{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T07:53:03Z","timestamp":1789804383914,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Canadian Bulletin of Medical History"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> This article compares the careers of two families of 20th-century psychotropic drugs, the barbiturates and the benzodiazepines, in five different countries. Both families of drugs were used as so-called hypnotics and sedatives, and later as minor tranquillizers. In addition these drugs were extensively used as self-medication. The careers show a cyclical temporal course and generally encompass three phases: first, an expanding use of the drugs, accompanied by high expectations; then, rising criticism and disappointment; and finally contracting use and limited application. These phases need not have been sequential: they often overlapped. The cycle sometimes ended by the disappearance of the drug from mental health care, only to be replaced by new drugs with a profile of promise and hope. <\/jats:p><jats:p> These cycles, which we term Seige cycles, are generally typical for the careers of psychotropic drugs. The analytical concept of the Seige cycle facilitates a comparative perspective on the commonalities as well as the differences between the various drug careers under consideration. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3138\/cbmh.24.1.93","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,12,13]],"date-time":"2016-12-13T16:12:34Z","timestamp":1481645554000},"page":"93-112","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["From King Kong Pills to Mother\u2019s Little Helpers\u2014Career Cycles of Two Families of Psychotropic Drugs: The Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines"],"prefix":"10.3138","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Toine","family":"Pieters","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Metamedica (Medical Humanities), VU-University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephen","family":"Snelders","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Metamedica (Medical Humanities), VU-University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1696","container-title":["Canadian Bulletin of Medical History"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/utpjournals.press\/doi\/pdf\/10.3138\/cbmh.24.1.93","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,21]],"date-time":"2022-07-21T00:36:16Z","timestamp":1658363776000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/utpjournals.press\/doi\/10.3138\/cbmh.24.1.93"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2007,4]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2007,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.3138\/cbmh.24.1.93"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3138\/cbmh.24.1.93","relation":{},"ISSN":["0823-2105","2371-0179"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0823-2105","type":"print"},{"value":"2371-0179","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2007,4]]}}}