Turn on an episode of Cops and you might see people of all ages waste away behind a dumpster or in an alley way filling their lungs with various odors and vapor from typical household products (solvents), gases, or nitrites.  When the officer confronts the struggling users, the conversation is often very one sided.  That is because the effect of inhaling these harmful chemicals slowly destroys the brain’s ability to function.  Watching this on television is difficult enough, but when it strikes home it can be truly devastating.

What makes huffing Inhalants so dangerous is that any household cleaning product or aerosol can be used to achieve the huffing high.  Replacing oxygen with these vapors for long enough will slow the body down and, in many reported cases, cause instant death.  Those who are able to survive the experience, but continue to abuse Inhalants, often experience long term effects such as severe, long-term damage to the brain, liver, and kidneys.

If one continues on this trend, there are many irreversible effects including, but not limited to:

-Hearing loss—toluene (spray paints, glues, dewaxers) and trichloroethylene (dry cleaning chemicals, correction fluids)

-Peripheral neuropathies, or limb spasms—hexane (glues, gasoline) and nitrous oxide (whipped cream dispensers, gas cylinders)

-Central nervous system or brain damage—toluene (spray paints, glues, dewaxers)

-Bone marrow damage—benzene (gasoline)

Serious but potentially reversible effects include:

-Liver and kidney damage—toluene-containing substances and chlorinated hydrocarbons (correction fluids, dry cleaning fluids)

-Blood oxygen depletion—aliphatic nitrites (known on the street as poppers, bold, and rush) and methylene chloride (varnish removers, paint thinners)

Why put yourself at risk to these completely debilitating conditions.  If you abuse Inhalants or you fear that someone you know might be, Please call Seabrook House immediately at 800-761-7575 to discuss treatment options.  There is no coming back from many of the effects associated with abusing Inhalants, and sometimes that can be worse than death.  Please to not hesitate to find help.  Seabrook House is here to help.  We are easily accessible from Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland, Richmond, Virginia, New York, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts.  Do not wait.  One session of Inhalant abuse could be the last.