Inhalant abuse is a serious problem in the United States as illustrated by the inhalant abuse fact that six percent of children have tried inhalants by the fourth grade. Inhalant abuse incidences increase with age and according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA) nearly 20 percent of eighth graders have tried inhalants at least once. Much of the reason for widespread inhalant abuse is the ease with which inhalants can be acquired. Inhalants abuse can come from many common solvents like paint thinners, model glue and degreasers. Aerosols such as hair pray or cooking sprays can be used for inhalant abuse as well. Nitrous oxide, propane gasses and nitrites such as amyl nitrite or butyl nitrite are popular for inhalant abuse as well.

All of these substances are considered drugs when inhaled. This is typically done my breathing in the fumes from the containers or from breathing through a cloth soaked in the substance. This is often called huffing and in addition to the cloth technique, inhaling from a bag or breathing gasses from a balloon are other means of inhalant abuse.

Like all drug abuse, continuous inhalant abuse has serious medical consequences and can cause death. Huffing fumes leads to a head rush and high that only lasts a little while so abusers often continue breathing fumes to stay high. Users feel drunk like symptoms including slurred speech, dizziness, awkward movements and a headache.

More serious physical consequences include heart palpitations, suffocation, asphyxiation and choking. The fumes involved with inhalant abuse are quite toxic to the system and damage the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and heart. In some cases the damage can be permanent and learning, hearing and vision can be affected.

According to the NIDA over 18 million users abused inhalants between 2000 and 2001. If one of these people is you or someone you love, there is treatment available. The best way to prevent future damage and begin correcting past damage is to stop inhalant abuse. This is easier said than done due to pressing psychological and physical dependency problems. Drug abuse is a serious situation that often requires professional intervention to control.

Spencer Recovery Centers have been treating adolescents and adults for alcohol and drug abuse for more than a decade. Our program has grown considerable in both size and effectiveness as we continue to incorporate the latest proven approaches to inhalant abuse and other substances.

Spencer Recovery Centers is set apart by a high quality staff that include a full time medical doctor and a psychologist who are directly involved with clients and their treatment plans. Located on an exclusive Southern California beach, Spencer Recovery Centers truly offer it all to treat the mind and body of our clients in a facility that has a resident chef and all the amenities of home. These comforts and serenity of the beach help our clients focus on themselves and the task of getting better.

Call today for more information about inhalant abuse and how we can help. The call is completely confidential and free.