Most of the time people think of stimulants, they think of cocaine, stolen prescriptions, and unauthorized drug markets. But, that’s not the whole picture. The difference between barbiturates and benzodiazepines can be very surprising.

Very few people know about the history of these drugs. Knowing how barbiturates differ from Benzodiazepines sheds light on how they function, their uses, side effects, and addiction profiles. Both of them have been used extensively in the medical sector for several years, so having a proper understanding of what they are and their fundamental differences is important.

What is a Barbiturate?

Barbiturates are a class of drugs with depressant properties. Initially, they were made for use as sleeping pills and as medication for anxiety. But because they are highly addictive, they are only used in some cases nowadays. Generally, now they are being used as general anesthesia under managed medical prescription. Some examples of barbiturates are phenobarbital, pentobarbital, secobarbital, Amobarbital, and butabarbital. 

If you are thinking about questions like “how long do barbiturates stay in your system”, then you must understand that the time taken by your body to process the barbiturate is different for everybody. Some of the many factors that impact how long barbiturates stay in your system include your body mass, body metabolism and any other health conditions. Remaining aware of such factors can assist you in understanding how long your barbiturate detection time is.

What is a Benzodiazepine?

This drug arrived later on as a safe alternative to barbiturates in the medical sector. It is a depressant that slows down the heart rate and leads to a sedated state. A high-strength dose of this drug causes a manageable sedation level. It is highly addictive and is used in most special cases. They create short-term solutions for easing anxiety, seizures and other complications. Some of the examples are Diazepam, Lorazepam, clonazepam, flurazepam etc.

The difference between barbiturates and benzodiazepines

• The primary difference between barbiturates and benzodiazepines is the lethality factor. The former drug is very powerful with a history of causing deaths. For combating fatalities, barbiturates were less used in medicines. This highly reduced the accessibility of the drug from being used illegally. Benzodiazepines are used in many very common conditions and some medicinal alternatives as well. The availability of this drug is a huge risk. But barbiturates are highly addictive and the lethal factor is more than benzodiazepines.
• Volatility: It means how medicines interact with other substances as well as drugs. Barbiturates have negative interactions with various substances and ingredients along with birth control and allergic medicines. But on the other hand, benzodiazepines have less interaction as well as side effects.
• Mode of working: Even if barbiturates and benzodiazepines both cause central nervous system depression and the same effects, how they do it differs. Medicines that do interact with the central nervous system bind to and then interact with the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. These receptors are mainly responsible for message transfer between the brain, nerve endings and the cells. 
• Now the way barbiturates and benzodiazepines interact with the GABA receptors differ from each other. Barbiturates get bound to more GABA receptors when compared with benzodiazepines thus making the brain receptors less responsive, creating fewer nerve impulses and having an effect on the whole body.
• Benzodiazepines are selective drugs that usually target and then get bound to some specified GABA receptors. They do not have an impact on nerve impulse production like barbiturates, rather they cause the brain to become less receptive. Due to this, benzodiazepines create less effect like barbiturates but precisely and less side effects.
• Side effects: Because of the high risk profile, barbiturates must be used under high caution and supervision. They can lead to high sedation, cardiovascular issues and respiratory depression. Benzodiazepines have low risk as compared to barbiturates but still potential for abuse, withdrawal symptoms and dependence.
• Withdrawal: Barbiturate withdrawal can become severe and sometimes life-threatening. Abruptly discontinuing the drug must be avoided and proper medical supervision is required while tapering off this drug. Some of the symptoms of its withdrawal are anxiety, hallucinations, seizures etc. Withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepines are also very challenging but the symptoms they show are less severe than what barbiturates produce.

Conclusion

Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are frequently compared or sometimes mistaken for each other. While they have similarities, they are still vastly different in the way they function, their purpose, and their addictive potential. It is important to learn about these substances to get a better understanding of the risk they hold.