From the Guidelines
Huffing, or inhaling chemical vapors to get high, can cause severe long-term health effects and should be avoided completely. The practice damages multiple body systems, particularly the brain and nervous system, leading to permanent cognitive impairment, memory loss, and reduced intellectual functioning. Chronic huffing causes significant damage to the heart muscle and can result in irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and sudden death from cardiac arrest, as seen in "sudden sniffing death syndrome" which is thought to be the cause of at least 50% of the deaths resulting from inhalant abuse 1.
Key Health Effects
- Permanent cognitive impairment, memory loss, and reduced intellectual functioning
- Significant damage to the heart muscle, leading to irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and sudden death from cardiac arrest
- Permanent scarring and reduced function of the lungs
- Chronic failure of the liver and kidneys from repeatedly processing toxins
- Persistent psychological effects including depression, anxiety, and psychosis
- Physical coordination problems that may become permanent
Specific Risks
- Prolonged use of toluene can lead to renal dysfunction, metabolic acidosis, and potentially Goodpasture syndrome, which causes lung damage and renal failure 1.
- The chemicals in inhalants destroy protective myelin sheaths around nerve cells, leading to permanent nerve damage similar to multiple sclerosis.
- Huffing during pregnancy can cause birth defects.
Treatment and Support
Treatment for inhalant addiction typically requires professional substance abuse counseling and medical support to address both the addiction and resulting health problems. It is essential to prioritize the patient's overall health and well-being, considering the potential long-term effects of inhalant abuse. Avoiding inhalant abuse altogether is crucial to preventing these severe health consequences.
From the Research
Long-term Effects of Inhalant Abuse
The long-term effects of inhalant abuse, specifically volatile substance abuse (VSA) or huffing, are not directly addressed in most of the provided studies. However, some information can be gathered from the available evidence:
- The study 2 discusses the impact of inhalant abuse on adolescents, particularly how huffing affects the myelin sheath, suggesting that long-term exposure to neurotoxic chemicals can lead to serious physiological damage.
- The other studies 3, 4, 5 do not provide relevant information on the long-term effects of inhalant abuse, as they focus on benzodiazepine abuse, addiction, and substance use disorders.
Physiological Damage
Some studies suggest that inhalant abuse can lead to physiological damage, including:
- Damage to the myelin sheath, as mentioned in the study 2
- Potential harm to the brain and nervous system, as lipophilic chemicals can affect structures in these areas
Healthcare Implications
Healthcare professionals should be aware of the prevalence of inhalant abuse and its potential symptoms to provide diagnosis and treatment, as indicated in the study 2. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of inhalant abuse.