What are Tranquilizers?

Overview

Tranquilizers are a prescription drug that is usually classified as a benzodiazepine. The common prescription medications that can be considered tranquilizers are: Xanax, Valium, Quaalude, and Nembutal. They are usually prescribed for acute anxiety, stress, or for sleep disorders. They have a valid medical purpose when taken by prescription. Unfortunately some people abuse prescription tranquilizers.

Abuse of prescription tranquilizers is actually more common than many people would believe. It often starts with teenagers obtaining the pills from their parents medicine cabinet and quickly becomes a problem.

Most commonly tranquilizers come in pill form, but occasionally a liquid is prescribed. When tranquilizers are abused the user will often chew the tablet or allow it to dissolve under the tongue in order to feel the effect more quickly.

Tranquilizers are abused primarily because they cause the user to experience feelings of euphoria, calm, relaxation, and a lessening of stress. When tranquilizers are taken in higher doses the user will experience feelings similar to those of being intoxicated including, slurred speech, unsteady gait, and lowering of inhibition.

Tranquilizers Side Effects

• Excessive Sleepiness
• Respiratory Distress
• Memory Impairment
• Disorientation
• Fatigue
• Withdrawal Seizures
• Paranoia and Suicidal Ideation

Tranquilizers Addiction

Tranquilizers are addictive which means more of the same drug needs to be taken to reach the same highs previously attained. This addictive property is especially dangerous when tranquilizers are involved because respiratory distress can occur. Respiratory distress can have many dangerous outcomes up to and including death. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration more than 30,000 people were seen in emergency rooms for tranquilizer overdoses, either accidental or intentional.

Tranquilizer Treatment

There are facilities that specialize in treating people who have become addicted to tranquilizers. It is recommended to detox in a hospital when coming off of a tranquilizer addiction because the side effects of getting clean can be complicated. They include seizures, heart attack, and suicidal tendencies.

The most common method of getting someone off of tranquilizers is to taper them off the drug. This means that a little bit less of the drug is given each day until the body no longer requires the tranquilizer.

Behavioral therapy and twelve step programs are used in conjunction with the tapering method to address the psychological addiction to the drug.

Tranquilizer Links

If you would life more information regarding tranquilizer use, treatment options, or statistics please feel free to visit the following web sites:

http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/Drug_Guide/Prescription_Sedatives_Tranquilizers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranquilizers