Huffing

What Is Huffing?

Huffing refers to inhaling fumes orally, through the mouth or nose. It is a popular practice among adolescents, with the highest rates of huffing among 8th graders, followed by 12th and then 10th graders.

In the U.S., more than 300,000 people reported having an inhalant use disorder. Inhalants used for huffing may include solvents, fuels, and nitrites.

Solvents

Solvents start as liquids but become gases when stored at room temperature.  When inhaled, they depress the central nervous system, causing slurred speech, drowsiness, dizziness, movement and coordination problems, hallucinations, and euphoria. Solvents are ordinary items in your home or office that come in aerosol or liquid spray cans, such as:

• Hairspray
• Adhesives
• Disinfectants
• Cleaning supplies
• Deodorant
• Paint

Solvents don’t always come in a pressurized aerosol can. They can also include magic markers, nail polish, correction fluid, paint thinner, glue, and more.

Fuels And Gases

People inhale fuels to get high. Gases can be found in many easily accessible products, including:

• Butane
• Propane
• Gasoline
• Octane boosters
• Refrigerants
• Nitrous oxide

Some people huff cigarette lighters, whipped cream containers, laughing gas medical dispensers, or whippits. Huffing any fuel is extremely dangerous.

Nitrites

Nitrites differ from solvents and gases because they work like muscle relaxers by dilating blood vessels. Many people use nitrites, such as air fresheners, thinking they will enhance sexual performance.

Nitrite poppers are nitrite products sold for recreational purposes. They often come in plastic bottles similar to energy shots and are sold online, in convenience stores, and in gas stations. When the vapors are inhaled, they can cause instant muscle relaxation and euphoria by decreasing blood pressure and increasing heart rate. However, the effects only last for a few minutes. Nitrite poppers are not FDA regulated or approved.

Huffing Inhalants

Misusing inhalants typically refers to sniffing, huffing, bagging, spraying, or inhaling chemicals. Teens and adults find creative ways of ingesting them, such as:

• Spraying the fluid into a can
• Spraying the fluid into a bag
• Spraying directly into the nose or mouth
• Putting gases like nitrous oxide in balloons
• Spraying the chemicals onto a cloth or fabric

Canning or bagging refers to spraying fluids into a can or bag, covering the opening with the mouth, and inhaling vapors. This allows them to inhale more of the product’s fumes at once and receive more intense, mind-altering effects. Huffing highs last only a few minutes, and the action must be repeated to maintain the high. Some people will huff in binges that last several hours.

Signs And Symptoms Of Huffing Inhalants

A person’s breath, hair, or clothing will smell like the chemicals they ingest. For example, someone huffing gasoline will have a strong and recognizable odor. Additional signs and symptoms of huffing chemicals include:

• Changes in appearance, worrying less about hygiene
• Stains of paint or chemicals on their hands, clothing, or face
• Abundance of paint or aerosol containers lying around
• Chemically soaked rags or clothing lying around
• Slurred or abnormal speech
• Lack of focus or ability to concentrate
• Nausea, vomiting, or digestive problems
• Anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms

Each person may experience different huffing symptoms. As the chemicals quickly travel to the lungs and brain, noticeable behavior changes will occur.

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Effects Of Huffing

Inhaling chemicals causes the body to slow down, including disrupted speech, movements, thinking, and breathing. The initial effects of huffing may feel euphoric, relaxed, happy, excited, and slightly intoxicated, like the buzz you get when drinking alcohol. However, a huffing buzz only lasts a few minutes.

Dangers Associated With Huffing

To continue feeling euphoric, people repeatedly huff, sometimes for hours. The dangers increase with each inhalation, which may include brain damage, coma, and death. Additional risks include the following:

• Chemical burns
• Hepatic toxicity
• Frostbite
• Psychosis
• Chemical pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs)
• Sensorimotor neuropathy (decreased ability to feel and move due to nerve damage)
• Carbon monoxide in the liver

You can experience the consequences of huffing after one time, and there is no exact way to measure who will have adverse reactions. Avoiding huffing is the best way to guarantee you are not in danger.

Short-Term And Long-Term Effects

The substance, the amount, and the duration you huff determine short- and long-term effects. Short-term symptoms are what you experience immediately after huffing chemicals. They can range from mild to severe and include the following:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Red or runny eyes
• Rash or blisters on the face
• Fatigue
• Uncontrollable body movements
• Hallucinations
• Changes in speech
• Overdose

The longer you huff, the more likely you will experience long-term effects. Some huffing symptoms can be severe, including:

• Weak muscles
• Chronic cough
• Muscle spasms
• Weight loss
• Nervous system damage
• Brain damage
• Organ damage
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Mental illness
• Overdose

Some effects of huffing cannot be reversed even after you stop. Short-term and long-term huffing symptoms can interfere with your personal, career, academic, and social goals and can lead to physical and psychological damage.

Is Huffing Addictive?

Huffing chemicals can be addictive, and the longer you inhale the intoxicating substances, the more your tolerance to them builds, meaning you must huff more often to achieve the same euphoric effects. As your tolerance builds, it becomes more challenging to quit due to experiencing inhalant withdrawal symptoms that can be mild, moderate, or severe. Withdrawal symptoms of inhalants may include:

• Headaches
• Nausea or vomiting
• Excessive sweating
• Intense cravings
• Irritability or being easily agitated
• Psychosis
• Mood swings
• Anxiety or depression
• Sleep disturbances

Many people continue huffing to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, continuing use is easy because inhalants are not scheduled under the Controlled Substance Act and can be legally purchased at many different stores.

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Can You Overdose From Huffing?

Overdoses can occur from huffing, including sudden sniffing death syndrome, which may arise by:

• Direct toxicity from inhaling chemicals that reduce heart and breath rates
• Suffocation when using a plastic bag to inhale substances
• Asphyxiation when the inhaled chemicals displace oxygen in the lungs
• Aspiration or choking on vomit that is expelled after inhaling chemicals
• Accidents and injuries related to huffing, such as falls and fires

Some people huff while also misusing other drugs or alcohol. Doing so increases their risk of harmful effects. Combining huffing with substances that slow breathing and heart rate, like alcohol, can lead to overdose, coma, and death.

Treatment For Inhalant Use

Multiple inhalant addiction treatment options exist, including:

• Inpatient and outpatient substance abuse programs
• Pharmaceuticals like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and baclofen may help treat inhalant withdrawal symptoms.
• Antipsychotics may help reduce psychiatric symptoms that occur because of inhalant misuse.

In addition, behavioral treatments are necessary to teach relapse prevention, decision-making, relationship-building, communication, and many other life skills that contribute to recovery success. Behavioral therapies include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Contingency management
• Motivational enhancement therapy
• Family therapy or couples therapy

People experiencing cognitive decline or neurological dysfunction that does not improve after several months of inhalant addiction treatment may need to seek additional neuropsychological treatment. Specific tests can help substance use and mental health providers determine more intensive treatment.

Getting Started With Treatment

Misusing inhalants is extremely dangerous; it is crucial to seek help as soon as possible. Prevention and intervention methods can help you avoid serious adverse consequences. Recognizing you need help is the first step to overcoming huffing chemicals.

Getting started with treatment involves contacting a local drug and alcohol treatment center or provider who can provide a comprehensive assessment, which will determine which type of inhalant addiction treatment will benefit you the most. Contact a treatment provider today to learn more about your treatment options.

Recognizing you need help is the first step to overcoming huffing chemicals.