Types of Depressants

Barbiturates are one of the two major types of depressant drugs. Barbiturates are not natural drugs; they are made up of different chemical compounds and produced in laboratories. The term barbiturate refers to all drugs that are made from barbituric acid. In 1862, Adolf von Baeyer created the first barbiturate by combining animal urine and acid from apples. Barbiturates were very popular in the early 1900s. Since then, more than 2,000 different types of barbiturates have been created, but only a dozen types are commonly used today. The primary difference between these types is the spectrum of depression that they produce in the body's central nervous system and how quickly they take effect. They are classified as ultra-short, short, immediate, and long-lasting.

Barbiturates, often called sleeping pills, usually come in powder form or as pills or capsules. They may be swallowed or injected and are known on the street as downers or barbs. Many brands get their street names because of their colors. Nembutal pills are known as yellow jackets. Seconal pills are called red birds or red devils, and Tuinal pills are known as rainbows or reds and blues. Barbiturates may also be referred to as goofballs, blockbusters, pinks, or Christmas trees.

SYMPTOMS OF BARBITURATE ABUSE:

• Slurred speech
• Shallow breathing
• Sluggishness
• Fatigue
• Disorientation
• Lack of coordination
• Dilated pupils

Because of the relaxing effects of barbiturates, these drugs have been popular in the past and continue to be used and sold on the street today. However, what teens may not be aware of is that barbiturate use can lead to excessive sedation, coma, brain death, and bodily death. This may be confusing to some because, in higher doses, barbiturates often mimic the actions of stimulants. If taken in spurts, barbiturates often can decrease a person's social inhibitions in the same way that alcohol seems to make people “happy.” In the abusive stages of barbiturate use, the body's tolerance to the drug is so high that the “effective” dose is very close to a lethal (deadly) dose.

Until the 1960s, barbiturates were used safely by many people to treat anxiety disorders. (An anxiety disorder causes someone to feel restless and tense.) Often, this anxiety causes sleeplessness. But, doctors became concerned about a number of their patients who were becoming addicted to barbiturates. Some people were becoming addicted after having a legal prescription for the drug. They began by using the depressant in a responsible way, but then became addicted to it. Others became addicted from illegal abuse of barbiturates. Even though overdose resulted in many deaths and led doctors to research a safer type of medication, barbiturates are still widely used in suicides.

Other research suggests that barbiturate users are in danger of automatism—the act of taking a dose of the drug, becoming sleepy and forgetful, and then taking yet another dose. Automatism can be deadly.

The combination of barbiturates and alcohol is also extremely risky because the liver must detoxify both substances at the same time. This buildup of toxins in the liver could result in liver failure and death. Today, barbiturates are mostly used for medical reasons other than anxiety disorders and insomnia. They act as an anesthetic (painkiller) in surgical procedures. They can also prevent epileptic seizures.