What are Inhalants?

Inhalants can also be a form of a gateway drug, introducing the feeling of a temporary high, causing the individual to thirst for more. Most people that use these drugs easily become addicted and cannot seem to function without them. Long term use can cause permanent health problems such as personality changes, fatigue, nerve damage, memory loss, and brain damage which cannot be reversed. Obviously, all of these symptoms can be very bad for a person's health and completely ruin their lives. Using can also cause extreme harm to an unborn child and create mental and physical developmental difficulties.

Some of the symptoms of inhalant dependence include but are not limited to depression, antisocial tendencies, odd behavior, paranoia, muscle weakness, trouble speaking, stomach pains, headaches, nausea, chest pains, slurred speech, hyperactivity, and moving slowly. People who have other mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety have a higher risk of developing dependence on these drugs. The likelihood of developing dependence also rises when one has had a history of drug abuse or a family who has a history of drug abuse.

This type of abuse needs to be stopped as soon as possible. The only way that a person can have successful treatment is if they want to quit. Psychotherapy and other alternative forms of treatment are the best for preventing future use of these addictive substances. A number of mental assessments and therapeutic techniques will be used in order to help the one that is addicted. Use of medications only teach the patient that drugs are okay to use. This type of thinking needs to be avoided. No amount of medication is going to reverse the thought process.

People who are addicted to inhalants need more than just medication. As a matter of fact, they do not need medication at all. All that the prescription drugs are going to do is further poison a person's body. Alternative treatments focus on being and staying drug free. With alternative treatment, a person does not have to worry about gaining further dependence on other substances. The behaviors and attitudes that got them to the place they are, will gradually vanish over time. It is all about being persistent and believing in one's self.

In the end, it is better not to medicate. Short term remedies are only good for a small period of time. When you run out of medication, what is left? Just the same old thought patterns that were there before. Addiction is an illness, and it is not your fault. Alternative treatment can repair the old, bring in the new, and give you your once sober and very happy lifestyle back.

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