Originally manufactured as anti-anxiety medications, depressants are often abused or used illegally, according to the Nemours Foundation. Depressants go by numerous street names, such as ludes, downers, jackets, goofballs and barbs. By decreasing the activity in the central nervous system (CNS), depressants cause the user to feel relaxed or sleepy. These medications can cause serious problems for the user, such as a coma or death, when combined with alcohol or if too much is taken.
Types of Depressants
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) states that depressants can be divided into five major groups: barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methaqualone, chloral hydrate and glutethimide. Barbiturates are sedative-hypnotics, meaning that they treat both anxiety and insomnia; methaqualone, chloral hydrate and glutethimide work in a similar manner, with glutethimide first introduced as an alternative to barbiturates. Benzodiazepines, another type of depressant, are also called tranquilizers. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes that two illegal depressants, flunitrazepam and gamma hydrobutyrate (or GHB), are used in sexual assaults.
Dependency
A person can become dependent on depressants either on a physical or psychological level. If it is a physical dependency, the user needs the drug to function; if it is a psychological dependency, the user becomes addicted to the relaxing effects of the drug. SAMHSA notes that depressants have a high or moderate level of dependency. Barbiturates, methaqualone, benzodiazepines and glutethimide have a high physical dependency, while chloral hydrate has a moderate physical dependency. Methaqualone and benzodiazepines also have a high psychological dependency, and barbiturates, chloral hydrate and glutethimide have a moderate psychological dependency.
Mechanism
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that depressants act on the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and when its receptor is activated by the drug, the neurotransmitter decreases the brain's activity. As a result, depressants result in sedating or relaxing effects.
Effects of Drugs
Depressants can cause both short-term and long-term effects from use. In the short term, depressants can result in slurred speech, fatigue, and impaired judgment and memory. These medications can also cause lower blood pressure as well as slowed pulse and breathing in the user. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes that depressants have serious long-term effects. These include addiction, chronic sleep problems, respiratory depression, impaired sexual function and even death.
Signs of Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms are possible when a user stops using a depressant. Common signs include a decreased appetite, muscle tremors, insomnia and anxiety. The SAMHSA notes that when a patient stops using the drug suddenly or goes from a high dosage to a significantly lower dose, the person can experience delirium, convulsions or death.
