Any of a group of mood-altering drugs (tranquilizers), for example Librium and Valium. They are addictive and interfere with the process by which information is transmitted between brain cells, and various side effects arise from continued use. They were originally developed as muscle relaxants, and then excessively prescribed in the West as anxiety-relieving drugs.
Today the benzodiazepines are recommended only for short-term use in alleviating severe anxiety or insomnia.
Any of several similar lipophilic amines used as tranquilizers or sedatives or hypnotics or muscle relaxants; chronic use can lead to dependency.