What are Different Types of Inhalants
What are Different Types of Inhalants? Inhalants are an abused substance that has a very wide variety options. There are many things that a person can come up with to use as an inhalant to get high from. “Inhalants” refers to the vapors from toxic substances which are inhaled to reach a quick high, which gives such a variety of products that a person is capable of abusing. There are over 1,000 household products alone that are abused. There are four different types of Inhalants liquids, sprays, gas, or nitrites.
How is Each Different one Used?
It can be crazy to hear how people abuse inhalants and what they are putting into their bodies to get high for only a short period. It can also be scary to find out someone you love are abusing these products as inhalants, but it is also good to know so the abuse can be identified.
First abused products would be liquids that vaporize at room temperatures. These are found in numerous easily available household and industrial products including paint thinners, degreasers, gasoline, glues, correction fluids and felt-tip marker fluids. Other abused products are sprays such as spray paints, deodorant and hair sprays, vegetable oil sprays for cooking and fabric protector sprays.
Most common abused products are gases including medical anesthetics (ether, chloroform and nitrous oxide, commonly called “laughing gas”), butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers and refrigerants.
The most dangerous products used would be nitrites (a chemical compound found in food preservatives, leather cleaner, room deodorizers, etc.) are considered a special class of inhalants which act directly on the central nervous system, brain and spinal cord. They are used mainly as sexual enhancers and are commonly known as “poppers” or “snappers.”
When abusing inhalants, the user only gets a euphoria feeling that last very shortly (2-5 minutes), which cause them to do more of it more often. You may notice any of these products have come up missing, or see multiple empty products in the trash or just pilling up in random areas. If this is something that has been noticed, look for other signs that might show a person is abusing these products.
Signs of Inhalant Abuse
It is important to be aware of the signs that someone you love may be abusing inhalants. These signs are what you can look for when you suspect someone is abusing these products. Physical signs that can be noticed are:
- mood swings
- extreme anger, agitation, and irritability
- exhaustion
- loss of appetite
- frequent vomiting
- hallucinations and illusions
- facial rashes and blisters
- frequent runny nose and cough
- dilated pupils
- glazed or watery eyes
- extremely bad breath
Why do People Use Inhalants?
Inhalants become very popular to teens and others because not only are they cheaper compared to a hard drug on the streets, but because they are legal to buy and easy to get a hold of. Just because they are cheaper, legal, and easy to get a hold of does not make them any better for a person. When using these products how they are designed to be used they are safe for people to be around, but when abusing them things can get very dangerous with permanent effects or even death could occur.
Immediate Effects of Inhaling Chemicals Include:
- increased heart rate
- hallucinations or delusions
- losing feeling or consciousness
- nausea and vomiting
- loss of coordination
- slurred speech
Long-term Inhalant use can Lead to Serious Health Problems, Including:
- brain damage (toxic chemicals may make people become slow or clumsy, have trouble solving problems or planning, suffer from memory loss, or become unable to learn new things)
- muscle weakness
- depression
- headaches and nosebleeds
- loss of sense of smell or hearing
If someone you love is abusing inhalant drugs, seek help for them right away. Whether they have developed an addiction yet, it is still something very dangerous to do and addiction to inhalants can develop just like they can with drugs on the streets. There is help for inhalant abuse! Call today to seek options for the help that is needed!
