• Depressants first affect those areas of the brain that control a person’s conscious, voluntary actions such as judgment, inhibitions and reaction time

• As the dose is increased, depressants begin to affect the parts of the brain that control the body’s automatic processes, heartbeat, respiration, etc.

There are six major subcategories of CNS Depressants other than alcohol:

• Barbiturates
• Non-Barbiturates
• Anti-Anxiety Tranquilizers
• Anti-Depressants
• Anti-Psychotic Tranquilizers
• Combinations