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You can stop inhalant abuse before it destroys your body and your mind. Recovery Connection coordinators can find an appropriate treatment program, answer your questions and ease your fears. Call 24/7 at . All calls are confidential and free of charge.
All types of mood-altering compounds have been abused throughout human history. Inhalant abuse dates back a couple of hundred years. In the last years of the eighteenth century, nitrous oxide became the first medically useful inhalant. It was used for anesthetic purposes and is commonly known as laughing gas. Ether and chloroform were produced and used as anesthetics in the 1800s. Often, these drugs were used only for pleasure, with many healthcare professionals becoming addicted to them. Today, inhalants come in many thousands of forms.
Chemicals used in cooking sprays, solvents, adhesives, etc. are not meant to be ingested or inhaled into the human body. The same mechanism for abuse that occurs with other drugs and alcohol occurs with inhalants. Sadly, inhalant use most often begins in late childhood or early adolescence. As with many other drugs, the high that is experienced only lasts momentarily and is sought again and again in rapid sequence. An abuse pattern can develop extremely fast.
The chemicals in the inhalants are directly transported in the blood to the brain and alter neurotransmitter function. Due to the caustic nature of inhalants, they destroy neurons and create permanent neurologic impairments, especially when used at a young age.
Inhalant abuse can cause permanent bodily damage, thereby seriously impacting one's emotional, cognitive and physical abilities. Children and adolescents are extremely vulnerable as their brains are still developing. It should be noted that inhalants can also present a serious risk of death known as "sudden sniffing death syndrome" on the first use, second, or subsequent use that is caused by acute cardiac and/or pulmonary effects.
Inhalant abuse is commonly refered to as huffing. Huffing is the act of purposely inhaling a chemical and then exhaling rapidly repeating the process to achieve the maximum amount of air flow through the lungs. Huffing increases the amount of chemical that enters the blood through the lungs.
Common inhalants used in huffing are:
Chronic inhalant abuse can produce other symptoms detrimental to proper bodily functions: both physiologic and psychological. Initial effects of inhalants resemble alcohol intoxication, though hallucinations do accompany chronic inhalant abuse. Long term effects of inhalant abuse for adolescents can be severe. The symptoms of inhalant abuse are:
A person who is abusing inhalants may also have paint or stains on the body or clothing. You may also find rags soaked with chemicals in the home or smell toxic fumes in areas where the addict is abusing inhalants.
Inhalants are dangerous and can destroy the user's brain. You want to stop but don't know how to overcome the addiction. Recovery Connection can help find the best treatment program for your needs. Call and let of our specially trained coordinators answer your questions, assist you in getting help, and alleviate your fears. Hope is at hand. Call now.
The overall impact of inhalants upon the body can be devastating. Addiction to inhalants has a profound influence upon the health of all eleven major systems (respiratory, blood, central nervous system etc.), and brain function. Inhalant abuse can seriously impair every system in the body and can lead to:
Sadly, death from an overdose of inhalants is not uncommon. Some inhalants can produce acute cardiotoxcity in young, otherwise healthy users. (Principle of Addiction Medicine)
The treatment of inhalant intoxication and withdrawal is largely supportive, with a focus on neurologic, cardiac, respiratory, renal and hepatic systems. These patients may require artificial ventilation or other types of intensive medical support. Sedatives are commonly used for those who are suffering from psychosis, irritability, insomnia, or aggression.
If you or your loved one, especially if a young person is involved, is using any type of inhalant, there is addiction treatment available that can specifically address your needs. It is critical that you seek treatment immediately. Inhalants are extremely toxic and can cause dangerous immediate and long-term effects. Inhalant addiction treatment should be done in an inpatient setting that has medically trained staff to provide the care required and to address all underlying issues related to the addiction and its development.
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