What are depressants?

Depressants are drugs that slow down the normal function of the central nervous system (CNS) and suppress the neural activities in the brain. Depressants work by affecting the part of the brain that controls a persons bodily functions like breathing and heartbeat. Depressants affect each person differently; response times to depressants can range from immediate to several hours.

Examples of depressants are alcohol, marijuana, inhalants and prescription drugs. The prescription drugs that affect the central nervous system are also referred to as downers, sedatives, hypnotics, minor tranquilizers, and anxiolytics or anti-anxiety medications.

Why do people take depressants?

Depressants are prescribed by doctors to tranquilize and/or relieve anxiety, irritability, and tension; some may also be used to sedate or induce sleep.

Types of depressants:

Barbiturates
Aprobarbital >> Alurate
Amobarbital >> Amytal
Amylbarbial & Secobarbital >> Tuinal
Butabarbital >> Buticaps, Butisol, Butalan
Butarlbital >> Esgic, Fiorinal
Hexobarbital >> Sombulex
Pentobarbital >> Nembutal
Phenobarbital >> Solfoton
Secobarbital >> Seconal
Thiopental >> Pentothal

Benzodiazepines:

Alprazolam >> Xanax
Chlorazepate >> Tranxene
Chlordiazepoxide >> Librium
Clonazepam >> Klonopin
Diazepam >> Valium, Ducene
Flunitrazepam >> Rohypnol
Flurazepam >> Dalamane
Halazepam >> Paxipam
Lorazepan >> Ativan
Nitrazepam >> Alodorm, Mogadon
Oxazepam >> Alepam, Murelax, Serepax
Prazepam >> Centrax
Quazepam >> Doral
Temazepam >> Euhypnos, Normison, Restoril
Triazolam >> Halciom

Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
Gamma butyrolactone (GBL)
and 1,4-butanediol are GHB analogues