Alcohol use when combined with poor nutrition produces damage to the brain, liver and other internal organs. Alcohol use may produce fetal alcohol syndrome in infants born to mothers using alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol use intensifies the effects of other depressants, thus increasing the risk of overdose and suicide. In small amounts, they relax muscles, slow breathing, and lower blood pressure. In larger doses, they produce slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion, lack of coordination, and deficits in judgment, motivation, concentration and memory.
Most depressants are addictive, produce psychological and physical dependence.
Continued use can produce damage to brain and other organs, and cause severe health problems for infants of dependent mothers, overdose, coma and death. Withdrawal from depressant dependence may lead to anxiety attacks, insomnia, tremors, delirium and convulsions. They have no known medical use. This class of drugs includes LSD, PCP, STP, mescaline and psilocybin, etc. Their major effects include illusions, hallucinations and distortions in the perception of time and distance.