Inhalant Abuse: Dangers, Signs, and How to Get Help for Inhalant Addiction

What Are Inhalants?

An inhalant is an everyday household item that produces psychoactive effects when its vapors are inhaled. Inhalants are not specific products and fall under the general umbrella terms described in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which classifies inhalants into four categories [1]:

• Volatile solvents: These items can be liquefied at room temperature. Examples include correction fluids (such as Wite-Out), paint thinners, dry cleaning fluid, cleaning fluid, degreasers, and felt-tip markers.
• Aerosol Sprays: Made with compressed propellant and surfactant. Examples include spray paint, hair spray, and other aerosol sprays.
• Gases: Examples include butane lighters, propane tanks, and nitrous oxide (an anesthetic gas). This can also include medical gases like halothane.
• Nitrites: Examples include poppers and snappers (amyl nitrite) and cyclohexyl nitrite.

Inhalants are most commonly abused when a person inhales vapors directly from a container (sniffing), saturates a cloth and holds it to their face (huffing), sprays aerosol into the nose and mouth, or breathes vapors out of a plastic bag (bagging). All of these methods provide inhaled vapors to the lungs and brain, producing a very short-lived but intense high.

Inhalant Abuse and Addiction

Inhalant abuse is most prevalent among adolescents and young people. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Monitoring the Future survey, inhalants are often used by adolescents as their first substance, sometimes before they even experiment with alcohol or marijuana, because these substances are typically inexpensive and readily available.[2] Early use has a clinically significant relationship with increasing the likelihood of a long-term addiction.[3]

The intoxicating effects of inhalants are produced by the action of hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds on the central nervous system.[4] The effects occur almost immediately and include euphoria, dizziness, disorientation, and slurred speech. Because these effects are very short-lived, often only a few minutes, users often use inhalants multiple times in a single session, compounding the risk of acute toxicity and overdose.

While dependence on inhalants varies by the substance and the way it’s used, any inhalant can cause psychological dependence, where someone feels they must keep using it to cope or feel normal. With heavy and prolonged use, physical dependence can follow, leading to withdrawal symptoms, such as cravings, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and nausea, if stopped.[5]

Signs of Inhalant Abuse

Abuse of inhalants can be difficult to detect, as they are household products. Some signs of inhalant abuse that loved ones should look for include:

• Chemical odors on breath, clothing, or hands
• Chemical residue or paint on skin
• Hidden empty aerosol canisters, solvent containers, or chemical-soaked rags
• Slurred speech, uncoordinated movements, or appearing to be intoxicated by substances other than alcohol
• Redness or runniness of the nose and eyes
• Lack of appetite or unexplained weight loss
• Muscle weakness and fatigue
• Disorientation and confusion
• Changes in mood (irritability, anxiety, emotional blunting)
• Decline in performance at school or work
• Withdrawal from family members and previously valued activities

The Dangers of Inhalants

Inhalants are among the most severely dangerous drugs that can be abused, and their risk is often greatly underestimated. Below are some dangers that come with inhalant abuse:

• Sudden Sniffing Death: Because of the risk of respiratory depression, simply using inhalants for a single session can result in sudden sniffing death, which is a sudden cardiac arrest caused by sensitization of the heart to epinephrine, or adrenaline, causing fatal arrhythmia without warning.[6] Sudden sniffing death can occur with the use of inhalants, even on the first occasion, and is one of the most crucial reasons why inhalants should always be taken seriously, regardless of the age of the user.
• Neurological Damage: Long-term use of inhalants can result in extensive and often irreversible neurological damage.[7] One of the most common chemicals involved with abusing inhalants is toluene, a solvent found in many inhalants. Toluene is associated with the destruction of the myelin sheath or the protective covering of nerves, which can result in hearing loss, vision loss, problem-solving failures, cognitive impairment, and loss of muscle coordination.

Other serious health risks include:

• Suffocation that occurs when oxygen is displaced from the lungs
• Liver and kidney damage from chemical toxicity
• Hearing and vision impairment
• Loss of motor control and limb spasms from nerve damage
• Increased potential for injury due to impaired judgment and coordination while intoxicated

Inhalant Addiction Treatment at Meridian Recovery

Treatment of inhalant use disorder requires an evidence-based approach that treats both the direct neurological impact of inhalants as well as the behavioral, psychological, and social factors that may be driving it. Currently, there are no medications approved by the FDA that can effectively treat inhalant addiction, so the primary treatment modality for inhalant addiction is behavioral therapy.[8]

Inhalant Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

People who struggle with inhalant use disorder often also struggle with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and conduct disorder.[9] 

If the addiction is treated without the underlying mental health issue being addressed, the risk of relapse increases, as the person may continue to use inhalants to self-medicate or escape the symptoms of their untreated condition.

For this reason, Meridian Recovery offers a dual diagnosis program for people who are struggling with both inhalant use disorder and co-occurring mental health disorders. This allows for both conditions to be treated simultaneously for a better chance at long-term recovery.