Dependence also becomes evident when you need a higher dose to achieve the same effect. This means your body has become used to the drug and needs more to achieve the desired effect. Part of the reason sedatives are so heavily regulated is that they can be highly addictive. They can cause people to become dependent on them beyond their control.
Explore depressants on the Drug Wheel
Every year, opioid overdose takes the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. Barbiturates are drugs typically used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Some of the most common types include Luminal, Amytal, and Nembutal. Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that slow down activity in your brain and nervous system. They’re most often used for treating anxiety and related mental health conditions, as well as brain-related conditions like seizures.
Sedatives, also known as depressants
However, consuming too much alcohol in a single sitting results in a depressant-like response. Because there are so many specific drug types that fall under the category of depressants, you will find they vary significantly. Nearly all are available in pill form, though some are available as liquids or capsules. If you become dependent on a drug, you may need a higher dose to achieve the desired effect (tolerance), or there may be physical or psychological effects when the drug is stopped (withdrawal).
Traumatic Brain Injury
Certain areas called adrenergic receptors receive the messages from epinephrine and norepinephrine that tell your body how to respond. They can mimic epinephrine and norepinephrine and bind with the receptors, causing the fight or flight responses. These drugs can also bind with the receptors to stimulate the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Adrenergic drugs stimulate the nerves in your body’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This system helps regulate your body’s reaction to stress or emergency. During times of stress, the SNS releases chemical messengers from the adrenal gland.
While CNS depressants all share this ability, there are significant differences among substances within this drug class. In particular, some are generally considered to be safer and are prescribed more than others. However, it’s important to note that almost all depressants have the potential to be addictive and should only be used as prescribed.
What are the disadvantages, side effects and complications that are possible with benzodiazepines?
In liquid form, GHB is clear and colorless and slightly salty in taste. Barbiturates are Schedule II, III, and IV depressants under the Controlled Substances Act. Barbiturates slow down the central nervous system and cause sleepiness. If you take a large amount or have a strong 4 ways to stop alcohol cravings batch, you could overdose. Generally, depressants can be swallowed, drunk, injected, snorted or inhaled. Sedatives like these are used by 500,000 people or more in the United States, according to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Side effects of adrenergic drugs vary and depend on the specific drug you’re taking. Not all people will experience all possible side effects of each adrenergic drug. Likewise, not every adrenergic drug is right for every person. Health conditions other than what you need to treat with an adrenergic drug can play a role in deciding which drug is right for you. You can discuss all of these factors with your doctor to find a good choice.
Depressants affect GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that slows down activity in the brain. When severe, CNS depression caused by substances such as opioids, alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and sleeping medications can be fatal. Rohypnol is a trade name for flunitrazepam, a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. Flunitrazepam is also marketed as generic preparations and other trade name products outside of the United States.
Rohypnol and Quaaludes are not manufactured or legally marketed in the United States. Those who use depressants over a long period typically are on the lookout for new drugs when the older varieties stop working as well. In some cases, they may try to mix alcohol — another depressant — with medications, which after the high the dea can be lethal. If you’re using any sedative medication regularly, you shouldn’t stop taking it abruptly, as this can cause severe withdrawal symptoms such as seizures. Before a diagnosis of CNS depression can be made, your doctor will need to examine your medical history and conduct a series of tests.
- This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
- If your healthcare provider prescribes one of these medications, don’t hesitate to ask for guidance, and take the medications exactly as prescribed.
- Drugs that fall into this category include Mebaral (mephobarbital), Luminal (phenobarbital), and Nembutal (pentobarbital sodium).
- Another major cause of CNS depression in people who have no history of using CNS depressants is brain injury.
Addiction means having a compulsive desire to use a drug, even when this has a harmful effect on your work or personal life. Some examples of benzodiazepines include Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), Halcion (triazolam), Serax (oxazepam), and Klonopin (clonazepam). Some examples of barbiturates include Nembutal (pentobarbital) and phenobarbital. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Sometimes unexpected paradoxical side effects occur, such as anxiety, nightmares and hostility. Help is available in many forms if you’re concerned about an addiction to sedatives.
Barbiturates can be extremely dangerous because overdoses can occur easily and lead to death. Depressants are also used with other drugs to add to the other drugs’ high or to deal with their side effects. Users take higher doses than people taking the drugs under a doctor’s supervision for therapeutic purposes. Depressants like GHB and Rohypnol are also misused to facilitate sexual assault. If you’re thinking about an adrenergic drug, you should also consider side effects and your own medical history.
Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Halcion (triazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), and Klonopin (clonazepam) are the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines. Depression of the central nervous system or CNS often occurs when a person misuses a substance that slows brain activity. The use of alcohol or benzodiazepines along with the usual dose of heroin is often the cause of overdose deaths in opiate addicts.
In higher doses, some CNS depressants can be used as general anesthetics. CNS depressants are often prescribed to treat conditions related to stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and seizures. These medications can be safe and effective, but alcohol and migraine drinks to avoid, remedies, and more they do have a risk for tolerance, dependence, and overdose. Depressants are drugs that affect neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. They slow brain activity to induce feelings of drowsiness, relaxation, and pain relief.