Sedative

From Drug Rehab Wiki

A sedative is any drug used to induce sleep or lessen tension and anxiety. Sedatives produce a calming effect by depressing the central nervous system. Sedatives are not painkillers or mood boosters. Opiate drugs such as morphine and oxycodone are painkillers that can also produce feelings of euphoria and lessen levels of tension and anxiety. In other words, opiates can have sedative effects without being classed as sedatives.

Before the discovery of choral hydrate in 1869, the only drugs used as sedatives were alcohol and opium. Around 1910, scientists discovered Phenobarbital, which led to the discovery of a long series of other barbiturates that have sedative effects. At first these drugs were only used in large doses as sleeping pills. People who took them in smaller doses for anxiety tended to become addicted to them.

In the 1950s, scientists discovered the next variety of sedatives, called minor tranquilizers or benzodiazepines. These include trademarked brands like Librium, Valium, and Xanax, all used to treat anxiety. These are also addictive and should only be prescribed for short-term use.

Sedatives taken in large doses can cause death by disrupting the part of the brain that regulates breathing and circulation.

Misuse of sedatives leads to addiction. People in physical withdrawal from sedatives often experience symptoms such as restlessness, anxiety, weakness, insomnia, nausea, or even convulsions. For this reason, most who are chemically dependent on sedatives have to go through withdrawal under medically-supervised conditions. Since they usually have a psychological dependence on sedatives as well, they need to undergo therapy to learn better ways of coping with stress. Often there are undiagnosed psychological or mental problems, such as bipolar disorder or attention deficit disorder, that need to be addressed.