- Mar 6
- Drug Addiction Treatment
What Are Barbiturates?
Barbiturates are central nervous symptom depressants used as a treatment for sleep-related disorders, anxiety and seizure disorders. These drugs were commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s but were superseded by benzodiazepines, which is a safer option, due to increased cases of overdose and dependency issues.
Barbiturates are harmless when taken in the prescribed amount. However, it’s tough to tell the difference between the right dose and an overdose, making benzodiazepines easy to overdose on and, therefore, dangerous.
Barbiturates can be taken orally in the form of pills or liquid, or be injected directly into the veins. Some users prefer crushing the pills and snorting them.
Barbiturates have several street names, including Downers, Barbs, Red, Phennies, Blockbuster, Pinks, Gorilla Pills, and Blues, among others.
Symptoms of Barbiturates Addiction
Barbiturates are brain relaxers, just like alcohol, and they have similar effects. They depress the central nervous system, leading to a reduction in heart rate. Other drugs with similar effects include sleeping pills, opiates and pain relievers.
The symptoms of a barbiturates addiction include:
- Memory loss
- Slurred speech
- Faulty judgment
- Mood swings
- Poor concentration
- Feelings of drowsiness
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Poor coordination
- Cardiovascular shock
Withdrawal Effects From Barbiturates and Treatment Options
Barbiturates work by dissolving in fatty tissues. Thus, they stay in one’s system for an extended period, making it easy to crave more. The increased craving makes the drug very addictive. Once one has developed dependence, it becomes hard to stop due to its withdrawal effects.
Withdrawal effects from barbiturate dependence are hazardous and may require intervention. Depending on the extent of use, the consequences can be mild but can progress very quickly and might become life-threatening in a short period. An experienced and well-trained medical staff must treat withdrawal from Barbiturates. Failure to do so can lead to sudden death.
Due to the high risks of complications associated with Barbiturates, detox treatment is always managed in an inpatient setting where one can be medically supervised. Detoxification helps remove harmful chemicals from the body and resets one’s health to its initial state before the barbiturate abuse occurred.
Before detox, outpatients must be tested for other drugs that they might have used together with barbiturates. The detox treatment you receive depends on the level of dependency, length of time of use, and the withdrawal symptoms you’re experiencing.
Some of its withdrawal effects include:
- Sleeping disorders
- Seizures
- Coma
- Hallucination
- Tremors in muscle groups
- Respiratory depression and arrest
The detoxification process may require up to 14 days to ensure these withdrawal symptoms subside.
Get Help for Barbiturates Addiction Immediately
Dependence on barbiturates can be dangerous and the withdrawal effects are life-threatening. If you or your loved one is struggling with barbiturates addiction, you need to get help immediately from experts.
At Gateway, we take pride in providing a full continuum of care for people struggling with barbiturate addiction. We work with our patients from the start to the end of their journey. Call us at 877.379.6911 so we can help you fight off barbiturate addiction safely.
