With long-term use of drugs, there is a risk of addiction to its components. Often this happens when taking drugs of the barbiturate group. After all, people suffering from insomnia, having started taking the drug, can rarely refuse it - first because of the effect, and then addiction sets in. This is how barbituromania develops. The risk group is made up of people with chronic insomnia, drug addiction and alcoholism.
What are barbiturates? The mechanism of action of barbiturates on the body
Barbiturates – These are drugs based on barbituric acid. Previously, barbiturates were used as a sedative and hypnotic. However, in recent years, due to the dangerous effects of addiction, the scope of barbiturates has been significantly reduced.
Barbiturates interact with receptors in the brain when they enter the body. At the same time, the excitability of the nervous system decreases, and the transmission of nerve impulses slows down. Barbiturates have a sedative effect, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, reduce the level of anxiety, fear and promote muscle relaxation. When using barbiturates in moderate doses, a state similar to alcohol intoxication appears.
Feature of barbiturates. When does addiction develop?
Barbiturates are special in that the time from the moment the drug is first taken to the onset of dependence can vary from a few weeks to several years. It depends on the dose, the pathological condition of the person, from which he wants to get rid of with the help of barbiturates, and the frequency of administration. With the development of dependence on barbiturates, a psychoorganic syndrome appears. In this case, the treatment of addiction to barbiturates is carried out in narcology - due to an unfavorable prognosis.
If barbiturates are taken for medical reasons (currently convulsive conditions), then addiction develops rather slowly, over several years. Usually, drug abuse is justified by the desire to obtain a euphoric effect, which was identified by the patient when taking barbiturates. Later, euphoria becomes the main internal stimulus for taking barbiturates.
The main symptoms of barbituromania. How to recognize a barbituro addict?
A person who takes barbiturates is characterized by unceremonious behavior, sudden mood swings, and unmotivated activity. These feelings can be abruptly replaced by anger, irritation and anger. The state of barbituromania resembles the state of alcoholic intoxication. There is ataxia and severe movement disorder. Objectively: pupils are dilated, blood pressure is low, heart rate is slow, body temperature is decreasing.
A few hours after taking barbiturates, the patient falls asleep, and upon awakening feels very tired and lethargic. With an overdose of barbiturates, consciousness can be disturbed up to coma, with the development of paralysis of the respiratory center, death occurs. With regular use of barbiturates, tolerance to them increases, and the dose of the drug required to achieve euphoria also increases.
Over time, the patient develops symptoms of chronic intoxication, changes in behavior and psyche are observed. The patient becomes distracted, his mood often changes, it is difficult for him to concentrate. Forgetting what just happened is typical. This from the side indicates indecision, timidity and loss of a person. The patient appears completely helpless and harmless. But the reaction to others is unpredictable. Examination reveals ataxia when walking and hand trembling, hypomimia.
Effects of taking barbiturates. Prediction of barbituromania
With the abolition of barbiturates, a severe withdrawal syndrome is noted. There are weakness and fatigue, paresthesia, sleep disturbance, severe anxiety, convulsive muscle twitches. Asthenia develops with possible development of convulsive seizures.
When such symptoms are detected in a patient, one should not rush to accuse him of alcoholism. It is worth thinking about another addiction that you need to help a person give up. Uncontrolled intake of barbiturates has unfavorable prognosis and consequences, therefore, early identification of such patients and timely provision of assistance to them by a narcologist can save the life of more than one person.
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