Tranquilizers - Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Major tranquilizers such as Clozapine, Haldol, or Thorazine are powerful drugs that are prescribed to relieve the symptoms of major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Some have been developed to treat the following: 1) dementia, a brain disorder that causes a reduction in a person's intellectual functioning, most often affecting memory, concentration, and decision-making skills; 2) autism, a psychological disorder, usually diagnosed in children, that affects emotional development, social interactions, and the ability to communicate effectively; 3) bipolar disorder, a psychological disorder that causes alternating periods of depression and extreme happiness; 4) Tourette's syndrome, a severe tic disorder that causes distress and significant disability to those affected by it; and 5) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition characterized by impulsive behavior, difficulty concentrating, and hyperactivity that interferes with social and academic functioning. These drugs may also be used in individuals exhibiting signs of severe agitation, violence, hostility, or paranoid behavior. In rare cases, they have been used to ease severe pain.

There are a number of medical reasons why doctors prescribe tranquilizers. Because minor tranquilizers produce a calming or drowsy effect, the most common reasons are insomnia and anxiety disorders. Minor tranquilizers are also considered effective in treating anxiety in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which is a brain disease that usually strikes older individuals and results in memory loss, impaired thinking, and personality changes. Minor tranquilizers are sometimes prescribed to help with alcohol and drug withdrawalThe process of gradually cutting back on the amount of a drug being taken until it is discontinued entirely; also the accompanying physiological effects of terminating use of an addictive drug.. Others help to prevent epileptic seizures, which are sudden violent spasms or convulsions resulting from epilepsy, a disorder involving the misfiring of electrical impulses in the brain. In some instances, certain types of barbiturates and BZDs have been used as an anesthetic to deaden pain in outpatient procedures. In some states, a form of barbiturate is used to execute criminals by lethal injection.

"Someone Must Have Slipped Him a Mickey"

There are a few stories behind the term "slipping someone a Mickey," which means putting a knockout drug in someone's drink. Some say the original Mickey was a laxative (a drug that helps produce bowel movements) used for horses. Others believe that the phrase began with Mickey Finn, a man who owned a bar named the Lone Star Saloon and Palm Garden in Chicago, Illinois, in 1896. A colorful criminal, Mickey found that when he mixed a little sedative-hypnotic chloral hydrate into an unsuspecting patron's drink, the guy would quickly pass out. Then Mickey and his associates would drag the victim into a back room, rob him, and dump him in an alley. The next morning, the unsuspecting victim would wake up with no memory of what had happened.

The Lone Star Saloon and Palm Garden was shut down in 1903, but Finn was never arrested for his crimes. He even sold his secret drink recipe to other bar owners. The "Mickey Finn" became a popular term for any kind of knockout punch, especially one that comes in a glass.