Depressants

Stress and anxiety are common problems among people of all ages. To deal with these problems some turn towards depressant drugs. Depression of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and psychomotor activity uplifts a user’s sense of awareness and initial response, as well as puts them into a sleep-like state and creates a high potential for physical and psychological dependency.There are different forms of CNS depressants: sedative-hypnotic, narcotic analgesic, and alcohol. 

Sedative-hypnotic depressants include barbiturates, non-barbiturates hypnotics, anti-anxiety agents, and inhalants. Sedative-hypnotics are used in medicine to induce sleep, as a daytime sedation, to treatment of epileptic seizures, induction of anesthesia and as a pre-anesthetic medication before surgeries, also as a treatment for anxiety and neuroses. They are recreationally used to relieve anxiety and induce dis-inhibition or euphoria. Depressants, such as barbiturates do not decrease reaction to pain, they actually increase it. They may also cause lowered blood pressure, fatigue, dizziness, poor concentration, impaired coordination, confusion, impaired judgement and respiratory arrest, which may cause death. Barbiturates have a fatal dosage level in which the margin between an intoxicating dosage and fatal dosage becomes smaller with continual use. Physical and psychological dependency also develops with continual use.

 Non-barbiturate hypnotics may also relieve anxiety and induce euphoria in low doses; however they produce a greater loss of motor coordination. Anti-anxiety drugs closely resemble barbiturates in that they suppress anxiety, tension, behavioral excitement and insomnia. Inhalants are chemical vapors that are inhaled to induce a psychoactive or mind altering effect. Vapors are inhaled from lighter fluid, paint thinner, cleaning fluid, model airplane glue, propane tanks, and refrigerants.   “Inhalants produce a short-term euphoria followed by a period of disorientation, slurred speech, and drowsiness” (L.J. Siegel and B.C. Welsh, Juvenile Delinquency. 2009). The gases, once introduced to the body, act primarily to dilate blood vessels and relax muscles causing a dizzy state and can be accompanied by hallucinations. The most abused gas is nitrous oxide used in whipped cream cans. 

Narcotic analgesic are drugs that have the ability to reduce the feeling of pain without the loss of consciousness by producing an insensibility to external stimuli through the depression of the CNS. Some of the most common narcotic analgesics include opiates, opioids, morphine, codeine, and heroin. Opiates, morphine and codeine exert similar pain killing effect on the body. As other depressant they also cause a pleasurable or euphoric effect and withdrawals of the drugs are extremely uncomfortable. The most commonly used and dangerous narcotic in the United States is heroin (L.J. Siegel and B.C. Welsh, Juvenile Delinquency. 2009). Users experience relief from fear and apprehension, release of tension and elevation of spirits. The short period of euphoria is followed by a period of apathy, and user may nod off. Tolerance of heroin is quickly built and increased doses are needed to obtain the same desired effects. Long term effects of the drug can cause infection of the heart lining and valves and liver disease due to sharing of equipment or lack of sterile techniques. Other effects include kidney disease, pulmonary complications, skin infections, increase risk of contracting HIV. If addicts cannot get enough heroin to satisfy their habit, they will suffer withdrawal symptoms, which include irritability, depression, extreme nervousness, and nausea which can last up to a week ( L.J. Siegel and B.C. Welsh, Juvenile Delinquency. 2009). The most serious effect is death due to an overdose of the drug. 

The most common type of depressant is ethanol also known as alcohol. Ethanol acts as a mild tranquilizer to the CNS, such as a sedative, and is a neurotoxin that kills nerve cells throughout the body. Chronic alcohol abuse can cause severe, detrimental health problems such as alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and cancer. It can also cause damage to the CNS and respiratory system. Once in the bloodstream, alcohol circulates rapidly through the body and will be distributed to all parts of the body. Thereby damaging nearly every organ and system in the body and causing death. 

It is important to detect when one is under the influence of a depressant, especially narcotics, because long term use can result in death. As an intern at the Sacramento County Coroner Office, I was allowed to go to a death scene where a twenty-five year old male had taken prescription anti-anxiety pills along with heroin. He spent the night at his friend’s house, who did not know of the heroin use, and he died in his sleep that night. That is why it’s crucial to have an understanding of these drugs and how they affect individuals around us. 

Barbiturates

Heroin