Non-Benzodiazepines
Found in this category are all other drugs but xanax: Ambien (zolpidem), Atarax or Vistaril (hydroxyzine), Amy tal (amobarbital), Butisol (butabarbital), Mebaral (Mephobarbital), Nembutal (pentobarbital), phenobarbital (generic), Seconal (secobarbital), and beta-adrenergic blockers (or, beta blockers), including Inderal (propranolol) and Tenormin (atenolol), BuSpar (buspirone), Miltown (meprobamate), and Trancopel (chlormezanone). Ambien, a sleep aid, can cause drowsiness, confusion, awkward gait, headache, nausea, fatigue (including dizziness and lack of coordination leading to falls), psychosis, hallucinations, nightmares, sensory disturbances, memory problems, and bizarre or dangerous behavior.
Atarax and Vistaril have antihistamine and sedative qualities. Barbiturates (Amy tal, Butisol, Mebaral, Nembutal, phenobarbital and Seconal) are prescribed to induce sleep and reduce anxiety. They are highly addictive and can produce toxic symptoms comparable to alcohol, including sedation, dizziness or light-headedness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle cramps, slurred speech, poor judgment, clumsiness, and hangovers. They can also produce the opposite of what is wanted, namely hallucination, depression, excitement, hyperactivity, and aggression. Research has shown that phenobarbital can reduce IQ measurably.
Audrey, nineteen, a college student, went to the college health service because she was so anxious about taking tests and feared she wasn’t going to be able to stay in school. Seconal was prescribed to help her sleep and reduce her anxiety. Three days later, the college police picked her up on the road for acting confused, having slurred speech, and being unable to walk in a straight line. Beta blockers block muscular manifestations of anxiety, but may not reduce the internal experience of anxiety. They may be given in a single dose to relieve severe physical symptoms before a highperformance situation, such as public speaking, a job interview, final examinations, or a musical recital. The downside of these drugs is that they can cause congestive heart failure, heart attacks, strokes and asthma, irregular heartbeats, and may worsen blood vessel problems, which reduce circulation to the extremities, such as in diabetes. If you have asthma, avoid these drugs because they may trigger life-threatening airway spasms.
It’s not known how BuSpar (buspirone) works, but it is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety. Possible side effects include temporary or permanent damage to the nervous system, drug dependence, sedation, and withdrawal reactions. Adverse reactions have included dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, nausea, light-headedness, headaches, numbness, dream disturbances, fatigue, sore throat, tinnitus (ringing in ears), and nasal congestion. Mindell and Hopkins advise thinking twice before taking this drug as there are so many other safer alternatives.
Buspirone may raise levels or prolong the effects of Haloperidol and MAO-inhibitors. An ordinary starting dose is 5 mg two to three times a day. It takes from two to three weeks before the effect of this medication is achieved. Some individuals get more anxious than they were prior to taking the drug.
Miltown is addictive and subject to abuse and can cause many of the adverse effects evoked by the other sedative drugs. Trancopel can also provoke many adverse effects, including depression, confusion, and severe skin rashes
