Different drug classes affect the body in different ways. Downers is a slang term for a class of drugs called depressants. These drugs create a sedative effect. Understanding more about downers can make it safer to use them!

What kinds of drugs are downers?

There are many types of downers. Common types include:

• Alcohol: Alcohol is a very common type of downer. It’s legal for adults, and available to buy at grocery stores, liquor stores, and depanneurs, as well as in bars and restaurants.
• Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines or benzos are a type of drug often prescribed to treat sleep difficulties, tight muscles, and alcohol withdrawal. Less often, they may be used to manage seizures and anxiety.
• GHB: GHB is sometimes referred to as Gina or G. It usually comes in a liquid form. Sometimes it’s called liquid ecstacy, even though it’s a very different drug from ecstacy!
• Opioids: Opioids are often prescribed for pain relief, and low-dose opioids like Tylenol-1 are available at most pharmacies.

Most downers, except alcohol, aren’t legal to use without a prescription. But, people still use them for recreational purposes.

What do downers feel like?

Different types of downers can have different feelings, and everyone’s body is different. But, there are some effects that are similar across this type of drug.

Downers can make someone feel relaxed, calm, sleepy, tired, or drowsy. Lots of people describe a feeling of warmth and euphoria when using downers recreationally. They can also be very effective for pain relief, especially pain that’s resistant to drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Improving quality of life for people with chronic pain is one of the most common uses for downers!

Some possible side effects with short-term use of downers include dizziness, slurred speech, sluggishness, lack of coordination, and blurred vision. Higher doses can also cause short-term memory loss, confusion and poor judgment. Some people might feel sad, angry, or aggressive after using downers. This is sometimes called “coming down”. Alcohol is also known to cause hangovers, which can feel like a bad headache or even a migraine.

Downers have the potential to be addictive. That means that when someone uses them regularly for a long period of time, their body gets used to the drug. Then, if they stop taking the drug, they could have withdrawal symptoms, like depression, anxiety, nausea, heart palpitations, and more. This potential for addiction is part of why downers are regulated.

Are downers dangerous?

Downers can be dangerous, especially when taken in large amounts, or in combination with other drugs. But, that doesn’t mean they’re always dangerous. It’s possible to take downers safely with medical supervision, and to lower the risk when using them recreationally.

One risk of using downers is addiction or dependency. This can be dangerous because it leads to long-term, regular use of downers, which can cause the person using them to build up a tolerance to the drugs’ effects. When someone builds up a tolerance, they often need to take higher doses of the drug in order to get the results they want or need. Taking larger amounts of downers can raise someone’s risk for overdose, which can be fatal. Opioid overdoses can be temporarily reversed with naloxone, but naloxone doesn’t work on non-opioid downer overdoses, like alcohol poisoning.

Long-term use of downers can cause depression, long-term tiredness, breathing difficulties, sexual problems, and sleep problems. Withdrawal symptoms include fever, sleep difficulties, hallucinations, and muscle tremors sometimes called “the shakes”. This can happen when someone stops long-term downer use, and it is sometimes life-threatening.

Mixing downers and uppers can also be risky. This can make it easier to overdose, and cause or worsen heart irregularities.

How can someone lower the risks when taking downers?

There are many ways to lower the risk when taking downers.

If you think you may be taking too much, you can consider using less, not using, or talking to a doctor or nurse about ways to manage withdrawal. You can decide how much or how little you want use and ask a trusted person to remind you of your limit. Healthcare professionals are bound by patient confidentiality, so you won’t get in trouble for telling them if you’re using downers without a prescription. Their main priority is your health!

There are also ways to keep using downers, but use them more safely. Downers can be taken orally, and some can also be smoked, snorted, or injected. Taking them orally is generally the safest way to use downers. Smoking and snorting both have some risk, and injecting is the riskiest way of taking them.

If someone is using opioids, carrying naloxone is a great way to practice harm reduction! Naloxone temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose, greatly reducing the risk for death by giving someone time to get medical help.

Taking care of the body is also helpful when using any kinds of drugs! Eating nutritious foods and drinking enough water can help you recover from tiredness after using downers. It’s especially important to stay hydrated when drinking alcohol, as dehydration can raise the risk for alcohol poisoning and cause hangovers.

For information on drug checking, check out our FAQ! You can also contact our sister program, Kontak, for free harm reduction supplies in the greater Montreal area.