This same mechanism is also thought to be the cause behind alprazolam’s strong rebound hyperadrenergic effects with cessation 54,55. Many drug therapies have been suggested as treatment for alprazolam withdrawal with few rendered effective. CNS depressants are often prescribed to treat conditions related to stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and seizures. These medications can be safe and effective, but they do have a risk for tolerance, dependence, and overdose. These drugs are used to treat pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and stress. Your central nervous system is made up of your brain and spinal cord and controls functions like your blood circulation and digestion.
Additionally, during captodiamine treatment, psychomotor function improved in all areas tested from beginning to end of treatment 70. It must be noted that these patients were taking relatively low doses of BZD pre-treatment 70. Captodiamine is showing promise as a potential medication for the management of BZD withdrawal syndrome; however, more research needs to be performed on the side effects and safety profile of the drug. Many clinical studies have been conducted to assess the severity and treatment of withdrawal systems, while others assess more long-term effects of chronic BZD use.
Central Nervous System Depressant Withdrawal
Because of their ability to relieve physical stress and anxiety and promote relaxation, doctors may also prescribe sedatives to people with insomnia, anxiety disorders, and muscle spasms. Depressants can also lead to overdose if too much of the substance is taken or it is combined with another substance. When people overdose on depressants, their breathing slows or even stops. A third class of CNS depressants is sedative-hypnotics which are not benzodiazepines. They include sleep-promoting drugs such as Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone), and Sonata (zaleplon).
Who Should Take Depressants?
When your doctor prescribes a medication, make sure you understand its purpose and how long you’re expected to take it. Mixing alcohol with other CNS depressants magnifies their impact and in many instances can be fatal. But if it slows down too much, it can quickly become a life-threatening event. If you or someone can i drink alcohol while taking levaquin you know is misusing CNS depressants, help is available.
- These drugs are designed to specifically treat insomnia and other sleep disorders.
- Addiction to CNS depressants may see a person experience social and family problems, difficulty working, and an inability to function in daily.
- Sometimes called “benzos,” benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that are prescribed to treat anxiety, sleep disorders, convulsions, and other acute stress reactions.
- Several substances can depress the CNS, ranging from anti-anxiety and sleep medications to so-called recreational drugs, such as heroin.
- Given concerns for use dependence and withdrawal, SSRIs and antidepressants have been made mainstay therapy for these conditions.
- However, given their delayed onset of action, BZDs continue to be widely prescribed for these illnesses 12.
Barbiturates
Any event that causes decreased blood flow and oxygen to the brain, such as a severe heart attack can also lead to CNS depression. These are sometimes prescribed prior to surgery to you help relax during the procedure. Because they’re so powerful, they currently aren’t prescribed for things like anxiety and insomnia as much as they used to be. A study analyzing over 1000 cases of oxycodone-related drug abuse deaths showed that BZDs are among the most abused drugs by individuals using multiple drugs of abuse. The study showed that in oxycodone users, combination use with diazepam was the most prevalent 44. This was further supported by data from Rooney et al. which reported that 54% of abusers of oxycodone are also dependent on a BZD 45.
Sometimes, a person may not realize they are at risk of an overdose, such as when they use opioid pain relief medication and then drink alcohol. Depression of the central nervous system or CNS often occurs when a person misuses a substance that slows brain activity. Alcohol is another potent depressant that may interact with and increase the effects of sedatives, causing increased sedation and more significant impairment. The effects could slow down or even stop a person’s breathing and heart function.
The elderly are at an increased risk of experiencing both short- and long-term adverse effects. Sedatives, or central nervous system depressants, are a group of drugs that slow brain activity. The antiepileptic oxcarbazepine has also shown potential to ameliorate withdrawal cymbalta alcohol symptoms more than older-generation antiepileptics such as carbamazepine 71. Oxcarbazepine has a better side effect profile and is a more tolerable anticonvulsant than older antiepileptic drugs 71.
Recreational use can be illegal and dangerous, as people may not understand the risks of misuse. If someone develops a dependence on a drug, they may experience withdrawal if they stop taking it. Dependence means that a person needs to keep taking the medication to avoid experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. If overdose is suspected, call 911 or seek immediate medical attention.
There is room in the research body for further exploration into alternative methods of treating withdrawal that does not include the BZD itself. This call to action proves especially relevant, as those seeking treatment for BZD dependence and withdrawal are on the rise in the United can alcoholism cause narcissism States 3. Many studies have examined the effects of benzodiazepines on cognition with varied results. Some of the variations in results may be attributed to cognitive criteria in which each study followed. In a prospective longitudinal study on the effects of psychotropic drugs in the cognition of the elderly, Allard et al. 19 found no significant long-term effect of BZD use on cognition.