What are sedatives?
Sedatives are drugs that slow down the body’s functions. Other terms for these drugs are tranquilizers or sleeping pills. They are used to calm anxiety or to help you sleep. At high doses, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness and death. There are 2 main kinds of sedatives: benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Barbiturates are rarely prescribed these days. Examples of barbiturates are secobarbital (Seconal) and pentobarbital (Nembutal). Accidental deaths sometimes occur when a user takes one dose, becomes confused, and unintentionally takes more. With barbiturates, there is little difference between the amount that helps you sleep and the amount that kills. Diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clonazepam (Klonopin), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and clorazepate (Tranxene) are examples of benzodiazepines. All of these drugs can be dangerous when they are not taken according to a healthcare provider’s instructions and especially if taken with alcohol.
