1 hour after having a high-fat or heavy meal.
- Eszopiclone can cause side effects that may weaken your thinking or reactions. In addition, you may still feel sleepy the morning after taking eszopiclone.
- Until you know how this drug will affect you during waking hours, be cautious if you drive, operate machinery, pilot an airplane, or do anything that demands alertness.
Common Signs of Lunesta Addiction
If a person is addicted and need to start the Lunesta detox treatment, some of the following signs may apply:
- Taking the drug for longer than originally prescribed
- Isolating themselves from friends and loved ones
- Crushing and snorting Lunesta pills
- Taking larger or more frequent doses of Lunesta than prescribed
- Mixing Lunesta with other drugs
- Feeling as though they can’t stop taking Lunesta
- Having cravings for Lunesta
Common Lunesta Withdrawal Symptoms
The Lunesta Detox process brings with it withdrawal symptoms, and they may vary. Lunesta affects GABA receptors in the brain. Generally, substances that affect GABA have the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms.
If someone is using Lunesta for years, they will likely have very severe withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly try to stop using it.
Some of the most common Lunesta withdrawal symptoms are called rebound symptoms. Rebound symptoms are the recurrence of symptoms the drug was originally used to treat.
When someone is going through withdrawal, these symptoms may be more severe than they were original. For example, severe insomnia is a rebound withdrawal symptom of the Lunesta detox process.
Other common Lunesta withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Anxiety
- Nightmares or vivid dreams
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Problems with memory
- Changes in mood or mood swings
- Shakiness or weakness
- General sleep problems
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Hallucinations

The purpose of having Lunesta detox is when you have a dependency on the drug that, instead of helping you, it’s causing you more harm.
Lunesta Detox Withdrawal Timeline
The Lunesta withdrawal timeline can vary quite a bit. First, people who used Lunesta for only a short time and took small doses may not even notice withdrawal symptoms.
However, people who have used the drug heavily and chronically can experience withdrawal symptoms for weeks or even months.
For most people, withdrawal symptoms begin to appear within one to two days after the last dose of Lunesta. The initial symptoms are usually anxiety and insomnia.
Symptoms of Lunesta withdrawal will typically peak anywhere from three to seven days. Within about three weeks, symptoms become milder and eventually go away for most people.
However, if you are among the heavily dependent upon Lunesta, ongoing withdrawal symptoms may occur for up to eight weeks after taking the last dose of the drug.
Lunesta Detox Rehab Treatment
Lunesta withdrawal symptoms usually include anxiety, unsettling dreams, sleep difficulties, fatigue, irritability, muscle spasms, and nausea.
In addition, when quitting cold turkey, users have undergone severe effects such as panic attacks and seizures.
That is why a medically managed withdrawal process from Lunesta is a suitable treatment option.
At Level Up West Palm, this involves round-the-clock medically supervised detox to help clients break the cycle of Lunesta use.
The client’s physical comfort and safety during eszopiclone (Lunesta) detox is our top priority.
Therefore, nurses monitor each client’s withdrawal signs regularly so that any medication intake can be adjusted accordingly.
Lunesta detox at Level Up West Palm starts with a thorough pre-assessment by our Consultant Psychiatrist to determine the client’s personalized Lunesta detox program.
Next, they will gather all essential medical and drug use history information and prescribe any medication for managing Lunesta withdrawal symptoms.
The duration of Lunesta detox will also be assessed on a case-by-case basis, as it depends on how much of the medication is in the client’s body and for how long they had been using it and other drugs.
Lunesta detox may take a long time, as with all benzodiazepines. This needs to be supervised by the medical team.
Medically Assisted Lunesta Detox
There is a huge difference between cold-turkey detox and medically-assisted Lunesta detox. With a cold-turkey detox, someone addicted to Lunesta suddenly stops taking the drug.
Unfortunately, a sudden stop will trigger intense physical and emotional symptoms in the client within twelve hours after the last dose. In some instances, these symptoms can be dangerous.
Medically supervised Lunesta detox seeks to lessen these risks with a tapering off schedule and the supervision of trained, qualified medical staff.
In a medically assisted detox center, clients are given decreasing doses of Lunesta or a replacement non-benzodiazepine. By tapering off the dosage, the drug can stay in the client’s system for reducing amounts over a period.
This is much gentler on the body and prevents painful, intense, and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
If someone can safely detox in a controlled and supportive environment, they’re at less risk of experiencing a relapse because of the pain of withdrawal.

If you or someone you love is seeking a safe, secure, and compassionate resource for Lunesta detox, Level Up West Palm is here for you.
The FDA approves specific medications to use with some drugs during the withdrawal and detox process. However, there is not one particular Lunesta medication used during detox and withdrawal.
Instead, a medical team will usually evaluate the individual and see if they are a good candidate for medicines that will keep them safer and more comfortable.
During Lunesta detox, the objective is to help the individual stop using the drug while lessening symptoms and ensuring that vitals stay at a healthy level.
In addition, during Lunesta detox, a patient may be evaluated for co-occurring mental health conditions. Treatments for these conditions may start during the detox phase. Lunesta detox may take a long time.
This needs to be monitored by the medical team.
Call us and speak with an addiction counselor today about our levels of care.
Sources:
[1] Women’s Health – Lunesta Detox Process https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19932088/sleeping-pill-dangers/
[2] FDA – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/021476s030lbl.pdf
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