What are they prescribed for?
CNS depressants can be used as tranquilizer or sedatives for people who are having
trouble sleeping or have anxiety. These medications have therapeutic effects but some people take these medications to “get a high” and abuse these medications.
How do they work in the body?
CNS depressants work by making GABA neurotransmitters activity higher which helps
decrease brain activity. This gives the calming sensations, which allows people to feel sleepy or less anxious.
Common CNS Depressants:
Some common drugs under this category are Barbiturates like mephobarbital and Benzodiazepines like Valium.
Why are they abused, what effects do they have and how can the effects be reversed?
These drugs are abused because they give people the same kind of feeling that alcohol can give. The drugs make abusers feel calm and sedated.
Some short- term effects of abusing CNS drugs are feeling drowsy, slurred speech, or coordination imbalances.
Long- term effects can lead to a decrease in coordination and slow reflexes. Some people even begin to develop a tolerance. People who develop a tolerance can face even more danger, because when they attempt to withdraw from the drug, their brain’s activity can become overly active and result in seizures.
Barbiturates are mostly abused for their effect of making one feel intoxicated, similar to the way alcohol makes someone feel.
If a person overdoses, the treatment they will receive is a form of liquid charcoal, which will bind the drug in the stomach to it. Ultimately, if the overdose is not taken care of, the person may die of a extremely slow heart rate, and could stop breathing. Some may even fall into a coma. Prescribing lower doses of barbiturates is used to treat a person abusing barbiturates until the person is completely off of the drug.
Benzodiazepines are rarely used alone with drug abuse. Mostly they are combined with
alcohol or other opioids. Mostly use of benzodiazepines are seldom life threatening and are usually made life threatening when combined with other drugs. Most people take benzodiazepines to increase the effects of cocaine and opioids. Most people who abuse the drug are also people who are prescribed to be taking it.
Just like with Barbiturates the person must be weaned off of the drug so as to prevent seizures and brain hyperactivity
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/barbiturate_abuse/page3_em.htm
http://www.painfullyobvious.com/depressants_13.asp
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/prescriptiondrugs.page
http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/prescription3.html
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000401/2121.html
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