Sedatives are a type of prescription medication that slows down your brain activity. They’re typically used to make you feel more relaxed.
Doctors commonly prescribe sedatives to treat conditions like anxiety and sleep disorders. They also use them as general anesthetics.
镇静剂是受控物质。这意味着他们的生产和销售受到监管。在美国，药物执法局（DEA）调节受控物质。在这些法规之外出售或使用它们是联邦犯罪。
Part of the reason sedatives are so heavily regulated is that they can be highly addictive. They can cause people to become dependent on them beyond their control.
It’s important to be careful when using these medications to avoid dependency and addiction. Don’t take them unless your doctor has prescribed them to you. Take them only as prescribed.
让我们进一步详细介绍它们的工作方式，使用它们的预防措施以及一些潜在的有害替代方案，您可能想尝试。
Sedatives work by modifying certain nerve communications in your central nervous system (CNS) to your brain. In this case, they relax your body by slowing down brain activity.
具体来说,镇静剂让the neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (
Here’s a a quick breakdown of the common types of sedatives. They’re allcontrolled substances.
苯二氮卓
Examples of drugs
- alprazolam (Xanax)
- lorazepam (Ativan)
- 地西ep（valium）
What they treat
- anxiety
- panic disorders
- sleep disorders
Barbiturates
Examples of drugs
- pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal)
- phenobarbital (Luminal)
What they treat
- used for anesthesia
Hypnotics (non-benzodiazepines)
Examples of drugs
- zolpidem (Ambien)
What they treat
- sleep disorders
Opioids/narcotics
Examples of drugs
- hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin)
- oxycodone (OxyContin)
- oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet)
What they treat
- 疼痛
镇静剂可以具有短期和长期副作用。
Some of the immediate side effects you might notice include:
- sleepiness
- 头晕
- blurred vision
- 无法看到深度或距离以及往常（感知受损）
- 对周围事物的反应时间较慢（反射受损）
- 呼吸较慢
- not feeling as much pain as usual (sometimes not even sharp or intense pain)
- 在集中或思考（认知受损）上遇到困难
- 说话更慢或说话
Long-term sedative use can lead to the following side effects:
- frequently forgetting or losing your memory (amnesia)
- symptoms ofdepression，例如疲劳，绝望的感觉或自杀思想
- mental health conditions, such asanxiety
- liver dysfunction or肝衰竭从组织损伤或过量
- 开发dependency on sedativesthat can lead to irreversible effects or和drawal symptoms, especially if you stop using them abruptly
Dependency develops when your body becomes physically dependent on the sedative and can’t function normally without it.
Signs of dependency
You may be experiencing dependency if you find yourself taking them regularly and feel you can’t stop taking them. This may be especially evident if you’re going beyond your prescribed dose or a safe amount.
当您需要更高剂量才能达到相同的效果时，依赖也变得明显。这意味着您的身体已经习惯了药物，并且需要更多的东西来实现所需的效果。
Withdrawal symptoms
Dependency tends to become most obvious if you experience withdrawal symptoms. This happens when your body responds to the absence of the sedatives with uncomfortable or painful physical and mental symptoms.
Common withdrawal symptoms include:
- increased anxiety
- irritability
- inability to sleep
在某些情况下，如果您的身体习惯了大量的镇静剂，并且可以“冷火鸡”而不会放松自己，那么您可能会生病或癫痫发作。
Dependence develops depending on your body’s tolerance to the drug. It can happen over a few months or as quickly as a few weeks or less.
老年人可能是
Recognizing dependence and withdrawal symptoms
Dependence can be hard to recognize. The clearest symptom is that you can’t stop thinking about taking the drug.
This may be clearer when you compulsively think about the medication when having any symptom related to the condition you’re using it to treat and think that using it is the only way you’ll be able to cope with it.
在这些情况下，当您意识到自己不能立即拥有它时，您的行为和情绪可能会立即发生变化（通常是负面的）。
Some of these symptoms, especially mood changes, can happen immediately.
Other symptoms point to withdrawal. These symptoms may appear several days or weeks after stopping use. Withdrawal symptoms can include:
- nausea
- 呕吐
- 失去意识
Opioid caution
Opioids are especially prone to becoming addictive and producing harmful symptoms that can lead to overdose. Thesesymptomsinclude:
- slowed or absent breathing
- slowed heart rate
- 极度疲劳
- small pupils
如果您或亲人使用阿片类药物时，请致电911或当地的紧急服务。阿片类药物过量有high risk of death.
在服用任何阿片类药物之前，请务必与您的医生交谈，以避免阿片类药物成瘾和过量的可能有害或致命的症状。
即使您正在服用医生规定的小剂量镇静剂，您仍然可以格外小心以确保保持安全：
- Avoid alcohol.Alcohol also works like a sedative, so drinking and taking a sedative at the same time can
复合效果 and lead to dangerous, life-threatening symptoms, such as loss of consciousness or stopping breathing. - Don’t mix sedatives together or with other medications that have similar effects.Mixing sedatives together or taking them with other medications that cause drowsiness, such as
抗组胺药 ，可能导致有害的副作用，甚至过量。 - 在不咨询医生的情况下，不要在怀孕时服用镇静剂。Sedatives in high doses
can harm a fetus unless taken in acontrolled medical environment. - Don’t smoke marijuana.Using marijuana may actually reduce the effects of sedatives, particularly ones used for anesthesia. A2019 study发现大麻使用者需要更高剂量的镇静剂来获得与不使用大麻的人相同的效果。
If you’re concerned about developing a dependency on sedative medications, talk to your doctor about alternatives.
Antidepressants, likeSSRIs，可以帮助治疗焦虑或恐慌症。Stress-reduction techniquescan also help, such as:
- exercise
- meditation
- aromatherapy和essential oils（尤其lavender)
练习良好的睡眠卫生是帮助管理睡眠障碍的另一种工具。去睡觉并同时醒来（即使在休假的日子）也不要使用接近就寝时间的电子设备。Here are 15 other tips to sleep well at night.
Talk to your doctor if you feel like you can’t stop yourself from using sedatives.
成瘾是一种脑部疾病。不要觉得您或亲人有成瘾的人或您自己或他人失败。
Reach out to one of the following resources for help and support:
- 致电药物滥用和心理健康服务管理局的国家热线索林at 800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential treatment referrals and information about addiction.
- Go to theSAMHSA网站在您附近找到成瘾治疗中心。
- Go to the National Institutes of Health’s
official website for tips and resources about drugs and addiction.
Your doctor may also be able to recommend an addiction counselor, therapist, or a treatment center that can address both the medical and psychiatric effects of addiction.
If you have concerns about any sedatives that your doctor prescribes, ask your doctor or pharmacist these questions:
- 它上瘾了吗？
- How much is too much of a dose?
- Are there any harmful side effects?
Having an open, honest conversation with an expert can help you feel more comfortable using them.
Sedatives are powerful. They lower brain activity and relax your mind.
它们可以有效治疗条件that make you feel overly wired, fearful, antsy, or tired, such as anxiety or sleep disorders. But they can also become addictive, especially if they’re misused.
Talk to your doctor before you start taking sedatives and be sure to follow their directions.
Help is available in many forms if you’re concerned about an addiction to sedatives. Don’t hesitate to reach out.