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Inhalant Addiction in Washington

Inhalant Addiction: Facts You Should Know about these Dangerous Drugs

Inhalants are a classification of drugs that are both physically and psychologically addiction. Many of them are easy to find around your home, or they’re easy to make or purchase on the streets. Inhalant abuse statistics show that inhalant use is increasing with every passing year, and they’re most often abused by young people or teenagers because they’re so inexpensive and easy to obtain.

Some of the more commonly abused inhalants include:

  • Aerosol Sprays
  • Bath Salts
  • Cleaning Fluids
  • Gasoline
  • Paint Thinner
  • Vapes 

Once you begin using inhalants, the compulsion to continue using them is very strong; and this is especially true if you use them consecutively over several days’ time. Although, it’s important to note that it is possible to become addicted to certain inhalants after just one use. 

If you’ve been using inhalants, it’s possible that you were not aware of their addictive potential. People tend to think of addiction pertaining more to alcohol, cocaine, heroin, or other types of drugs, but inhalants can be just as dangerous, and even more so in some cases. If you suspect that you might be an inhalant addict, or you know you’ve been participating in inhalant abuse, you may have a lot of questions, such as: 

  • What is inhalant abuse, and where can I find more inhalant abuse facts?
  • How do you know if you have an inhalant addiction?
  • What are the short and long-term effects of inhalants on the body?
  • If you stop using in inhalants, are there symptoms of withdrawal you should be concerned about?
  • Where can inhalant addicts turn to get help for their addictions? 

Regardless of what type of inhalants you’re using, or how long you’ve been using them, getting the right inhalant information is so important so that you will know if you need professional help for an addiction.

Inhalant Addiction Information

The Inhalant Abuse Definition: What is Inhalant Abuse?

Most inhalants are intended for a certain purpose. For example, cleaning fluids are intended to clean your home, and paint thinner is intended to thin paint. Any use of these substance outside of their intended use to get high is considered to be inhalant abuse. However, it is important to note that if you’re abusing inhalants, that does not necessarily mean that you’re addicted to them. Although, addiction can occur very quickly after abuse begins.

Unfortunately, far too many people feel that they’re doing something completely harmless when they abuse inhalants, and they don’t stop to consider the long-term ramifications of their actions.

What is Inhalant Addiction? Signs of Inhalant Addiction

If you have been abusing inhalants for quite some time, and you feel as though you need them as a part of your life, chances are quite good that you have become addicted to them. At this point, it’s usually not possible for people to stop using them on their own, although many people attempt it before considering getting professional help.

Maybe you’ve been using inhalants for a while, and you’re not really all that sure if you have an inhalant addiction. It can help to know what some of the most common inhalant addiction symptoms are so that you can see whether or not you can identify them within yourself. They can include:
  • Feeling compelled to use inhalants on a schedule
  • Hiding your inhalant use from the people who love you the most
  • Lying about how much or how often you use inhalants
  • Developing a tolerance to inhalants so that you need to use more to get high
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using inhalants

Understanding the Effects of Inhalants Within the Body

The nitrates that are in inhalants can have a profound negative effect on the human body. Even one use can lead to dilated blood vessels, and increase in your heart rate and dizziness that can last for several minutes after you’ve used them. There are other effects of inhalants as well, and these can manifest in the short-term, or they may not develop until inhalants have been abused for quite some time. These can include:

  • Slurring of the speech
  • A sensation of constant lethargy
  • Depressed reflexes
  • Weakness in the muscles of the body
  • Impaired judgment
  • Problems functioning at work or in social situations
  • Problems with coordination

Inhalant Addiction Signs: Symptoms of Withdrawal from Inhalants

Stopping your use of inhalants on your own is not only difficult to do, but it can be dangerous. In fact, many people have found that they experience medical complications that they weren’t expecting when they stop taking them abruptly. The symptoms of withdrawal that you might experience can include:

  • Cramping muscles
  • Chronic headaches
  • Sweats and chills
  • Becoming very agitated
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Hallucinations
  • Shaking or convulsions

These substances should not be taken lightly, and if you’re addicted to inhalants, it’s important to consider getting professional help that can assist with your withdrawal symptoms and ensure your safety during your recovery.

Inhalant Addiction Treatment

Inhalant Addiction Treatment Programs in WA State at Northpoint Recovery

If you’ve been participating in inhalant abuse for quite some time, it’s very likely that this abuse has become a full inhalant addiction. While you might not have been aware of the possibility of this happening, please know that it is possible. If you’re addicted to inhalants, there is a way that you can get professional help so that you can stop using them successfully.

Here at Northpoint Recovery, we understand how you feel if you have only recently discovered that you have an addiction to inhalants. We know it’s a difficult reality to face, but you are not alone. We would love the chance to talk with you about how we can help you overcome your addiction successfully, and assist you with any symptoms of withdrawal you might experience to make becoming substance-free a real possibility for you. To learn more about how we can help, please contact us today.

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