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| Inhalants refer to substances that are sniffed or huffed to give the user an immediate head rush or high. They include a diverse group of chemicals that are found in consumer products such as aerosols and cleaning solvents. Inhalant use can cause a number of physical and emotional problems, and even one-time use can result in death. |
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Using inhalants even one time can put you at risk for:
- Sudden death
- Suffocation
- Visual hallucinations and severe mood swings
- Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
- Prolonged use can result in:
- Headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain
- Decrease or loss of sense of smell
- Nausea and nosebleeds
- Hepatitis
- Violent behaviors
- Irregular heartbeat
- Liver, lung, and kidney impairment
- Irreversible brain damage
- Nervous system damage
- Dangerous chemical imbalances in the body
- Involuntary passing of urine and feces
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Short-term effects of inhalants include:
- Heart palpitations
- Breathing difficulty
- Dizziness
- Headaches
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Remember, using inhalants, even one time, can kill you. According to medical experts, death can occur in at least five ways:
- Asphyxia-solvent gases can significantly limit available oxygen in the air, causing breathing to stop;
- Suffocation-typically seen with inhalant users who use bags;
- Choking on vomit;
- Careless behaviors in potentially dangerous settings; and
- Sudden sniffing death syndrome, presumably from cardiac arrest.
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