Central nervous system (CNS)—the brain and spinal
cord—depressants slow down (or "depress") the normal activity
that goes on in the brain. Doctors often prescribe them for
people who are anxious or can't sleep. When taken as directed,
they can be safe and helpful. But when people take someone
else's prescription drugs or take the drugs for entertainment or
pleasure, they may experience dangerous consequences. CNS
depressants can be divided into three primary groups:
|Type||Conditions They Treat||Street Names| ||Barbs, reds, red
birds, phennies, tooies, yellows, or yellow jackets| ||Candy,
downers, sleeping pills, or tranks| ||A-minus or zombie pills|
CNS depressants usually come in pill or capsule form. A person
who abuses them might take a CNS depressant not prescribed for
them, take more than prescribed, or take them for reasons other
than prescribed. Sometimes people take CNS depressants with
other drugs or to counteract the effects of other drugs, such as
stimulants. Most CNS depressants affect the brain