A hand grabbing a container of tranquillisers. These are drugs with sedative effects and are divided into major and minor tranquillisers. Major tranquillisers are used to treat severe psychoses (mental disorders) such as manic-depressive illness and schizophrenia. Minor tranquillisers are generally used to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression which derive from the everyday life. They promote mental and physical relaxation by reducing the nerve activity of the brain.