There are a variety of meanings when it comes to inhalant, but when referring to inhalant addiction, it means the inhalation of a solvent or other material that produces vapors users inhale to get high. These can be found in many household products that serve their purpose at home. Inhalants contain 1,1-Difluoroethane, which is a colorless gas found in aerosol products such as cleaning aerosols and cleaning sprays. Dust-Off is one of the brand name inhalants most commonly abused. It is bought legally in most office supply and hardware stores in the United States. Unfortunately, they can carry a high risk of abuse. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition shows that children quickly discover that these household products are not only inexpensive to buy but very easy to hide. The most common inhalants are paint and glue, but there can be thousands of household chemicals that can be abused. Inhalants have the ability to produce psychoactive and mind-altering effects that can cause just as severe side effects that include apathy, belligerence, impaired functions, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness. It is a very intense intoxication that can cause the user to have trouble completing simple tasks such as walking. The leading cause of death from using inhalants is the trauma that can result after consumption. Gases are cold, and inhaling these can result in freezing the lungs. This is why if you’ve seen someone use inhalants, their lips turn blue due to oxygen deprivation. The leading cause of death, however, is falls caused by losing consciousness. This can also lead to seizures, or something called Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome.
Cleaning aerosols, cleaning sprays
Paint thinners & degreasers
Nitrites
Gases
Inhalant use results in a high that is associated with euphoria stemming from the central nervous system (CNS). Inhalant abuse affects many areas of the brain, but as the high fades, it acts as a depressant. It’s a short high that requires the individual to continue redosing so they can achieve their desired level of intoxication. Constant inhalant use causes extreme dizziness by starving the brain of oxygen, and this causes what is called brain fog. Due to this, it runs the risk of severe health problems when motor skills are affected in this dramatic fashion. When the user continues to inhale the substance, it can cause aggression and possible hallucinations. This puts not only the user in harm’s way but anyone around them as well. These hallucinations can transport someone into an alternate existence, causing them to exhibit strange behaviors and acts that could kill them. Inhalants affect the brain like other depressants and drugs by activating dopamine in the system. This is the body’s natural pleasure center. The difference between inhalants and other drugs, though, is how deadly it can be after a single use. While other drugs may require several uses to become fatal, inhalants can kill you even after trying it for the first time. Brain damage is also linked to long-term use. To avoid these problems and reduce any damage to the body, it is important to seek help immediately if you suspect a growing substance use disorder from inhalant use.