Inhalant abuse involves breathing in the vapors or gases from common commercial or household products to achieve temporary intoxication. These products contain psychoactive substances, meaning one can get high from gas. However, this fleeting effect comes with an immediate and catastrophic risk of severe physical harm and permanent damage to the body.
The Mechanism of Intoxication
The swift onset of intoxication results from the lungs providing a massive surface area for absorption into the bloodstream. These chemicals bypass the digestive system and liver, traveling almost instantly to the brain. Once in the central nervous system (CNS), these compounds act primarily as depressants, similar to the effects of alcohol or sedatives.
The volatile chemicals interfere with neurotransmitter activity by enhancing the inhibitory effects of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and inhibiting N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. This action slows down brain activity, producing initial excitatory effects followed by a depressant state. Rapid intoxication is also driven by hypoxia, a dangerous state of oxygen deprivation.
By displacing breathable air with concentrated chemical vapors, the body is deprived of the oxygen necessary for normal function. This lack of oxygen contributes to the lightheaded sensation users perceive as the “high,” but brain cells are exceptionally vulnerable to oxygen starvation.
Common Sources and Immediate Effects
Substances used for inhalation fall into several broad categories. Volatile solvents are liquids that turn into gas at room temperature, including products like paint thinners, gasoline, and glues. Aerosol sprays contain propellants and solvents, found in items such as air dusters, hair sprays, and cooking sprays.
A third category includes anesthetic gases, such as nitrous oxide, frequently found in whipped cream chargers. When inhaled, the effects are immediate and short-lived, generally lasting only a few minutes. Users seek a brief sense of euphoria, lightheadedness, and a distorted perception of time and space.
Other immediate effects include a temporary lack of coordination, slurred speech, and dizziness. Because the intoxication is fleeting, users often engage in repeated, concentrated inhalations to prolong the effect, increasing the concentration of toxic chemicals flooding the body.
Acute and Long-Term Health Dangers
The greatest acute danger associated with inhalant abuse is Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS). This can occur even during a person’s first use and is caused by cardiac sensitization. Certain inhaled chemicals, particularly hydrocarbons found in aerosols and solvents, make the heart muscle hypersensitive to adrenaline.
A sudden rush of adrenaline, triggered by physical exertion, fright, or a startling noise, can cause a fatal cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. Beyond SSDS, the high concentration of fumes can directly lead to asphyxiation by displacing oxygen in the lungs, causing the user to lose consciousness and stop breathing. There is also the immediate risk of accidental trauma from falls or impaired judgment while intoxicated.
The long-term health consequences include irreversible neurological and cognitive damage. Prolonged or repeated oxygen deprivation from hypoxia destroys brain cells, leading to deficits in memory, learning, and motor skills. The chemicals themselves are neurotoxic and can cause the breakdown of myelin, the fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers.
Damage to the myelin sheath slows down nerve impulses, which can manifest as tremors, muscle spasms, and difficulty with basic movements and coordination. The liver and kidneys are tasked with metabolizing and filtering these toxic chemicals, and chronic inhalant use can cause severe, lasting damage to these organs.