Barbituates & Benzodiazepines

• Used therapeutically to produce sedation, induce sleep, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and prevent seizures
• Hypnotic in high doses, sedative in low doses
• Can cause headaches, irritability, confusion, memory impairment, amnesia, hostility, depression, vivid or disturbing dreams, irritability, reduced inhibition, & impaired judgment
• Can be lethal when used with alcohol or other drugs
• Often abused by addicts of other narcotics
• Addictive, causes withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, tremor, weakness, and sometimes seizure and delirium (from higher doses)
• Withdrawal from these depressants can be life-threatening
• SOMA and VERSED are the two prescription medications most commonly used as predatorial drugs!

Common prescription anti-anxiety and sleep medications

Barbituates		Benzodiazephines
Aluratec Amyta Brevisol Butisol Fiorina Lotusate	Luminal Mebaral Nembutal Pentothal Secondal Surrital	Ativan Centrax Dalmane Doral Halcion Klonopin Lexstan	Librium Mogadon Paxipam ProSom Restoril Rivotril Serax	Soma Tranxene Valium Versed Xanax

Additional Resources

• NIDA InfoSheet: Pain Medications and Other Prescription Drugs
• Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction
• RXList: Information on Specific Prescription Medications