Inhalant and Nitrous Oxide Rehab Programs

Details on Inhalant Addiction and Treatments For Inhalant Use

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Chronic nitrous oxide use can have long-term negative consequences that users often fail to anticipate. Because these products are available on the shelves of grocers or hardware stores, they tend to underestimate the severe problems they may develop, even death. If you’re seeking inhalant and nitrous oxide rehab programs to address your addiction, you’re making a wise choice.

The professionals at Icarus Wellness and Recovery fully understand that whippets and common household products can produce mind-altering effects, and we know how addictive that high can be.

When you or a loved one is struggling with inhalant abuse, our Joint Commission-accredited treatment programs can provide the proper behavioral interventions and psychological support to break the cycle of abuse.

Please keep reading to learn the risks and long-term effects of inhaled household items and how to get support for this substance use disorder.

Inhalant Abuse Is the First Step Toward an Inhalant Use Disorder

Addiction to common inhalants can happen quickly. It’s common in young adults who start inhalant misuse by sniffing aerosol sprays with friends. They get the desired effect of inhalant intoxication and enjoy it.

They gain tolerance with repeated use but find themselves in a situation of compulsive use or need to inhale more to achieve the same high. Some start mixing inhalant use with alcohol or other substances to heighten the outcome.

Inhalant use disorder is like any other substance use disorder. It requires the person to seek support and support to return to a substance-free life.

Hidden Dangers Lie in the Use of Inhalants

Despite the easy availability of inhalation products, these substances are incredibly dangerous. One sniff can impact the brain, heart, lungs, spinal cord, and organs within seconds. Some products, like laughing gas (nitrous oxide), sound harmless.

But even short-term use can lead to serious health problems that people don’t realize. Here are just a few things this drug abuse may cause:

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (Heart Failure)

SSDS is one of the most underestimated possible outcomes of inhalant abuse. It can happen the first time someone uses an inhalant or with any subsequent use. It causes sudden irregular heart rhythms, including complete heart stoppage.

The possibility of this developing is entirely unpredictable, and the severe consequences can happen without warning or the chance to call for first responders.

Permanent Brain Damage

Inhalants restrict the proper flow of oxygen to the brain. That can damage the protective covering around the nerves and lead to permanent brain damage.

Those impacted by this have lifelong struggles with memory, decision-making, and coordination or motor skills. They may also experience cognitive impairments with symptoms similar to dementia.

Organ Damage or Failure

The chemicals and byproducts in inhalants like paint thinners or nitrous oxide move through the bloodstream quickly, which can overpower the organs. It can impact the kidneys, lungs, liver, and bone marrow.

One perilous possibility of long-term nitrous oxide abuse is subacute combined degeneration, a condition that causes permanent damage to the spinal cord and nerves. Mount Sinai explains that SCD can be reversed only if the person seeks treatment within the first few weeks.

Suffering Withdrawal Symptoms

There’s a lot of misinformation about inhalant abuse, including the lie that inhalants aren’t physcially addictive. Those with an inhalant addiction may want to stop but can experience the following:

Headaches
Muscle weakness
Anxiety
Tremors
Nausea
Intense cravings

As with most drug abuse, people trying to quit this substance abuse relapse in the first days to ease those symptoms. They need professional detoxification support to ensure better mental health and physical well-being during this time.

Inhalant Abuse and Mental Health Problems

Like many other drugs, inhalant use can co-occur with mental health disorders:

Depression
Anxiety
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Personality disorders

In these cases, people use inhalants to numb their symptoms but actually make them worse in the long run. Icarus Wellness and Recovery uses a dual diagnosis approach to ensure these clients receive professional help or both the substance use and the other mental health disorder.

Get Effective outpatient Rehab Options at Icarus IDAHO

What Are the Commonly Abused Inhalants?

Knowing the most commonly abused inhaled products can help you spot a loved one who needs therapy or treatment. Here are the products you should know that are used to inhale directly or for making whippets:

Glue
Paint thinner
Nail polish remover
Cooking sprays
Spray paint
Lighter fluid
Aerosol deodorant
Butane or propane gas canisters
Whipped cream canister (nitrous oxide from the cans is used to make whippets)

These are common products that may seem innocent. You might realize there’s an addiction problem if the inhalant materials are out of place (ie; butane in a bedroom, not the tool shed), or you see an unusual amount of these products lying around.

Knowing the Signs It’s Time to Seek Inhalant Abuse Treatment

Are you concerned that a loved one has developed a chronic inhalant addiction? Here are some signs that confirm your suspicions of chemical misuse:

Unexplained chemical odors
Paint stains on the fingers and clothing
Frequent dizzy spells
Chronic coughing
Chemical burns on the fingers, nose or mouth
Confusion or disorientation
Emotional withdrawal
Slurred speech
A decline in grades or employment performance
Sudden mood swings

Family members are often the first to notice changes in their loved one’s behavior or well-being. Speak up and offer support without accusations or judgment. Your voice may be the nudge your family member needs to seek therapy or treatment programs.

Effective Inhalant And Nitrous Oxide Rehab Programs at Icarus Idaho

Icarus Wellness and Recovery provides treatment to meet the unique needs of each client who turns to us for help with an addiction. We take great pride in helping our clients achieve lasting recovery.

No two treatment programs will be exactly the same because each person struggling with inhalant addiction has their own story. While each individual will be treated to customized treatment options, here are a few things you can expect at Icarus Idaho:

Individual therapy with licensed counselors and therapists, who are the heart of our inhalant addiction treatment programs.
Family therapy, with a therapist opening up the lines of communication and helping loves ones become a more effective support team after leaving the treatment center.
Peer support groups, which allow those in our inhalant addiction treatment programs to understand how to avoid future misuse and deal with life’s challenges in a healthier way.
Medical detoxification services ensure each client comes down from whippets or other inhalants safely and comfortably.
Life skills development helps them gain the coping tools to identify triggers and self-soothe instead of returning to inhalant abuse, alcohol, or other drugs.
Relapse prevention planning helps each client avoid future inhalant abuse by creating extensive plans to remind them what tools to use if they feel cravings or feel tempted to misuse inhalants again.

Our inhalant and nitrous oxide rehab programs set each client up for future success and help them break the chains of addiction for good.

Up To 100% of Rehab Costs Covered By Insurance

Reach Out and Get Support for Inhalants at Icarus Today

Are you ready to invest in yourself by seeking professional inhalant addiction treatment? The Icarus Idaho is here to help and can provide you with therapy and supportive services to help you leave your addiction behind you.

Not sure how to start? Give us a quick call. We’ll guide you on applying your insurance benefits and make coming for inhalant abuse treatment the easiest decision ever.

All calls are kept in strict confidence, so please don’t hesitate, reach out now for effective support!