Final answer:
Common side effects like decreased alertness, slow speech, and depressed respiration are associated with depressants such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, which reduce central nervous system activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Decreased alertness, slow speech, toughness, and depressed respiration are common side effects of depressants. These are a type of psychoactive drug that calms the brain, reduces feelings of anxiety, and promotes sleepiness.
Alcohol is a widely recognized depressant, especially among teenagers and young adults. The effects of alcohol include mild sedation and poor coordination at lower doses, and at higher doses, can lead to slurred speech, trouble walking, and vomiting. In extreme cases, it may cause respiratory depression, coma, or death.
Other examples of depressants are barbiturates and benzodiazepines, which act as agonists of the gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system, therefore having a calming effect on the brain.
Medications like Xanax (a benzodiazepine), and various opiates, are also depressants which may lead to ataxia, pain relief, sedation, cognitive impairment, and in severe cases, respiratory symptoms and compromised lung function.