Understanding Inhalants Addiction

Learn about inhalants abuse & addiction

The category of inhalants includes a wide variety of common substances that are abused by breathing in their vapors or fumes to experience mind-altering effects, such as light-headedness, impaired coordination, dizziness, and lowered inhibitions. Hundreds of substances, including aerosols, gases, nitrates, and volatile solvents, are included within the general category of inhalants.

Aerosols: This sub-category includes hairspray, spray paint, and similar products that contain propellants and solvents.
Gases: Commonly abused substances in this sub-category include propane, butane, chloroform, and nitrous oxide.
Nitrites: The two most popular nitrates, amyl and butyl, are most commonly abused to enhance sexual experiences.
Volatile solvents: This sub-category includes liquids that vaporize when they reach room temperature. Examples include adhesives, paint thinner, cleaning fluids, and lacquer.

Inhalant abuse is an extremely dangerous behavior that can lead to a wide range of potentially debilitating outcomes. Treatment should be sought if you or a loved one is struggling with an inhalants abuse.

Statistics

Statistics for inhalants abuse

Most cases of inhalant abuse involve teenagers, though adults also engage in this dangerous practice. Experts estimate that about 20 percent of all young people in the United States will abuse an inhalant at least once before they graduate from high school. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NS-DUH), about 60,000 adults abuse inhalants every year as well. Furthermore, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) has reported that inhalant abuse is responsible for about 10,000 annual emergency room visits in the United States.

Causes & Risks

Causes & risk factors of inhalants addiction

Substance abuse and addiction can be caused by a variety of internal and external factors, and it is usually the result of a combination of influences. Mental health experts who have studied the genesis of addiction have identified several genetic and environmental precursors, including the following:

Genetic: Family history is one of the strongest predictors of whether or not a person will develop a problem with inhalants or other forms of substance abuse. Having a parent or sibling who has had a substance use disorder puts a person at increased risk for a similar problem. In recent years, scientists have identified several genes and gene clusters that appear to influence a person’s potential for developing a substance use disorder.

Environmental: Young people who have been abused or neglected may choose to abuse inhalants because they are easily accessible. When this occurs, both the abuse/neglect and the access to inhalants are environmental influences on the behavior. Other environmental factors include poor parental oversight, exposure to chronic stress, living in poverty, and associating with others who abuse drugs.

Risk Factors:

Being a teenager
Prior substance abuse
Family history of substance abuse, addiction, and/or mental illness
Child abuse and/or neglect
Trauma
Early exposure to substance abuse
Low self-esteem
Living in poverty

Signs and Symptoms

Signs & symptoms of inhalants addiction

With literally hundreds of substances in the category of inhalants, the signs and symptoms that may indicate their abuse can vary widely in terms of appearance, duration, and severity. However, the following are among common signs that may indicate that a person is struggling with a compulsion to abuse an inhalant or several inhalants:

Behavioral symptoms:

Slurred speech
Swaying and/or stumbling
Engaging in risky, dangerous behaviors
Belligerence
Having large amounts of glue, aerosols, paint, or other inhalants
Lying about one’s whereabouts and activities

Physical symptoms:

Headaches
Dizziness
Nausea
Watery eyes and runny nose
Sores near the mouth
Muscle weakness
Irregular heartbeat
Breathing problems
Emitting a chemical or gas-like odor

Cognitive symptoms:

Impaired coordination
Inability to concentrate
Confusion
Disorientation
Poor judgment

Psychosocial symptoms:

Apathy
Unprovoked agitation or anger
Inability to experience pleasure
Loss of interest in activities and issues that were previously important
Excitability and restlessness

Effects

Effects of inhalants abuse

The damage that can result from inhalant abuse may vary widely depending upon the type of inhalant being abused and the amount of abuse that has occurred. The following are among the common effects that have been linked to inhalant abuse

Damage to the brain, kidneys, and liver
Cardiovascular problems
Blindness
Hearing loss
Muscle atrophy
Ulcers
Anemia

Co-Occurring Disorders

Inhalants addiction and co-occurring disorders

Many adults who abuse inhalants are also dealing with an additional mental health challenge, including one or more of the following common co-occurring disorders:

Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorder
Major depressive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Withdrawal & Overdose Effects

Effects & symptoms of withdrawal from inhalants

Effects of inhalant withdrawal: For people who have been engaging in long-term inhalant abuse, abruptly stopping or significantly reducing this practice can lead to a number of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including the following:

Intense cravings
Nausea
Excessive sweating
Abdominal cramping
Agitation and irritability
Powerful headaches
Tremors and convulsions

Effects of inhalant overdose: Abusing inhalants is always accompanied by the risk of overdose, which is a potentially lethal experience. Anyone who exhibits the following signs after abusing an inhalant is in need of immediate medical attention: