Have you ever heard the word 'inhalants'? Maybe you've heard a friend or family member talk about them. What exactly are these? Do you know how dangerous they are? Often young children fall into this dangerous trap due to ignorance. So, today we're going to talk about what these 'inhalants' are, their effects, and how to stay safe from them, okay?
What are these 'inhalants'?
Simply put, inhalants are chemicals that people inhale through their noses to get a high or a high. They are very dangerous. The thing is, these chemicals are often found in everyday household items or in the workplace. The fumes they emit are what are used in this way. When you inhale these fumes, that is, when you inhale them through your nose, they quickly reach your brain and create that 'high' that I mentioned. But if you continue to use them, they can have serious, irreversible side effects. Brain damage, loss of consciousness and coma, and sometimes even death.
We also inhale other things, such as some medications. But 'inhalants' are specifically used to refer to things that can only be inhaled. Some people use words like 'huffing', 'bagging', and 'dusting' to describe their use.
How do you use these?
People who use inhalants take them into their bodies in various ways, either through their nose or mouth. Think about it,
- Some people inhale vapor directly through their nose from a bottle, can, or dispenser.
- Aerosol sprays are sprayed directly into the nose or mouth.
- They breathe in a piece of cloth soaked in a chemical substance by holding it to their mouth or nose.
Others put these things in a balloon or a plastic bag and sniff them. This is called "bagging." Some people rub them on their shirt collars or on their arms and sniff them slowly. The high from inhalants only lasts a few minutes. So, people who use them continue to sniff them for hours to prolong the pleasure. This is very dangerous.
Who is most drawn to these?
Most often, children and young people turn to these 'inhalants'. The reason for this is that these things are very easy to find, and they try these before turning to other drugs. Usually, this use peaks at the age of 14-15. But think about it, there are cases where children as young as 5-6 years old use these things.
In most cases, the use of inhalants decreases by the age of 17-19. However, some people continue to use these drugs into adulthood. This use is most common among boys.
Inhalant use has also been reported to be more common among those who have experienced the following:
- Being physically or sexually abused
- Involvement in illegal activities
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Family disputes
- Violent behavior
- Other substance use disorders
Also, this use is higher among people with low incomes, those with mental health conditions, those living in rural areas, and those in areas with high unemployment.
What types of inhalants are there?
There are over 1,000 products that we use every day in our homes and workplaces that can be used as ``inhalants.'' People who use these products are attracted to them because they are easy to find, inexpensive, easy to conceal, and can be obtained legally. There are four main types of ``inhalants'':
- Volatile solvents
- Aerosols
- Types of Gases
- Nitrites
Now let's take a look at each of these types.
What are volatile solvents?
Volatile solvents are liquids that evaporate easily at room temperature. They are used in a variety of household and industrial applications. Here are a few examples:
- Paint thinners – These are essential when painting houses.
- Paint removers – These are used to remove old paint.
- Degreasers – Used to remove oil and grease.
- Gasoline – There's nothing special to say about this.
- Rubber cement
- Lighter fluid
- Glues – Different types of glues, these are also easy for children to find.
- Nail polish removers – something that is often found in homes.
- Dry cleaning fluids
- Correction fluids – things like Tipex.
- Felt tip markers – Some children also use these.
What are 'Aerosols'?
Aerosols are solids or liquids contained in a pressurized can. These can be released as a spray. Examples:
- Spray paints
- Spray deodorant
- Hair spray
- Vegetable oil spray
- Fabric protector spray
How are gases related to this?
This includes medical anesthetics, as well as gases found in household items. Examples of medical anesthetics:
- Chloroform
- Halothane
- Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas)
Of these gases , nitrous oxide is the most commonly abused. It can be found in whipped cream dispensers and propellant canisters (also called whippets). It is also found in products that increase the octane level of racing cars. It is also found in household butane lighters, propane tanks, and refrigerants.
Are the types called ``Nitrites`` also dangerous?
Nitrites are a type of chemical compound. They are found in leather cleaners, liquid aromas, and room deodorizers. They are commonly called poppers or snappers. Nitrites directly affect your central nervous system. They dilate your blood vessels and relax smooth muscles. Because of their ability to relax smooth muscles, they have become popular for use as a means of increasing sexual arousal. There are several types of nitrites:
- Cyclohexyl nitrite
- Isoamyl (amyl) nitrite
- Isobutyl (butyl) nitrite
What are the other names (`street names`) used for this?
There are several names for 'inhalants', which are used colloquially. You may have heard these names:
- Chroming
- Gas/gasoline
- Glue/gluey
- Huff
- Laughing gas
- Poppers
- Rush
- Snappers
- Sniff (`Sniff`)
- Whippets
What are the immediate effects of inhalants?
Inhalants affect everyone differently. Several factors determine how they affect your body:
- Your general health, body size, and weight.
- Whether you have used these drugs before (that is, the body's 'tolerance').
- Whether you were using other drugs at the time.
- How much of this drug do you use?
- What type of inhalant do you use?
- How clean the air you breathe is when you sniff.
- How much physical activity you engage in before and after you inhale.
Most inhalants affect your central nervous system. That is, they slow down your brain function. Here are some of the immediate effects of inhalants:
- Being willing to take risks without fear or hesitation.
- Not being able to control the body.
- The story gets tangled up, or distorted.
- Loss of balance in the body.
- Feeling extremely happy (the 'high').
- Dizziness, loss of consciousness.
- Nausea.
- Headache.
- Redness of the nose, eyes, and throat, and a runny nose .
- The mind becomes confused.
- Hallucinations.
What happens if you overdose? It's very dangerous, isn't it?
Inhalants only last a few minutes. So people who use them continue to inhale for hours to prolong that high. This is very, very dangerous. If you continue to use them like this, you can lose consciousness and eventually die.
There is something called "Sudden Sniffing Death". What happens is that even a healthy person with no underlying health conditions can suddenly die after using an inhalant for the first time in their life. Imagine how dangerous that is. Especially when using gases like propane, butane, and the chemicals in aerosols, the chances of this "Sudden Sniffing Death" are much higher.
Inhalants can cause death in other ways. For example, asphyxiation can cause death in the following ways:
- Repeated inhalation: This involves inhaling a high concentration of inhaled vapor into your lungs, removing the oxygen there.
- Suffocation: When you inhale vapor with a plastic bag over your head, your lungs are completely cut off from air.
- Choking: After inhaling inhalants, you may vomit, and the vomit may become stuck in your throat and cause death.
What are the serious consequences of long-term use of inhalants?
If you continue to use inhalants, you may experience long-term, serious effects. These include:
- Constant anger and depression.
- Losing memory.
- Decreased ability to concentrate.
- Pimples around the mouth.
- Paleness of the skin (`Pallor`).
- Losing weight.
- Always feeling tired.
- Excessive thirst (polydipsia).
- Loss of sense of smell (anosmia) and hearing impairment.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Stomach ulcers.
Even more serious effects can occur:
- Tremors.
- Damage to the heart muscle.
- Liver and kidney damage.
- Delayed behavioral development in children and young people.
- Permanent brain damage.
- Going into a coma.
- Finally, death.
Do inhalants cause hypoxia?
Yes, absolutely. Inhalants remove the air from your lungs and prevent your body from getting oxygen. This is what we call hypoxia . Simply put, hypoxia is when your body's tissues don't get enough oxygen. You know, our cells need oxygen to produce energy, and our tissues and organs need oxygen to function properly. So, what happens when we don't get enough oxygen? Some tissues may not be harmed by a short period of lack of oxygen. But if you have hypoxia, it can cause serious damage to your organs. Imagine what could happen if the brain didn't get enough oxygen!
Can you become addicted to these 'inhalants'?
Yes, you can. If you continue to use inhalants, you can become addicted to them very quickly. When you become addicted to a drug, you start to feel like using it is the most important thing in your life. Schoolwork, work, relationships with friends – the drug becomes more important than all of these things. Over time, you develop a ``tolerance``, or resistance, to the drug. Then, you need more and more of the drug to get the same ``high`` you used to. Some people can even develop a condition called ``Inhalant Use Disorder``.
Take-Home Message
Inhalants are something that many people use to get a quick 'high', that is, a feeling of intoxication. But the problem is, that 'high' doesn't last long. That's why people tend to continue to inhale for hours. Also, your body can develop a 'tolerance', that is, a resistance, to inhalants. Then you have to inhale more and more to get the same 'high'.
The use of inhalants can lead to addiction, dangerous health effects, loss of consciousness, coma, and even death.
If you or someone you know is struggling with this ``Inhalants`` problem, please seek help from a doctor or qualified counselor. It will be a life-saving step. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help to overcome this.
` Inhalants, drugs, addiction, youth, health effects, brain damage, sudden death
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