Introduction
The use of anxiolytic or hypnotic drugs has long been a disputable issue. Its effects, associated complications, and undesired results might be diverse and complex. For this reason, much attention is devoted to investigating the problem. The proposed report outlines the analysis of five research papers on the topic under discussion, highlighting their different aspects. It enhances the understanding of the problem and current views on it.
Lecat et al.’s Study
The paper “Association between anxiolytic/hypnotic drugs and suicidal thoughts or behaviors” aims to investigate the relationship between anxiolytic/hypnotic drug usage and the manifestation of suicidal thoughts/behaviors (STB) in students. Lecat et al. (2020) involved 12,112 participants who were surveyed in terms of the planned study. The authors assume that depressive disorders and suicidal thoughts are common among students.
Second, there is a significant use of anxiolytic drugs by learners. Third, contrary to the initial hypothesis, the use of the drugs does not yield a significant association with the occurrence or remission of STB in the cohort one year later. Furthermore, the increased rates of STB led to the growth in anxiolytic/hypnotic treatments during one year. Finally, the authors admit that specific safety concerns are linked to the problem under discussion.
McCabe et al.’s Study
The following paper is “Medical and nonmedical use of prescription sedatives and anxiolytics.” The study delves into the longitudinal associations between medical and nonmedical use of a specific type of sedatives during a young age and the development of substance use disorder (SUD) later. McCabe et al. (2017) used data from 8,373 seniors who were surveyed using the self-administered questionnaires. Thus, the authors say that around 20% of adolescents reported using sedatives during their lives. Moreover, among individuals who reported the medical use of prescription sedatives, 44.9% admitted their use by age 18 (McCabe et al., 2017).
Furthermore, the researchers acknowledge that the use of drugs without a prescription was not associated with higher rates of SUD in adulthood. It means that the fear of developing a substance abuse pandemic because of the sedatives is irrelevant. Finally, the article states that there is no correlation between medical or nonmedical use of anxiolytics and SUD in further life. These essential findings improve the understanding of the problem and its nature.
Levaillant et al.’s Study
The third research work for the analysis is called “Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on the consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics, and antidepressants according to age groups.” Its prior aim is to investigate the trends in consumption of anxiolytics, antidepressants, and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Levaillant et al. (2023) employ a historical cohort study design, using data from the French health insurance database.
First of all, the authors admit that there has been a significant increase in the number of drugs consumed during the pandemic. Furthermore, the study reveals that different age groups responded differently, as shown in the statistics. Thirdly, Levaillant et al. (2023) report that the increase was higher among children, young adults, and adolescents than among individuals aged 26 or older. It means that they had higher stress levels and problems with mental health. Finally, the researchers make a vital assumption, saying that monitoring the consumption of psychiatric medications can help to discover health crises and plan appropriate actions to address them and avoid further deterioration of the situation.
Ferreira et al.’s Study
The central purpose of “Modifiable factors associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms in nursing homes” is to explore neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) risk factors in nursing home residents. Ferreira et al. (2020) utilized a cross-sectional study with a total number of 140 residents. It allows the investigators to make credible conclusions.
First, unmet needs might lead to the emergence and development of NPS among the discussed cohort. For this reason, the second important point is to observe these needs and ensure that patients remain satisfied. The next idea is to implement new strategies to maintain NPS in nursing homes. It would lead to better results and reduced incidence.
Furthermore, common symptoms shared by many individuals in nursing homes can be used to design potent interventions. Finally, the article admits that non-pharmacological and person-centered approaches might help address the problem and improve the condition of individuals residing in nursing homes. In this way, the study cultivates a better understanding of how various factors may affect the incidence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients.
Chung et al.’s Study
Finally, the article “Roles of sedative-hypnotics in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder” investigates the impact of sedative-hypnotic drugs in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Chung et al. (2021) use the clinical records of 15,510 patients to investigate the problem and formulate findings. First, the authors say that MDD recurrence was lower among patients using sedatives to control their moods.
Furthermore, Chung et al. (2021) state that patients with recurrent MDD have a higher risk of severe insomnia, which leads to the additional use of drugs. Thirdly, the study reveals that in many cases, sedative-hypnotics are inappropriately prescribed, which might lead to adverse effects. Additionally, there is a need to control the use of this type of drug by patients with depression. Finally, the article reveals the correlation between the risks of recurrent depression and higher doses of medications used by patients.
Conclusion
Altogether, the five discussed articles show that anxiolytic or hypnotic drugs and their use by different groups of people remain a topical issue nowadays. It might lead to the development of addictions, some problems with moods, or similar complications. For this reason, an in-depth analysis of the problem is needed. It would help to enhance the overall use of this type of drug and minimize undesired outcomes.
References
Chung, K. H., Lee, T. Y., & Chung, M. H. (2021). Roles of sedative-hypnotics in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder: A nationwide population-based 14-year follow-up study in Taiwan. Psychopharmacology, 238(6), 1553–1561.
Ferreira, A. R., Simões, M. R., Moreira, E., Guedes, J., & Fernandes, L. (2020). Modifiable factors associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms in nursing homes: The impact of unmet needs and psychotropic drugs. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 86, 103919.
Lecat, N., Fourrier-Reglat, A., Montagni, I., Tzourio, C., Pariente, A., Verdoux, H., & Tournier, M. (2020). Association between anxiolytic/hypnotic drugs and suicidal thoughts or behaviors in a population-based cohort of students. Psychiatry research, 291.
Levaillant, M., Wathelet, M., Lamer, A., Riquin, E., Gohier, B., & Hamel-Broza, J. F. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on the consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics and antidepressants according to age groups: A French nationwide study. Psychological Medicine, 53(7), 2861-2867.
McCabe, S. E., Veliz, P., Boyd, C. J., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2017). Medical and nonmedical use of prescription sedatives and anxiolytics: Adolescents’ use and substance use disorder symptoms in adulthood. Addictive Behaviors, 65, 296-301.
