Reaction Paper to Chapter 6: Sedative-Hypnotics: the Other Depressants

Rachel Johnson Chemical Dependence: chapter reaction paper 10/24/12 (due 10/23) Chapter 6: Sedative-Hypnotics: The Other Depressants Brief Summary This chapter described sedative-hypnotics. They were said to be depressants to the central nervous system that produce a calming effect and cause sleep. This category of drug is abused because it produces pleasurable responses and because it gives a feeling of relief from stress and worry. The chapter goes into detail explaining barbiturates and how they work, and specific barbiturates that have been popularly abused in the past.

This chapter also explains how some sedative-hypnotics have been found to be physically addictive while others have not. Different types of tranquilizers are described, along with others antianxiety medications and these are both explained as being drugs that people abuse and become dependent upon. Categories of inhalants including aerosols are also discussed and described as not being physically addictive, but creating of a drunken-like state such as is obtained from alcohol use when they are abused.

What was learned In reading this chapter I learned which drugs are included in the category of those that produce sedative-hypnotic effects. I also learned about many products that are not intended for ingestion that are used as drugs such as aerosols and commercials solvents, which produce sedative-hypnotic effects. Because many sedative-hypnotic drugs are used and abused by people to produce sleep, this chapter taught me alternatives that are healthier for getting to sleep that do not involve any drug intake.

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Overall I also learned how these types of drugs are different from other types and what separates sedative-hypnotics into their own category. Personal insights This was another overwhelming chapter for me because I did not even really have a grasp that this was a category of drugs before reading the chapter. Now I have a better-rounded grasp of what substances are included in the world of abused drugs.

I feel frustration after reading this chapter because it added so many more types of drugs and substances that are abused to how many I have already found out about so far, and I don’t feel like I will ever be able to keep all the differences between categories and individual drugs straight. How this chapter helped me in learning to understand the disease of addiction The biggest thing I took away from this chapter that helps me to understand the disease of addiction is that not all abused substances are addictive in every way.

Some drugs/substances are not physically addictive, but they can still be abused because of the good feelings obtained through their use. This is true for aerosols and commercial solvents; no physical dependence has been found to these substances when abused, but they are continuously abused by people because of the feelings of euphoria they can produce. So I understand better that some abused substances do not produce physical addiction, but are still abused and still have very dangerous effects.

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