Inhalants are household products that people inhale to get high. It is almost impossible to identify all of these products, as there are thousands of them on the market today. Most people who purchase these products have no idea of inhalants effects on the brain. Furthermore, their children – teenagers age 13 to 18 – are the main demographic using them.
Common street names for inhalants include Whippets, Gluey, Rush, and Huff. Most products are accessible over the counter in almost any department store or grocery. Since these products are legal, it is difficult to control substance use. As a result, excessive use can lead to addiction, terminal health problems, or even fatality.
What Are Inhalants Effects on the Brain?
Using a toxic substance produces a wide range of inhalants effects on the brain, including:
- Impaired motor skills such as slurred speech
- Inability to concentrate
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Depression, irritation, or anxiety
- Damage to parts of the brain that control seeing, hearing, or other senses
In addition, long-term use can also lead to a lack of coordination, drowsiness, weight loss, muscle weakness, loss of consciousness, or even death. In essence, when a person inhales a toxic substance, it hinders their brain’s ability to function properly.
Common Inhalant Products
Inhalants effects on the brain can come from an array of common household products. Many of these products come in the form of cleaning products, solutions, paint, or cosmetics. The most common inhalants include:
- Lighters
- Keyboard cleaner
- Paint thinner
- Nail polish remover
- Spray paint
- Hair spray
Teenagers also inhale felt-tip markers, room fragrances, cleaning products, whipped cream cans, and paint thinner. Although these products contain ingredients that are not traditionally addictive, it is possible for the user to develop a fixation with inhalants. Consequently, the longer they use the substance, the more the inhalants effects on the brain occur.
How Do Inhalants Work?
Inhalants change the way the brain functions and communicates with the rest of the body. In most cases, alterations in brain function lead to a euphoric effect. The person gets high from sniffing the substance. In most cases, the high only lasts for a few minutes. The user may continue to use the substance for long periods of time to keep feeling high.
Extended use is what typically leads to harmful side effects. A user may inhale the product for several hours at a time. Repeated use can trigger elevated levels of toxicity throughout the body, affecting the brain, lungs, heart, liver, stomach, and immune system.
A person experiencing these side effects should seek medical attention immediately. In addition, they may want to get professional help at an addiction treatment center in Utah.
Get Help for Inhalant Addiction at Recovery Ways
If you or a loved one is using inhalants and is concerned about the inhalants effects on the brain, help is available at Recovery Ways. We offer a comprehensive inhalants addiction treatment program in UT. We also have treatment for all other types of alcohol and drug addiction. To find out more, call us at 888.986.7848. We are here to help you get on the road to recovery.
