Inhalant and whippet addiction can cause damaging consequences, including death. Whippets are one of the most popular inhalants. Nitrous oxide, which is a gas that is frequently used as an anesthesia medication in clinical settings, is also used in products like canned whipped cream. When inhaled in large amounts, whippets produce intense intoxication.
Inhalants are a class of psychoactive substances that can produce short but intense highs. Inhalant abuse is most common among high-school aged American adolescents and teenagers. Inhalants are one of the most easily accessible psychoactive substances because they are available for purchase in many retail stores. For example, products like computer duster have abuse potential as inhalants.
What are Inhalants?
Inhalants include both nitrous oxide and common industrial and household cleaning products. Nitrous oxide is a common additive to certain inhalants, such as whippets. Household and industrial aerosol cleaning products can be huffed or inhaled to create short and intense highs. Users typically soak a rag with the product and quickly inhale the vapors off of the rag.
Common inhalants include:
- Canned whipped cream products
- Nitrous oxide canisters
- Computer duster
- Butane
- Cement glue
Inhalants can cause fatal overdoses, as well as:
- Neurological and cognitive damage
- Respiratory problems
- Heart failure and damage
- Pneumonia
- Chemical poisoning
Intoxication from inhalants comes from the sudden lack of oxygen in your body. Intoxication can result in relaxation, happiness, and hallucinations. Inhalants are also considered dissociative drugs, meaning that they cause feelings of depersonalization during intoxication. Inhalants addiction occurs when you compulsively abuse inhalants despite dealing with negative consequences or having a strong desire to quit using.
Whippet Addiction
Inhalants and whippet addiction can cause you to need to abuse inhalants in order to feel normal. When you begin having difficulty controlling or stopping your inhalant use, you likely have an inhalant or whippet addiction. Once you develop a physical or psychological dependency, treatment is usually necessary in order to fully recover.
Inpatient and outpatient programs utilize substance abuse counseling Florida offers as a means to help you learn to identify and change negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors. During early recovery from whippet addiction, you can deal with overwhelming and powerful cravings. These cravings occur because during whippet addiction, your brain associates whippets with pleasure. Whenever you abuse whippets or nitrous oxide, your brain immediately releases a rush of pleasurable neurotransmitters. When the effects of intoxication end, you are suddenly short on neurotransmitters. This lack of neurotransmitters causes your brain to crave more whippets.
Cravings can last after detox, especially when you experience triggers. Triggers are people, places or things that remind you of your substance of choice and cause cravings. During treatment for whippet addiction, you will learn how to utilize healthy coping strategies so you can avoid relapsing.
Reaching Out for Help Today
If you or a loved one is struggling with a whippet addiction, reaching out to an addiction treatment center is the first step in your recovery. Finding help at 866.605.0532 as soon as possible can significantly improve your treatment outcomes and maximize your chances of achieving long-lasting recovery.
Beaches Recovery is a drug and alcohol treatment center in Jacksonville Florida. The center offers a complete continuum of care and is founded on the principles of treating the mind, body, and spirit.
Beaches Recovery offers a wide array of treatment modalities and activities proven to combat the disease of addiction.
Learn more about Beaches Recovery here.