Editing Psychiatric medication (section)

===Anxiolytics and hypnotics===
{{See also|List of benzodiazepines|benzodiazepines}}

[[Benzodiazepine]]s are effective as hypnotics, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, myorelaxants and amnesics.<ref name="Ashton 25–40">{{cite journal|last=Ashton|first=Heather|s2cid=46966796|title=Guidelines for the rational use of benzodiazepines. When and what to use|journal=Drugs|date=July 1994|volume=48|issue=1|pages=25–40|doi=10.2165/00003495-199448010-00004|pmid=7525193}}</ref>  Having less proclivity for overdose and toxicity, they have widely supplanted [[barbiturate]]s, although barbiturates (such as [[pentobarbital]]) are still used for [[euthanasia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Hannah |date=2020-08-14 |title=Euthanasia referendum: What drugs are used in assisted dying, and how do they work? |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/300073069/euthanasia-referendum-what-drugs-are-used-in-assisted-dying-and-how-do-they-work |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pepper |first1=Brianne Marlene |last2=Chan |first2=Hedia |last3=Ward |first3=Michael P. |last4=Quain |first4=Anne |date=2023-04-27 |title=Euthanasia of Dogs by Australian Veterinarians: A Survey of Current Practices |journal=Veterinary Sciences |volume=10 |issue=5 |pages=317 |doi=10.3390/vetsci10050317 |doi-access=free |issn=2306-7381 |pmid=37235400|pmc=10224218 }}</ref>

Developed in the 1950s onward, benzodiazepines were originally thought to be non-addictive at therapeutic doses, but are now known to cause [[Drug withdrawal|withdrawal]] symptoms similar to barbiturates and [[alcohol withdrawal syndrome|alcohol]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=MacKinnon GL, Parker WA |title=Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome: a literature review and evaluation |journal=Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=19–33 |year=1982 |pmid=6133446 |doi= 10.3109/00952998209002608}}</ref> Benzodiazepines are generally recommended for short-term use.<ref name="Ashton 25–40"/>

[[Z-drug]]s are a group of drugs with effects generally similar to benzodiazepines, which are used in the treatment of insomnia.

Common benzodiazepines and z-drugs include:
{|
|- style="border-spacing: 10px; border: 0px solid white; vertical-align: top;"
|Benzodiazepines
|Z-drug hypnotics
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|
*[[Alprazolam]] (Xanax), anxiolytic
*[[Chlordiazepoxide]] (Librium), anxiolytic
*[[Clonazepam]] (Klonopin), anxiolytic
*[[Diazepam]] (Valium), anxiolytic
*[[Lorazepam]] (Ativan), anxiolytic
*[[Nitrazepam]] (Mogadon), hypnotic
*[[Temazepam]] (Restoril), hypnotic
*[[Midazolam]] (Versed), hypnotic
|
*[[Eszopiclone]] (Lunesta)
*[[Zaleplon]] (Sonata)
*[[Zolpidem]] (Ambien, Stilnox)
*[[Zopiclone]] (Imovan)

|}