1. Samantha Mohammad And Jack Utz
Depressants
Samantha Mohammad
And
Jack Utz

2. What Are Depressants?
These drugs “depress” the nervous system/lower activity
Examples: Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, alcohol, date-rape drugs, opiates, and more!
Sam

3. General Effects Sedation/drowsiness, lower anxiety
Lowers heart rate, blood pressure
Memory loss, disinhibition
Jack

4. Prescription Benzodiazepines
Xanax, Valium, Prosom

5. Structure Many different Benzos used clinically since 1960
Alter body’s natural GABA system
GABA
Benzodiazepine in Xanax

6. Legal Issues Benzodiazepines are not all Legal
Some are legal by Prescription (schedule IV)

7. Acute Effects Prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks
sense of calm, drowsiness, lower anxiety
Treat withdrawal from certain drugs (alcohol)
Insomnia/Anxiety
Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

8. Molecular Action Act at GABA (neurotransmitter) Receptors
Help GABA decrease brain activity

9. Drug Metabolism
Short Acting, Intermediate Acting, and Long-Acting Benzodiazepines
Pill Form, Crushing and snorting or Injection
Pill Form: .5-4 hours, max effect

10. Abuse and Overdose Benzodiazepines can cause overdose at high doses
overdose risk increases while using other depressants
Crushing pills for injection

11. Addiction and Withdrawal
Benzodiazepines are usually not prescribed for long periods of time
Benzodiazepine withdrawal: anxiety, insomnia, headache, drug craving…
Can be similar to Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
Insomnia/Anxiety

12. Addiction/Withdrawal Treatment
Slowly decrease dose
Polydrug Abuse
Counseling
12-Step Groups
Detoxification

13. Overdoses Michael Jackson Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger: oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine...xanax, valium, painkiller opioids. slept 2 hours a night
michael jackson: lorazepam and propofol
antihistamines can sometimes be sedative/CNS depressants

14. Alcohol
we are all FAMILIAR with alcohol

15. Structure + Legal Alcohol is a drug Legal - Not scheduled Ethanol
1920s passed prohibition
1930 repealed prohibition

16. Short-Term Effects Depend on several factors Unconsciousness Vomiting
Breathing difficulties
Impaired Judgement
Anemia
Coma
Blackouts
effects depend on how much you consume, age, sex, weight, genetics, etc.
also depends on how much you take
but at the end of the day the effects are the same
initially it effects people differently
but no one is immune to alcohol
everyone experiences alcohol effects the same - but at different rates depending on the factors listed above
messy drug - but this is the depressant part of it that happens at a certain dose - the effects are the same for everyone but

17. Long-Term Effects Alcoholism - disease High blood pressure
Alcohol poisoning
Ulcers
Liver Disease
Stroke
Cancer

18. Molecular Action Increases GABA Inhibits glutamate Increases dopamine
increases gaba which inhibits the brain
inhibits glutamate
like a stop sign in the brain that slows down activity
glutamate is a go sign, so the fewer go signals you have in your brain the slower it works
more dopamine = more reward

19. Some Brain Effects GABA - hippocampus - memory
Cerebellum - loss of balance

20. Withdrawal Dangerous! fever seizures heart disease death
like driving with a parking break on
you have to press harder to drive at a normal speed
if you take the breaks off, you’re now going way too fast
that causes things like seizures because you’re brain is sending way too many signals

21. Overdoses Amy Winehouse: fatal alcohol poisoning Jimi Hendrix:
mix of alcohol with prescription barbiturates

22. Treatment Alcoholics Anonymous Medication 12-step program
disulfiram (antabuse)
acamprosate (campral)
naltrexone (revia, depade, vivitrol)