These are chemically different from other CNS depressants, but they work by stimulating the same inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. Most of these drugs cause some combination of drowsiness, muscle relaxation, and anxiety reduction. It can occur without addiction, but it often accompanies addiction.
Symptoms of Central Nervous System Depression
- Your nervous system uses chemical and electrical signals to send and relay messages throughout your body.
- 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.
- Because of the way that depressants affect brain chemistry and slow activity, withdrawal can be severe and sudden when an individual stops taking them.
Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Some types of CNS depressant can also have long-term effects, causing someone to have difficulty thinking, confusion, speech problems, loss of coordination, and muscle weakness. Tricyclic and tetracyclic (TCA) antidepressants can also intensify the effects of CNS depressants, especially drowsiness.
Medications, drugs, and other substances
These drugs are usually used to treat anxiety and insomnia or, when necessary, to cause the muscles to relax. In certain circumstances, these drugs may lead to depression symptoms. your guide to cocaine withdrawal symptoms and recovery Misuse can also happen if a person uses someone else’s medication, if they take more than the recommended dose, or if they use drugs that a doctor has not prescribed.
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All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice. The most important thing is to be honest with your prescriber regarding your symptoms, and to communicate honestly. Discuss treatment goals and alternatives to the use of opiates so that opiate use is limited. Overdoses of prescription painkillers in the U.S. is a growing problem, especially among women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Addiction to CNS depressants may see a person experience social and family problems, difficulty working, and an inability to function in daily. A person who wishes to stop using a CNS depressant may need to stop gradually to prevent adverse effects.
Due to the initial positive behavioral effects of alcohol, many people don’t realize that the substance is a CNS depressant. For example, when someone first begins to drink, he or she may feel less reserved and more relaxed because of the chemical changes alcohol causes within the brain. However, the more someone drinks, the more the brain is affected and the likelihood that a negative emotional response will take over.
They’ll decide if you need to be taken off the medication, switched to another form of the medication, or if your dosage needs to be adjusted. At high doses or when they are abused, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness or even death. Barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral) and pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), can be used to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders. Benzodiazepines are medications that make your nervous system less active. The decrease in nervous system activity makes these medications helpful for a variety of symptoms and conditions.
People who are planning to take sedatives should first ask a doctor for possible alternatives. Because their body has become used to the sedative’s effects, a person may also develop a tolerance to the drug or get a reduced effect from it. As a result, they may need higher doses to achieve the same initial effect. People taking sedatives who plan to become pregnant should talk with a doctor. Another 2019 study indicates that the use of antianxiety medications during early pregnancy increases the risk of preeclampsia and may also lead to preterm birth and a low birth weight.
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. Treatment for CNS depression or CNS depressant overdose depends on the substances involved. Some CNS depressants become less effective over time, so that a person may feel the need to take a larger dose. If they stop using the drug, the original symptoms can return more severely than before.
Contact your provider if you have a loss of sensation or movement of any area of the body while taking any medicine. The damage is caused by the toxic effect of certain is marijuana addictive medicines or illicit (street) drugs on the peripheral nerves. There may be damage to the axon part of the nerve cell, which interferes with nerve signals.
Sometimes called “benzos,” benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that are prescribed to treat anxiety, sleep disorders, convulsions, and other acute stress reactions. Benzodiazepines are highly effective in treating anxiety and insomnia due to the sleep-inducing, sedative, and muscle-relaxing properties. Barbiturates, or “downers,” are a type of CNS depressant that are prescribed to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders. Common barbiturates include Amytal, Luminal (phenobarbital), Mebaral, Nembutal, and Seconal. Barbiturates were previously regarded as a generally safe depressant, but problems with abuse, addiction, and overdose quickly became apparent after widespread prescription.
After detoxification, a patient will typically move onto a residential inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Often the abuse of barbiturates and benzodiazepines occurs in conjunction with the abuse of another substance or drug, such as alcohol or how to help an alcoholic in denial cocaine. In these cases, the treatment approach must address the multiple addictions. It is important to note that dependence does not only happen in people who misuse sedatives. It also affects people who take them exactly as the doctor prescribed.
Your healthcare provider can tell you more about what you can do to avoid dependence on these drugs or developing benzodiazepine use disorder. Depression of the central nervous system or CNS often occurs when a person misuses a substance that slows brain activity. Flumazenil is administered to people who are experiencing severe side effects from using Benzodiazepines. However, it’s a short-acting drug and might need to be administered several times before a person recovers.
Sonata and Ambien are two types of sleeping medication that are CNS depressants. Although they have a lower risk of dependency than other CNS depressants, long-term use may cause the condition. Because of the way that depressants affect brain chemistry and slow activity, withdrawal can be severe and sudden when an individual stops taking them.