Huffing
Inhalant abuse (also commonly called “huffing“) is defined by medicine.net as, “the intentional inhalation of chemical vapors to attain a mental “high” or euphoric effect.” Many common household products are abused by inhalers during huffing. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World reports that roughly 593,000 teens experiment with inhalants every year. Huffing is particularly common among younger users – many of whom start using at 14 or 15 years old – largely because aerosol cans are easily accessible, and can be found in kitchen cabinets in the home. Medicine.net also indicates that “The 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) revealed that the primary population of inhalant abusers (68%) is under 18 years of age. Although inhalant abuse is declining from its peak in the 1990s, it is still a significant problem. In 2011, 7% of eighth graders reported inhalant use, along with 4.5% of 10th graders and 3.2% of 12th graders.”
It is imperative for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of huffing as a popular teen addiction since the effects and consequences can be very frightening. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition is quoted on inhalants.org as identifying 4 main categories of inhalant abusers. These include:
- The transient social user —has short history of huffing; uses with friends; average intelligence; 10-16 years old.
- The chronic social user—has long history of huffing (5+ years); daily huffing with friends; minor legal involvement; poor social skills; limited education; brain damage; 20-30 years old.
- The transient isolate user—has short history of huffing; solo huffing; 10-16 years old.
- The chronic isolate—long history of huffing – 5+ years; daily huffing; legal involvement; poor social skills; has limited education; brain damage; 20-29 years old.
Identifying whether or not your child is experimenting with or addicted to huffing can be difficult, but there are some warning signs. The warning signs of huffing can include: frequent runny noses, a dazed appearance, paint stains around the mouth, and/or excessive use of hair spray or other aerosol products.
A physician with the Iowan Poison Control Center reports that when huffing, an individual feels like “they’re drunk. It’s that sense of euphoria for some people, the loss of inhibitions, and/or the loss of coordination.” He also indicated that emergency room attendants are often unsure how to handle some of the extreme effects of huffing – such as difficulty breathing.
In addition to causing suffocation and impairing healthy brain development, huffing can also pose another threat: a condition called Sudden Sniff Syndrome. With Sudden Sniff Syndrome, an individual’s heart can begin to beat erratically after inhaling, resulting in a cardiac arrest. In a worst case scenario, this result of huffing can lead to death.
If you believe that your child or someone you love may have a huffing addiction, it’s important to get help and support from those educated in inhalant/huffing addictions. Teen (or even adults) may think huffing is fun and not very serious, but it can lead to something deadly if it is not stopped.