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A Fact Sheet on Inhalant Abuse

Inhalants are vapors that are inhaled in order to produce a feeling of pleasure or euphoria in the body. This method of "getting high" is becoming increasingly popular among teens and young adults, and the substances that are inhaled are as varied as the plethora of chemical-based products on supermarket shelves. Many of these substances are simple things like household cleaners, disinfectants or paint thinners. They are inhaled either from an open container or by dousing a rag in the substance and breathing from the rag. A particularly dangerous new trend involves the inhalation of computer cleaners, pressurized aerosol cans of air that are used to clean out computer components.

At The Canyon, we provide patients with care designed to help them fight back against their inhalant addiction and abuse.

Inhalant Abuse: The Basics

Inhalants include a wide range of chemicals that can be found in many common consumer and household products. Things like aerosol canisters, nail polish remover, paint thinner, lighter fluid, cleaning fluids and hair spray are all examples of substances that are typically abused in the beginning of addiction. The low cost and easy accessibility of these substances makes them perfect for those who are abusing inhalants for the first time, and there are few laws that restrict sales of these substances. It is estimated that about 5 percent to 15 percent of the young people in America have tried inhalants at one time or another.

Inhalant Abuse: Nitrous Oxide

Used in everything from whipped cream dispensers to balloons, nitrous oxide is a chemical with effects that are potentially life threatening. Abusers typically inhale nitrous oxide through balloons known as whippets. The effects of nitrous oxide are an anesthetic quality on the person inhaling them, along with a "high" due to the low oxygen content in the gas. Possible risks from inhaling nitrous oxide include things like air bubbles in the bloodstream, eardrum ruptures and even sudden death. When used in a chronic manner, it can cause nerve damage throughout the body.

Inhalant Abuse: Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons are chemicals that are found in many aerosol products, such as spray paint cans and air fresheners. These chemicals can be abused by directly inhaling the substance, spraying it into a bag and then inhaling from the bag, or from breathing through a rag that has been soaked in the substance. The effects of inhaling hydrocarbons range from euphoria and symptoms akin to those experienced when inebriated to more dangerous effects, such as low brain oxygen levels, muscle damage and brain damage.

Inhalant Abuse: Dangerous Effects

Abusing inhalants is extremely dangerous, and even a one-time abuse can cause permanent damage or even death. Some of the effects of inhalant use, even if it's only one time, include things like suffocation, hallucinations, extreme mood swings, muscle spasms, nosebleeds, damage to the brain, damage to the nervous system and loss of bowel control. Sudden death can also occur, due to the heart reacting to the presence of inhalants in the body.

Drug Rehab at The Canyon

At The Canyon, we can help you overcome your addiction to inhalant abuse. Our unique combination of therapies and programs will help you break free from your addictions and return to a normal, healthy life. If you would like more information about what we can do for you or your loved one suffering from inhalant abuse and addiction, contact us at The Canyon today.

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