Alcoholics and barbiturate abusers will sometimes switch if their favorite drug is not available. Meprobamate has high abuse potential also, as does glutethimide and methaqualone. These are as bad or worse than barbiturates. Benzodiazepines while they are abused it is not a large percentage. Tolerance may develop to the sedative effect, but not to respiratory depression.
Effects are very much like alcohol and withdrawal is essentially the same as alcohol.
Treatment involves the use of long acting sedative hypnotics to lengthen and reduce the severity of withdrawal. V. Caffeine is the most sidely used social drug. Withdrawal is mild, consists of headache, lethargy, irritability. Some symptoms last about 5 days. Cocaine has had a resurgence of abuse and is the yuppie drug.