Drug Depressants: Slowing Down the Body Process - Research Paper

Introduction

Drug depressants are drugs that affect the activity of the central nervous system inhibiting their normal functioning, and thus their ability to transmit and react to stimuli. They are known to slow down the body process instead of heightening or speeding them. A person who takes them will start developing slow brain processes and activity, low blood pressure, breathing rate, and heartbeat (Pfaus, et al., 2010). There are several drug depressants used with people globally for different purposes. Drug depressants are also known as downers and come in various forms and colors and mediums. Some are n liquid form, some solids; some are smoked, some in powder form, and others in capsules form.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Drug depressants can be grouped into several categories depending on their effect on the individual using them. There are those drugs that are intended to lower and reduce the symptoms associated with mental illnesses. They are known as antipsychotics or major tranquilizers. They include Seroquel, Zyprexa, and Haldol (Moody, 2012). We also have benzos where Halcion, Xanax, Klonopin, and Librium. Others are categorized as sleeping pills and sedatives, where we have Numbutal, Ambytal, and Seconal. There also other forms of drug depressants, which are common among many people. They include alcoholic drugs and others in the same category. These drugs, apart from being used as sedatives and for the general health reasons, abusing them have proven to cause problems, as illustrated by the paragraphs below.

The lows of drug depressants can be grouped into two; long term and short term. Short term effects can be treated if dealt with at an early stage, while long term effects will need a lot more care and action before they can be treated eventually. Some of the short term effects of drug depressants, as mentioned above, is a slow brain function, slowed pulse, and lowered blood pressure. The use of drug depressants affects the nervous system whose main task is the reception of stimuli and coordination of responses to these stimuli through the brain (Dassanayake, et al., 2012). Using drug depressants slows down the functions of the integral body system. Consequently, the heart is affected too, and hence the blood pressure is lowered. Low blood pressure means that lesser blood is flowing to the vital body parts like the lungs reducing the breathing rate too. If left to persist, these effects can cause death.

Other short term effects of drug depressants are confusion, poor concentration, fatigue, and sluggishness. The use of drug depressants causes an individual to lose their guard and attention in doing their things, for instance, in a classroom or in when undertaking an activity. The reason behind that is the effect of the depressants on the brain, making the person lose concentration (Hart, et al., 2013). Consequently, the individual gets confused, doing simple exercises. From the confusion, they are prone to make mistakes that might cost them in their lives. In addition to confusion and poor concentration, the individual gets tired quickly due to fatigue and is sluggish in their actions. The fatigue can be explained from the low blood pressure where lesser oxygen does not reach the muscles in time, resulting in feelings of being tired.

The long term effects of drug depressants include growth intolerance levels to the drugs. The increased tolerance to drug depressants results from the continuous use of the drugs where the individual cannot be satisfied with the initial dosage of the drugs and requires more. Tolerance to drug depressants results in large intakes of the drugs, consequently increasing their concentrations in the body and the blood system. The individual may end up staying in a coma as the increased levels of the depressants might hinder the flow of blood and oxygen to the vital body organs hence causing them to shut down. It may lead to eventual death if the individual is not given medical attention on time.

From the short term effects explained in the paragraphs above, some of the impacts may grow and become chronic, for instance, chronic fatigue and breathing difficulties. The individual appears to be tired now and then because of the deprivation of oxygen to the muscles of the body. There are minimal amounts of oxygen getting to the flesh, and after respiration, there is no way to remove the waste. The individual thus experiences chronic fatigue. Breathing problems may also develop from short term breathing difficulties. In addition, to the fatigue and breathing problems, drug depressants tolerant people face sleep problems as they find it so hard to stop.

Apart from the effect mentioned above, there are also cases of depression, high blood sugar levels, and diabetes (Diller, et al., 2016). Studies have shown that there is a small percentage of people who get depression from the abuse of drug depressants. As a result of the low blood pressure, somebody may also develop higher blood sugar levels leading to diabetes. Studies have also shown that there are people who become obese due to the abuse of drug depressants. From the effects explained in the paragraphs above, it is vital that one uses drug depressants appropriately and for their intended purpose to avoid the said effects which are detrimental to life.

References

Dassanayake, T. L., Michie, P. T., Jones, A., Carter, G., Mallard, T., & Whyte, I. (2012). Cognitive impairment in patients clinically recovered from central nervous system depressant drug overdose. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 32(4), 503-510.

Diller, G. P., Brautigam, A., Kempny, A., Uebing, A., Alonso-Gonzalez, R., Swan, L., ... & Gatzoulis, M. A. (2016). Depression requiring anti-depressant drug therapy in adult congenital heart disease: prevalence, risk factors, and prognostic value. European heart journal, 37(9), 771-782.

Hart, C. L., Ksir, C., & Ray, O. S. (2013). Drugs, society & human behavior (p. 496). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Moody, D. E. (2012). Drug interactions with benzodiazepines: epidemiologic correlates with other CNS depressants and in vitro correlates with inhibitors and inducers of cytochrome P450 3A4. In Handbook of Drug Interactions (pp. 25-116). Humana Press.

Pfaus, J. G., Wilkins, M. F., DiPietro, N., Benibgui, M., Toledano, R., Rowe, A., & Couch, M. C. (2010). Inhibitory and disinhibitory effects of psychomotor stimulants and depressants on the sexual behavior of male and female rats. Hormones and Behavior, 58(1), 163-176.