Ultimately, severe symptoms can lead to unresponsiveness, coma, and death. CNS depressants are medications and other substances that slow down the CNS. But, high doses of these drugs can reduce the activity of the CNS to dangerously low levels.
Other Factors That Affect CNS Depression
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.
Tolerance and dependence
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.
Benzodiazepines (Benzos)
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 does drinking alcohol cause cancer 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.
More on drugs and other substances
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.
In 1997, the manufacturer responded to concerns about the drug’s role in sexual assaults by reformulating the drug. Rohypnol is now manufactured as an oblong olive green tablet with a speckled blue core that when dissolved in light-colored drinks will dye the liquid blue. However, generic versions of the drug may not contain the blue dye.
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 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.
Depressants, also called central nervous system depressants, are a type of prescription medication used for treating anxiety, acute stress reactions, or panic disorders. They work to slow down the brain’s activity and include sedatives, hypnotics and tranquilizers. Here’s a closer look at what depressants are and how they work. There are various types of CNS depressants, most of which act on the brain by affecting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Your healthcare provider can explain their recommendations for your treatment, including the timeline for which treatments you receive and why. Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is another name for the generic drug sodium oxybate. Xyrem (which is sodium oxybate) is the trade name of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription medication.
Chronic alcohol use can also lead to dependence, addiction, and withdrawal symptoms when attempting to stop usage of the drug. Central nervous system depressants are medications or substances that slow brain activity, can you drink alcohol on vivitrol or will you get sick making them useful for treating anxiety, panic, and sleep disorders. The overuse of depressants can lead to symptoms of CNS depression, including slowed reflexes, lightheadedness, fatigue, and difficulty breathing.
While all CNS depressants share this ability, there are significant differences among substances within this drug class, and some are safer than others. People who take CNS depressants must be aware of the risks and should never share drugs or take a substance without knowing what is in it. A person may need emergency care if they are unaware that they are experiencing a CNS depressant overdose, especially after accidentally misusing their medication or due to a medical problem. Treatment for CNS depression or CNS depressant overdose depends on the substances involved. Since 2000, more than 300,000 Americans have died of an opioid overdose. Data for 2016 estimates at least 64,000 drug overdose deaths, the highest number ever recorded in 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 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.
Gabapentinoids like gabapentin and pregabalin are depressants and have anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects. Most anticonvulsants, like lamotrigine and phenytoin, are depressants. Carbamates, such as meprobamate, ecstasy mdma or molly are depressants that are similar to barbiturates. Anesthetics are generally depressants; examples include ketamine and propofol. There is controversy concerning the safety of benzodiazepines in pregnancy.
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.
Harmful levels of CNS depression are caused by the misuse of CNS depressants, which are drugs used to treat conditions like anxiety and sleep disorders. Barbiturates are typically prescribed to reduce anxiety and treat sleep disorders. However, because of their high risk of overdose, doctors use them less frequently for those conditions and more frequently to treat seizure disorders or in surgical procedures. Central nervous system depressants should be used with other medications only under a physician’s supervision. Using CNS depressants with these other substances—particularly alcohol—can slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, possibly resulting in death.
- Vasopressors can act on the alpha-1, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors.
- Some of these substances, for example, codeine, are present in medications for coughs or diarrhea.
- Adrenergic drugs stimulate the nerves in your body’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
- The major source of GHB on the street is through clandestine synthesis by local operators.
- A person who has taken depressants for years may be at a high risk of suicide or a psychotic break as a result of their use.
After spending several weeks to months in inpatient care, many people are able to move to outpatient care. Outpatient care may be suitable to those with a mild or short-term addiction as well. Working on cognitive behavior therapy, counseling and coping skills are a focus. Hallucinations and psychosis have been reported in some people who take these drugs, and they’re not intended for long-term use.
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.
Because of their low toxicity and high effectiveness, these drugs have been used as a short-term treatment for anxiety and insomnia. They’re also sometimes prescribed for excessive agitation, muscle spasms, and seizures. Examples of CNS depressants include tranquilizers, hypnotics, and sedatives. In recent years, doctors have prescribed opioid painkillers for many conditions, but overuse of these drugs can lead to problems. In contrast, stimulants, or “uppers”, increase mental alertness, making stimulants the opposite drug class from depressants.
Withdrawal symptoms typically begin 12 to 24 hours after the last dose of the drug and are most severe between 24 and 72 hours after this dose. Withdrawal symptoms generally begin to fade after this initial period, known as acute withdrawal; however, some symptoms, known as post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) may last for up to 24 months. While opioids vary tremendously in strength, addictive potential, and other aspects, they tend to be very chemically similar and typically have similar effects. While opioids are considered extremely effective for treating pain, they are also some of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in the world.