Adolescence is a confusing time in a young person’s life, and as such it is accurately known as a time when teenagers push boundaries, test limits, and experiment. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines inhalants as “volatile substances that produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled to induce a psychoactive, or mind-altering, effect.” Inhalants are divided into four categories, which include: aerosols (e.g. spray paints, hair spray, vegetable oil sprays, spray-on deodorant, etc.), gases (e.g. discharging a whipped cream canister, medical anesthetics, etc.) and volatile solvents (e.g. paint thinners, dry-cleaning fluids, gasoline, glue, felt-tip markers, degreasers, etc.). Inhalants are easily accessible, as they are commonly found in household products. Although the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does not classify them as a Scheduled Substance, abuse of inhalants can be dangerous for teens, and could lead to the development of a variety of adverse short and long-term side effects.
Inhalant abuse is, unfortunately, highly common among teenagers. The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health published findings that 24 million Americans reported abusing inhalants during their lifetime. Hence, it is helpful to be on the lookout for possible warning signs that could be indicative of a teen struggling with inhalant abuse. Common warning signs that may be exhibited by a teen abusing inhalants, could include any of the following examples, as provided by the Mayo Clinic:
Every teen is different and has the propensity to present with a distinct combination of warning signs when it comes to inhalant abuse. It is important to note that a teen is at increased risk of developing harmful short and long-term effects every time he or she abuses inhalants.
Prolonged abuse of inhalants increases the risk of developing permanent physiological damage. Possible dangers that could manifest as a result of teen inhalant abuse may include, as provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH):
While there is a common misconception that inhalants are relatively harmless, in truth, abusing inhalants can be highly dangerous. If left untreated, inhalant abuse can lead to severe long-term consequences, including overdose and, as previously described, in some cases death.
Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know is in need of mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769. You can also contact us via email at info@pacificrtc.com.
PTT provides treatment for the contemporary issues facing teenagers in today’s world utilizing a family focused and collaborative approach providing individualized care for teens and their families. Licensed by the State of California, Community Care Licensing Division #198209636
At a time when most residential programs are affiliated with large healthcare corporations or backed by private equity, Pacific Teen Treatment is proudly a private, family-owned operation.
