 Sedative drugs, such as benzodiazepines, are often used to relieve anxiety or induce sleep.This class of drugs includes diazepam (Valium®), lorazepam (Ativan), and Alprazolam (Xanax).A 2001 study of college students from 119 American 4-year college programs found that 7.8% of students had tried benzodiazepines in their lifetime.