Solvents or inhalants are common household products that have chemical vapors which can give a person a high if they are inhaled. Here are seven things you may not know about this dangerous form of substance abuse.
7 Things You Didn’t Know About Huffing
By Teen Rehab
Read on to find out more about these substances and their effects and how you can help identify abuse of them in your teen.
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1. How are They Abused?
By Teen Rehab
Solvents, when abused for a user to get high, are breathed in through the nose or mouth in various ways (this is known as “huffing”). Users may sniff directly from a bottle, soak a cloth in the substance and inhale or breathe the vapors through a paper or plastic bag.
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2. Who Abuses Them?
By Teen Rehab
Currently, inhalants are the only substances that are abused more by younger teens than by older teens.
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3. Why do People Abuse Inhalants?
By Teen Rehab
Inhalants are often abused because they are cheaper and easier to access than other substances. They are also legal to obtain and are said to create a feeling of euphoria, exhilaration or relaxation.
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4. What are Volatile Solvents, Gases and Aerosols?
By Teen Rehab
Volatile solvents (i.e: household or art products), gases (i.e: nitrous oxide from whipped cream containers) and aerosols (i.e: hairspray) are mood altering and create a high when huffed.
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5. What are Nitrites?
By Teen Rehab
Nitrites are found in some room deodorizers and capsules that release vapor. They are commonly known on the street as “poppers” or “snappers” and they can create sexual arousal and enhancement.
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6. What are the Short Term Side Effects?
By Teen Rehab
Short term side effects of solvent huffing can include nosebleeds, light headedness, slurred speech, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, aggression, hallucinations and delusions.
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7. What are the Side Effects of Long Term Use?
By Teen Rehab
Negative side effects of long term use can include brain damage, muscle weakness, depression, chronic headaches or a loss of sense of smell.
