depressant depressant depressants, or central depressants, are drugs that lower neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation in various areas of the brain. depressants are also colloquially referred to as "downers" as they lower the level of arousal when taken. stimulants, or "uppers," increase mental or physical function, hence the opposite drug class from depressants is stimulants, not antidepressants. not to be confused with depressogen. depressants are widely used throughout the world as prescription medicines and illicit substances. alcohol is a very prominent depressant. when depressants are used, effects often include ataxia, anxiolysis, pain relief, sedation or somnolence, cognitive or memory impairment, as well as in some instances, euphoria, dissociation, muscle relaxation, lowered blood pressure or heart rate, respiratory depression, and anticonvulsant effects. depressants also act to produce anesthesia. cannabis may sometimes be considered a depressant due to one of its components, cannabidiol. the latter is known to treat insomnia, anxiety, and muscle spasms similar to other depressive drugs. however, while tetrahydrocannabinol, another component, may slow brain function to a small degree while reducing reaction to stimuli, it is generally considered a stimulant and main psychoactive agent that can sometimes cause anxiety, panic, and psychosis instead. other depressants can include drugs like xanax (a benzodiazepine) and a number of opioids. gabapentinoids like gabapentin and baclofen are depressants and have anticonvulsant, and anxiolytic effects. most anticonvulsants like lamotrigine and phenytoin are depressants. carbamates (felbamate carisoprodol) are depressants that are similar to barbiturates. depressants exert their effects through a number of different pharmacological mechanisms, the most prominent of which include facilitation of gaba and inhibition of glutamatergic or monoaminergic activity. other examples are chemicals that modify the electrical signaling inside the body, the most prominent of which are bromides and channel blockers. indications depressants are used medicinally to relieve the following symptoms: anxiety disorders such as: generalized anxiety social anxiety panic attacks insomnia obsessive–compulsive disorder seizures convulsions depression pain types alcohol main articles: alcoholic beverage, ethanol, and blood alcohol content distilled (concentrated) alcoholic beverages, sometimes called "spirit" or "hard liquor", roughly eight times more alcoholic than beer an alcoholic beverage is a drink that contains alcohol (also known formally as ethanol), an anesthetic that has been used as a psychoactive drug for several millennia. ethanol is the oldest recreational drug still used by humans. ethanol can cause alcohol intoxication when consumed. alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes for taxation and regulation of production: beers, wines, and spirits (distilled beverages). they are legally consumed in most countries around the world. more than 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption. the most common way to measure intoxication for legal or medical purposes is through blood alcohol content (also called blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol level). it is usually expressed as a percentage of alcohol in the blood in units of mass of alcohol per volume of blood, or mass of alcohol per mass of blood, depending on the country. for instance, in north america a blood alcohol content of "0.10" or more correctly 0.10 g/dl means that there are 0.10 g of alcohol for every dl of blood (i.e., mass per volume is used there). barbiturates main article: barbiturate barbiturates are effective in relieving the conditions that they are designed to address (insomnia, seizures). they are also commonly used for unapproved purposes, are physically addictive, and have serious potential for overdose. in the late 1950s, when many thought that the social cost of barbiturates was beginning to outweigh the medical benefits, a serious search began for a replacement drug. most people still using barbiturates today do so in the prevention of seizures or in mild form for relief from the symptoms of migraines. benzodiazepines main article: benzodiazepine