What is substance abuse of depressants?

Substance abuse of depressants is the overuse or misuse of legal drugs, including alcohol, that calm you or help you sleep. This topic focuses on the treatment of overdose of such drugs, excluding alcohol.

Depressants are drugs that cause sedation by depressing the central nervous system. They include tranquilizers, antianxiety drugs, and sleeping pills. The most common sedatives are benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and hypnotic agents. The depressants abused the most are short-acting barbiturates, such as amobarbital, pentobarbital, and secobarbital.

How does it occur?

Intentional abuse occurs when you knowingly take these drugs without a prescription or increase the dosage or frequency without medical supervision.

Unintentional abuse can occur if you forget easily and do not have a careful system for tracking how much and how often you take the drugs.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of acute intoxication from depressants include:

• drowsiness and sleep

• slowed or slurred speech

• impaired memory and ability to think

• lack of inhibition, or saying or doing something that ordinarily would be embarrassing

• physical instability or difficulty standing or walking

• disorientation

• mood changes

• blurred vision.

Signs and symptoms of an overdose can include:

• respiratory depression (reduced ability to breathe)

• severe hypotension (low blood pressure)

• decreased gastrointestinal activity

• stupor

• shock syndrome

• coma

• death.

How is it diagnosed?

The doctor will talk with you, look at your medical history, and examine you. Remember, the doctor is there to help you with a difficult problem. However, to get this help you need to discuss your behavior as accurately as possible. The doctor may order lab tests.

Sometimes an EEG (electroencephalogram) is done to help in diagnosis. An EEG is a painless procedure for recording the electrical impulses of the brain. In this procedure, electrodes are placed on your head and attached to a device that records these impulses.

How is an acute overdose of depressants treated?

First the doctor will place you under constant monitoring until the dangers of respiratory failure and circulatory depression are over. Treatment may involve the following:

• induced vomiting

• gastric lavage (washing out the stomach)

• charcoal to absorb the drug

• medication to help eliminate the drug through the bowels

• a diuretic to empty the bladder of urine

• intravenous (into the vein) fluid replacement

• psychiatric care for suicidal persons.

If your case is severe, you will be put on a respirator to assist your breathing and a dialysis machine to remove unwanted substances from your blood.

How is abuse of depressants treated?

You need to be withdrawn gradually from the depressants. Withdrawal from depressants is a dangerous process and must be done gradually. The most dangerous depressants are barbiturates, glutethimide, ethchlorvynol, methyprylon, and methaqualone. Withdrawal is more serious in short-acting barbiturates than in long-acting benzodiazepines. If the drug is withdrawn too quickly, seizures may occur.

The symptoms of withdrawal from short-acting barbiturates include:

• restlessness and nervousness

• tremors

• anxiety

• intolerance to noise and light

• weak muscles

• orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when standing quickly)

• delirium with hallucinations, disorientation, and paranoia

• generalized seizures.

Withdrawal from long-acting depressants involves a longer period of time and milder symptoms.

Gradual withdrawal from depressants is necessary to prevent seizures. The doctor will give you benzodiazepines for gradual withdrawal. Gradually, the doctor will decrease the amount.

Psychotherapy is an essential part of treatment. It can begin before your withdrawal is complete. The purpose of therapy is to examine the long-term problems that caused the substance abuse and to improve your self-esteem and enjoyment of life without drugs.

How long will the effects last?

The effects of depressants will last as long as you have medication in your system. The length of withdrawal depends on the extent and duration of the substance abuse.

The tendency toward substance abuse will probably be with you for life. You should be aware of this problem and avoid depressants and possibly other addictive substances as well.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow the treatment prescribed by your doctor, including any counseling and follow-up programs that are recommended.

In addition, consider making the following lifestyle changes to be more healthy:

• Exercise 20 minutes three or four times a week.

• Eat balanced, nutritious meals.

• Reduce your use of coffee and alcohol.

• Sleep 6 to 8 hours per night.

• Participate in recreational activities once or twice a week or more.

• Take up hobbies.

• Listen to music.

• Do daily progressive relaxation exercises and frequent mental imaging of positive life experiences.

• Do diaphragmatic breathing exercises during stressful times.

• Talk with friends and use other support systems.

• Seek professional help for talking through anxiety and developing positive coping methods.

• Develop and maintain an attitude that things will work out.

• Ask for assistance at home and work when the load is too great to handle.

How can I help prevent abuse of depressants?

Avoid taking drugs unless they are prescribed by a reputable doctor and you can be sure of the dosage and frequency prescribed. Also, avoid social situations in which drugs are used. Avoid alcohol because it may lower your inhibitions and lead to use of other drugs or to increased anxiety and depression.