Benzodiazepine Abuse in the College Population
Benzodiazepines are most often prescribed as tranquilizers for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders. However, abuse occurs if anyone takes either more than the prescribed dose or obtains them without a prescription for their sedative effects.
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Types
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There are three major types of benzodiazepines: ultra-short-acting, short-acting and long-acting. Some of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines are alprazolam and diazepam. Even though more than 2,000 benzodiazepines have been produced worldwide, only 15 have been approved by the FDA.
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College students may be especially prone to benzodiazepine abuse due to the high-stress environment of college life. Many students away from home for the first time and facing heavier workloads than before and may experience a marked increase in anxiety. This may drive some students to take more than their prescribed dose or even to seek benzodiazepines from other sources, such as the Internet. These forms of abuse are dangerous because benzodiazepines carry a risk of dependency and addiction.
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As a Date Rape Drug
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Benzodiazepines have been used in various social situations, including college parties, as a date rape drug because of their sedative properties. They can be odorless and tasteless and cause an extreme high and loss of inhibition, rendering the victim unable of resisting sexual assault. If put into a drink in the form of a powder or liquid, they are very hard to detect.
Those Most At-Risk
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The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment cites a study that found white college students who have both male and female sex partners and engage in other risky behaviors to be most at risk for benzodiazepine abuse. The study concluded that those attending historically black colleges and universities are less likely to abuse the drugs.
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References
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- Photo Credit pills and pill bottle image by Effie White from Fotolia.com
