Why Are Depressants Addictive?

Depressants are any substance, natural or chemical, that depresses the abilities of the central nervous system to cooperate correctly. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the use of depressants can cause tiredness, lethargy and, in high enough doses, intoxication.

Types

• The most commonly used depressant in the U.S. is alcohol, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Other commonly abused depressants include benzodiazapines, barbiturates and opiates (such as heroin or OxyContin).

Euphoria

• One of the most common reason for depressant addiction is the feeling of euphoria that can occur with use. For example, when a user takes heroin, it is quickly transformed into morphine. The moprhine is then able to bind to opiate receptors, causing an intense pleasurable euphoric rush.

Pain Reduction

• Many downers also work as anesthetics, or pain relievers. This makes drugs such as OxyContin, popular drugs for abuse due to their abilities to numb pain.

Inhibition

• Those with confidence issues (whether real or percieved) may also turn to downers to help overcome inhibition. According to the Anxiety Disorder Association of America, this is most popular with those who abuse alcohol. This makes the downer psychologically addicting, with the addict using the substance to cure anxiety or stress.

Dangers

• Because downers are central nervous system depressants, they can also be quite lethal, and easy to overdose on. The more CNS depressants that are introduced into the bloodstream, the more they have an affect on the operations of the body. Functions such as breathing and heart rate depend on the CNS to operate correctly. If the rate of these functions drop too low, death can occur.